EDUCATION

BFA 2002

MA in Art Education 2006

University of Cincinnati (USA)

College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning  

Graduate assistantship and full scholarship 

Magna Cum Laude

LICENSURE

State of Ohio, U.S. Department of Education, Visual Art (K-12)

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS

2018                  Art Educator IB Visual Arts      

                          MEF International Schools – Istanbul Campus, Turkey

                       • Full teaching responsibilities in IB Visual Arts and general high school studio art

2016 - 2018       Art Educator IB Visual Arts      

                          American Community School – Beirut, Lebanon

                       • Full teaching responsibilities as IB Visual Arts teacher across two-year program grades 11-12 and 9-10

                          photography                                                  

                        • Organised local and international travel to art galleries, museums, art workshops, and visiting artists

                        • Visual and Performing Arts review committee member

                        • Presenter: EdTech Google for Education summit –presentation on use of digital screens as process for showing visible thinking

2011 - 2016        Art Educator AP and High School Visual Art grades 9-12 (2013-present)

                           Art Educator Middle School Art grades 6-8 (2011-2013)

                           American International School – Chennai, India

                         • Full teaching responsibilities integrating the school’s mission and values

                         • Taught courses in studio art, drawing & painting, photography, pottery, graphic design, advanced and AP art – with top scores

                         • Joined committees on CIS accreditation (visual arts team), Visual Arts Curriculum Alignment, and Design Thinking teams          

                         • Promoted and organized displays of student artwork in public spaces on a regular basis, and PTO collaborations with student work

                         • Co-designed and integrated a campus-wide artist residency program in 2014 to revive a nearly vanished local artform by bringing

                           a team of local ceramicists for a 3 month clay-build to recreate the historical Tamil village tradition of monumental 15 foot terracotta

                           clay Horses of Ayyanar - not only creating the larger than life horse sculptures, but leader in curriculum integration across grade

                           levels/subject areas and student-designed educational graphic design display for the school.

                         • Lead travel to art galleries, and art workshops with deep cultural experiences in various traditional locations and art forms, including

                           thangka painting with Tibetan masters, knotted dye and fiber arts in Rajasthan, and student-directed mural installation at village

                           mountain school in Maharashtra.

2010 - 2011        Art Educator IB Visual Art Grades 10-12  Cita Hati Senior School – Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia

                         • All responsibilities as full time art teacher, including making a curriculum framework and scope and sequence where one did not

                           exist, integrated new media and technology, and served in collaboration with fine and performing arts team

                         • Designed and taught IB Visual Arts program fulfilling all IBO criteria, as well as general studio art courses, and student art displays

                         • Worked collaboratively as Extended Essay (EE) coordinator with IB coordinator to enhance school procedures for EE process,

                           research methods, and to elicit enthusiasm and organization in year-one through to completion in year-two

2007 - 2010        Education Program Manager  Portland State University – Portland, Oregon, USA

                                    Two-year (part time) teacher education program, K-12 Service Learning certification, Differentiated instruction certificate

                         • Managed program development, smooth delivery, designed online marketing and print media, travel and networking expansion of

                           PK-20 programs and courses within the Portland-metropolitan area and throughout the state of Oregon and SW Washington

                         • Evaluated course data using evidence-based model of inquiry to make decisions about maintaining programs and future initiatives:

                           sing data, environmental scan, and budget to produce reports, hire faculty, and start new programs               

                         • Pioneered the design, content text, and web layout (still in use today) website on “How to Become a Teacher”

2007                   Art Museum Curator of Education  Waterworks Visual Arts Center – Salisbury, North Carolina, USA

                         • Planned and executed comprehensive education and outreach: brochures and multimedia interactive tools, exhibition interpretation,

                           school tours, curated and hosted K-12 student art exhibitions and annual awards, studio art courses, public lecture series, trained

                           docents on gallery exhibitions and art history

                         • Managed grant-funded projects, marketing and promotional materials to support education and outreach initiatives in coordination

                           with the Executive Director and the Director of Development

                         • Contributed news and digital media for the museum’s Impressions newsletter, website, and local newspaper

2006                  Adjunct Faculty  University of Cincinnati – Cincinnati, Ohio, USA     

                         • Instructor for graduate courses on theory and practice in Art Education, using 21st century technology in art, history of art education,

                           and supervised field experience/practicum

                         • Program director for “Saturday Art Program” with pre-service teachers, K-12 students, and their families

2002 - 2005       Art Educator Grades 7-12  Felicity-Franklin High School – Felicity, Ohio, USA

                         • Initial three years teaching visual arts, including: ceramics, photography, studio art in various levels, portfolio  development, and art

                           appreciation; held full responsibility for curriculum design, supply orders, department budget, and  online databases, gallery, and     

                           newsletters – in special needs Appalachian population

                         • Constructed and provided a binder of quarterly evidence of high quality work samples for district’s Continuous Improvement Plan

                           (CIP), which ranked the school within the U.S. “Schools of Excellence” category

                         • Submitted student artwork in competitions… And won

2002                  Student Teacher Grades K-12  Clark Montessori High School and Eastern Hills Foreign Language Academy

                         • Taught all art courses ranging from introductory level through AP painting – exhibited displays, entered student prints into national

                            printmaking competition and Scholastic Arts competition, chaperoned academic-focused student camping trip

                         • Special concentration on the Montessori method of inquiry, collaboration, reflection, and social development

COMMUNITY-BASED ART EDUCATION

2014                     Local Residency Program American International School-Chennai (3 month build with local ceramists in historical Tamil tradition

                              of monumental 15 foot terracotta clay Horses of Ayyanar) – India

2006                     Museum Education Internship Contemporary Arts Center – Cincinnati, Ohio

2003                     Artist Invitational Cincinnati Art Museum

2002                     Museum Education Internship Cincinnati Art Museum – Cincinnati, Ohio

2002                     Art Instructor Cincinnati Art Museum

1999-2001            Art Instructor Art for Kids. Ages 6-12 Art Academy of Cincinnati

2000                     Guest Artist Cincinnati Art Museum

2000                     Artist Apprentice to Artist in Resident, Ellen Zahorec at CraftSummer, Miami University

1999                     Ceramics Instructor Ages 6-12 Clifton Recreation Center

AWARDS, SCHOLARSHIPS,  CERTIFICATES

2016                     Professional Certificate: International Baccalaureate Training Visual Arts Category 2 – held in Amsterdam

2013                     Professional Certificate: Advanced Placement Institute   AP Studio Art, College Board – held in UAE

2010                     Professional Certificate: International Baccalaureate Training   Visual Arts Category 1 – held in Hong Kong

2009                     University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) - Outstanding Program Award for K-12 Service-Learning Program (fully-online)            

                              through Portland State University

2008-2009           Board Council Member Wisdom of the Elders. Portland, OR based nonprofit committed to Native American Cultural Preservation, Multimedia  

                             Education, and Race Reconciliation

2005-2006           Graduate Scholarship full-tuition and G.A. stipend

2000-2002           Founding President Art Education Student Chapter, University of Cincinnati

1999-2002           Student Ambassador University of Cincinnati

2001                    Juror’s Award Zahorec/Hughes Gallery

1997-2002           Undergraduate Scholarships full-tuition awarded across five-year degree

ART EXHIBITIONS

Curatated

2017 - 2018         IB Visual Art Exhibition   grade 12 final art exhibition off campus in downtown gallery - ACS Beirut and Beirut Souks sponsorship

2012 - 2015         AP Portfolio Exhibition   annual show and quarterly display of students’ work in school’s Atrium Gallery - AISC (Chennai)

2011                     IB Visual Art Exhibition   grade 12 final exam with visiting examiner - Cita Hati Senior School

2009                     Learning and Development Depicted through K-12 Visual Art – a university-school-community collaborative exhibition sponsored by the

                              Graduate School of Education, Portland State University

2007                     Spring Youth Art Exhibition   local K-12 juried youth art exhibition - Waterworks Visual Art Center

2007                     Dare to Imagine   scholarship award and exhibition - Waterworks Visual Art Center

2006                     Saturday Art Program annual exhibition   a community partnership program combining preservice teachers, K-12 students, and their

                              families - University of Cincinnati

Solo

2006                     Silent Art Auction  sold entire personal collection to start living light and moving globally

2006                     New Sculpture in Clay  DAAP School of Art independent showcase

2003                     Window Series  Bistro on Elm Gallery - __ Hotel - Cincinnati

2001                     Contemporary Works in Fibre  840 Gallery - UC student gallery

2000                     Installation  More Than Boxes Gallery - Cincinnati

Group

2015                     Lalit Kala Academy  International Women’s Day Exhibition - Chennai, India

2012                     Art & Soul Gallery - Chennai, India

2006                     Global Lead Art Gallery  Constructed Memories - Ohio, USA

2003                     Cincinnati Art Museum  Home is Where the Art Is

2002                     DAAP Works  Senior Show

2001                     Zahorec/Hughes Gallery  The May Show – juried – and won Juror’s Award

2000                     Carnegie Visual & Performing Arts Center  Emerging Artist Exhibition

1999                     Burnet Woods Park  Sculpture installation

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

2015 - 2016           Design Thinking Committee  American International School – Chennai, India

2014 - 2016           Visual Arts Curriculum Alignment Task Force  American International School – Chennai, India

2008 - 2010           PeaceJam USA  Leadership team – Portland State University / Oregon State University

2008 - 2010           Wisdom of the Elders Inc.  Board Member: Art and culture liaison – Portland, Oregon

2008 - 2010           Oregon Community Education Association  Service-learning forum chair – Salem, Oregon

2008 - 2009           Community Partners/Field Experience Task Force – Portland State University

TRAVEL  STUDIES,  INTERESTS

2017                     SUNDOOR Firewalk Instructor Certification and Leadership Firewalking spiritual initiation and training with spiritual master, Peggy Dylan and

                              Celtic shaman, Stephen Mulhearn. Lendrick Lodge, Trossachs, Scotland

2016                     Budapest for the summer, Moldova, Vienna, Slovenia, Amsterdamn, Lebanon

2016                     Goddess Pilgrimage to Crete   Two weeks with Carol P. Christ, feminist theologan: "There has never been a more important time to learn about

                              societies of peace that honored peace and equality and the interdependence of life." Feminist classical and neolithic past / archeological study –

                              Crete, GREECE

2015                     Thailiand, Cambodia, Dharamsala. Greece two months: Lesvos, Mainland, Peloponese, Meteora, Agean islands: Sifnos, Milos, Kythenos,          

                              Santorini, Crete.

2014                     Kalachakra Ceremony / two months in Little Tibet  Two weeks of philosophical teachings and peace ceremony with His Holiness the Dalai Lama

                              – Ladakh

2013                      India: Darjeeling, Sikkim, Bangalore, Chikmagalur, Mumbai, Varanasi, throughout south India. SriLanka. Ireland for the summer.

2012                     Art Workshop on Rudolf Steiner color theory in art education - Ubud, BALI (Center for Artistic Creativity)

2012                     Israel and Jordan ... Live/Study (art residency) Balinese songket weaving (discontinuous warp, supplementary weft) Sideman, BALI

2011                     Ireland for the summer

2010                     Java Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bali

2009                     Lakota Vision Quest – on Mount Saint Helen’s, WA, USA

2009                     Theosophical studies at Indralaya – San Juan Islands, WA, USA

2009                     Spring inspiration – Victoria, British Columbia, CANADA

2008                     Teach Aishling at home in Ireland -–Co. Donegal, IRELAND

2006                     Stories from the Kitchen Table – Co. Donegal, IRELAND

2005                     Sacred Sites and Sheela na Gig research – west coast, IRELAND

2005                     Actor, BallyTour - Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal – IRELAND

2001                     Forestation, Orchids, and Art – COSTA RICA

PUBLICATIONS/PRESENTATIONS

Publications

O’Connor, C. (2010). Designed concept, layout, colors, buttons, content text, images, pagesequencing, etc for website, How to become a teacher.

Hall, Sarah. (2007, April 15). Prominently quoted in The state of the arts: Conference highlights role in education. Salisbury

    Post. Salisbury, North Carolina.

O’Connor, C. (2006). A social reconstructionist art education curriculum: the hero’s journey as a teaching strategy. Unpublished

    master’s thesis, University of Cincinnati, College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning.

Presentations

O'Connor, C. (2017). Digital Process Screens: Thinking made visual. EdTech Google Summit – Beirut. American Community School Beirut, Lebanon.

O’Connor, C. (2008). Studies in visual culture to engage youth as leaders. Webinar lecture and presentation, via Portland State

    University, the course Service-Learning Best Practice: Youth Voice.

O’Connor, C. (2008). Service-learning online to promote sustainable partnerships through academically sound practice. Paper presented at

    the Oregon Community Education Association Conference, Seaside, Oregon.

AFFILIATIONS

SUNDOOR International Firewalking School (Instructor) – California, USA

International Society for Education through Art (InSEA) -- North America

National Art Education Association (NAEA) -- Reston, Virginia, USA