One of Washburn’s newest faculty members for 2011 in the art department is Jennifer Marsh, who teaches Design I, an introductory course in design principles.

Marsh comes to Washburn as a Cantron Fellow from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, where she taught for two years. She received her master’s in sculpture at Syracuse University in New York, and her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the Columbus Art and Design in Sculpture in Ohio. Marsh will be teaching at Washburn for the next two years. She hopes to create more art opportunities at Washburn.

“The Cantron Fellowship was established in 2002 by the family of Donald B. and Twila Cantron, Sr., alumni of Washburn, in their honor,” said Glenda Taylor, art department chair. “The income from the endowment is matched by the state of Kansas in a program established at that time to promote support for higher education in Kansas. The Cantron professor fulfills two main roles: to teach in the Art Department and to provide outreach activity to promote the Mulvane Art Museum and Washburn.”

Marsh will be teaching a new class for the spring 2012 semester called Art and Civic Engagement. In this course, students will be creating art projects that show students working with local and international art communities and how it is possible. Students get the opportunity to interview artists via Skype and collaborate with them through the art community. There are no prerequisites to take this class.

When creating art, Marsh has no particular favorite medium that she uses. “My work is based on collaboration rather than defined by materials or techniques,” said Marsh.

Marsh also works with Kelly Jo Karlin, a Junior who is currently in the Bonner Program with Rick Ellis. Karlin helps Marsh with calling schools and teachers throughout the state.

“Washburn has good people with lots of energy, and that’s important,” said Marsh. “It makes for a truly educational experience, both good for myself and my students, my teaching and artwork flow together and exist in the same vein.”

Marsh is also one of the founding members of The Dream Rocket Project, which was founded in 2009 through the International Fiber Collaborative. The Dream Rocket Project is a large collaborative wrap that will have up to 8,000 works of art that will be connected side by side on the 365′ Saturn V Moon Rocket. It is located at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.  Some of the Dream Themes include: health, peace, space, education, equality, freedom, science, technology, conservation and community. Any type of art materials are welcome in the designs like cloth, yarn, plastic, and anything else an artist can dream of using.

For more information about the Dream Rocket Project, please visit www.thedreamrocket.com. The Dream Rocket plans on having an exhibit at the Mulvane Art Museum in the near future. Anyone would be encouraged to enter artwork for the exhibit, and does not have to be an art major.

“During my service at Washburn University, I hope that my students see the great potential in problem solving and collaboration with individuals from all walks of life,” said Marsh.