Kraft’s paper was “Research and Inquiry: Pedagogical Tools to Engender Responsibility;” Yates presented his paper “Research as Catalyst” in the same session.

The two also participated in the Integrative Teaching International ThinkTank along with Vice President for Academic Affairs Kevin Conlon, Assistant Professor Lori Faist, Assistant Professor and Fine Arts alumna Julie Abijanac (CCAD 1992), and Associate Professor and Fine Arts alumna Tam Peterson (CCAD 1983).

FATE is a national association dedicated to the promotion of excellence in development and teaching of college-level foundation courses. The ThinkTank is part of the FATE conference and includes a facilitated discussion and intensive workshop designed to improve teaching at the college level.

Kraft also presented her paper “Rurality Then and Now: Re-visioning the Landscape in Contemporary Irish Art Practice” at the International Meeting of the American Conference for Irish Studies in Chicago, April 10-13.

Kraft reviewed Francoise Henry in Co. Mayo: The Inishkea Journals by Janet T. Marquardt. She was commissioned by Nicholas Wolf, an assistant professor at Glucksman Ireland House at New York University. Wolf is also an editor for H-Albion, the H-Net discussion network for British and Irish history where Kraft’s review was published.

To read Kraft’s review, click here.

Jeannine Kraft stands in a castle door.

By Kristen M. Foley

Jeannine Kraft’s imagination has been directed across the Atlantic Ocean ever since she was a young girl. Staying true to her earliest interests, the CCAD Liberal Arts assistant professor and History of Art and Design chair has fashioned a lifelong career from her ever-evolving passion for all things Irish.

Kraft’s childhood fascination was with medieval literature and mythology from throughout England, Ireland, and Wales. As a graduate student at Ohio State University, she focused on medieval Irish art, but over the past few years she has expanded her exploration of Irish art and culture. She’s currently investigating the expression of identity in the country’s art and how it reflects the history rooted in its breathtaking landscape.

An untitled print by Robert Ellis from his series "New Line." (© Robert Ellis)

“There are these layers of history that mark the landscape,” says Kraft. “When you [first] think of Ireland you think of the castles, the high crosses, and the standing stones, and how they became an embedded part of their cultural identity—but I’m interested in how they are reflected in the visual arts.”

During her sabbatical last summer Kraft used a CCAD Faculty Enrichment grant to make her eighth trip to Ireland. “I’m so passionate about the culture that when I do get to go somewhere, I choose there,” she muses. “I should probably diversify a little, but I love it so much.”

Even with eight trips behind her, Kraft still learns something new about the country and its people every time she visits. During last summer’s trip she chose to deepen her research on modern and contemporary art. What she uncovered was somewhat of an artistic struggle, as contemporary Irish artists try to embrace their heritage and the landscape without being drowned out by stereotypical views of their country. Kraft observes that the art of today is in contention with images of the past over which should serve as the authentic voice and vision of Irish culture.

An untitled print by Robert Ellis from his series "New Line." (© Robert Ellis)

“It’s a really loaded question for contemporary artists, because there is a tourist stereotype and kitsch image of Ireland, and they struggle with that legacy and cultural baggage,” says Kraft. “That’s really where I’m moving forward with my research, to this idea of the duality of the expression of Irish identity: the constructed mythology of the landscape versus contemporary artists striving for an authentic engagement with the landscape and its legacy.”

Kraft credits CCAD with assisting her in pursuing her work and allowing her to share it with her students, who are already fascinated with Irish art. She notes that students are curious about how the art has trickled down into contemporary pop culture via the use of Irish and Celtic symbols in tattoos and fashion patterns.

One final note brings Kraft’s childhood passion full circle. Her love for Ireland and for her young son have inspired her to write Liam the Valiant-Hearted Warrior, a children’s book set in Ireland and illustrated by CCAD Illustration alumnus Patrick Butler. She’s currently shopping it to publishers; we’re all looking forward to the results.

Above: The middle and last images are contemporary archival inkjet prints by Irish artist Robert Ellis from his series New Line, which documents the space inhabited by a small alternative community in the west of Ireland (both images Untitled, 40 x 47 inches, © Robert Ellis). The gallery below (click any image to view in larger, slideshow mode) includes snapshots from Kraft’s recent visit to Ireland.

Kraft will present her paper The Irish Image: Cultural Identity for the Global Marketplace and chair a session entitled Erin Influence Abroad.

The entire conference explores the theme of Erin at Home, Erin Abroad: Capturing the Irish Experience.

The conference is being held in New Orleans, March 14–17, 2012.

Students read over comment cards in class

A Liberal Arts honor’s class at Columbus College of Art  & Design is questioning social boundaries by asking the CCAD community “who are you?”

The students are working on a semester-long project based off of the question of “who are you?” to explore the idea of boundaries, especially when it comes to identity.

The class is calling themselves “Collective Identity,” and began their project by brainstorming a topic to explore.

“We came across the topic of boundaries,” said Jeannine Kraft, assistant professor.  “We discussed internal and external boundaries from the ones you set up with friends to the boundaries between CCAD and the Columbus community.”

Boxes were places around campus with the question “who are you?”  on top. The students placed blank index cards on the boxes and awaited responses from visitors, students, faculty, and staff. The students collected the boxes after having them available to the public for two weeks.

To organize the comment cards the students went through reading the responses out loud. The cards garnered responses including laughs, winces, and collective “awes” from the students. The cards were then organized by theme ranging from drawings to confessions, to fears to announcements, to depressing memories or sultry secrets.

The comment cards will then be put together and used as a script for a performance piece. The performance will take place Dec. 8 at 6:30 p.m. as part of a larger group student activity and performance called the Night Market. It will take place in the a garage space on Cleveland Avenue south of the Canzani Center.

The class will also show an exhibition called Boundaries in the Design Studios on Broad gallery, Dec. 12–15 with an opening reception on Dec. 15, 7–9 p.m.

Sample from a CCAD teaching portfolio

Several CCAD faculty were presenters at the recent Assessment in the Arts Conference in Denver, CO.

Associate Provost Char Norman, Dean of Fine Arts and Foundation Studies Julie Taggart (CCAD 1991), and Christopher Yates (CCAD 1987), chair of Foundation Studies, were among the art and academic professionals who shared their first-hand knowledge and experiences. Their presentation, Accountability and Exchange: Using Digital Portfolios for Assessment, focused on CCAD’s use, beginning in 2010, of faculty and student digital portfolios as part of its assessment process. The discussion touched upon the benefits, challenges, and opportunities inherent in the method.

Additionally, Liberal Arts’ Jeannine Kraft, chair of history of art and design, and Julie Posey, chair of science, teamed together to deliver a paper entitled Assessment in the Liberal Arts in the Art and Design College Context.

Held at Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design, the conference was designed to add to the body of knowledge of assessment of creative academic programs. Focal topics included improvement of student learning, how the arts can be appropriately assessed for accreditation, and techniques of providing assessment feedback.

image of National University of Ireland, Galway

The National University of Ireland, Galway is the setting for the Jeannine Kraft’s next professional presentation.

Kraft, a Liberal Arts assistant professor and chair of History of Art and Design, is presenting a paper in late June at the 25th Irish Conference of Medievalists entitled “An Assessment of the Liturgical Implications of the Irish High Crosses.”

More information is available on the conference website.

Jeannine Kraft, an assistant professor in Liberal Arts, is one of 15 art history professors chosen to explore educational trends, share best practices, and discuss the needs of instructors and students. Other disciplines included in the conference are history, human development, psychology, and sociology. Each conference discipline is represented by 15 professors from schools across the country.

The teaching and learning conference in Las Vegas, NV is organized by Pearson, the publisher of CCAD’s freshman survey textbook.

Jeannine Kraft  is presenting a paper at the International Meeting of the American Conference for Irish Studies in Madison, WI. The paper is entitled Patterns in the Visualization of Irish Identity: The Intersection of the Cosmopolitan and the Vernacular.  The conference runs March 30-April 2, 2011. Details are available on the conference website.