Could you introduce yourself and tell me a bit about your background?

My name is Heidi Hogden. I am the new Associate Professor of Studio Art at Southwestern. I grew up in the backwoods of Wisconsin, riding horses, planting trees, and raising animals. My father was a chemist, and my mother was a plein air painter. This unique experience has ultimately shaped the artist and teacher I am today, finding intersections of science, art, and the natural world. I received a BFA in painting from Minneapolis College of Art and Design in Minneapolis, MN, and an MFA in studio art from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in affiliation with Tufts University in Boston, MA. I have had the opportunity to present my work in exhibitions nationally and internationally, including the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts in Little Rock, and the Czong Institute for Contemporary Art Museum in Seoul, Korea. My current artwork highlights ecological peril as visualized through embodied psychological portraiture and landscape.

Why did you want to work at Southwestern?

I was particularly drawn to Southwestern because it is a small, student-centered liberal arts institution with the ability to develop interdisciplinary relationships with other departments and to conduct high-impact learning experiences. It was my desire to teach within a top small liberal arts college because of my commitment to teaching each one of my students to be intellectually and creatively fearless, and I believe a liberal arts education allows them to reflect deeply across all disciplines, better preparing them for lifelong learning.

What classes do you teach?

I teach painting, drawing, and printmaking courses at all levels. My position at Southwestern offers me the opportunity to combine my deep knowledge of these mediums with my passion for teaching undergraduate students. As an educator, I create classroom environments that focus on creative problem-solving and rigorous experimental inquiry, development of a personal direction, and a thorough understanding of a wide range of technical and conceptual approaches to studio art.

What ideas do students explore in your art classes?

I expose my students to multiple approaches and concepts within contemporary studio art practice. We look at diverse artist practices and critical issues to understand the field in which they are engaging in. In the classroom, I position students to creatively address environmental and social concerns in order to understand the world and themselves. I educate my students to have a high level of engagement with the world around them by dedicating their creative energy to making it a better place.

How have you enjoyed your time at Southwestern so far?

My time at Southwestern has been wonderful. Earlier this semester, I brought four students on a high-impact learning experience at Tamarind, which is part of the University of New Mexico system and is the premier center for lithography in the world. Each student was able to create their own lithography print in collaboration with a master printer. I was also honored to have the opportunity to share my work in a solo exhibition in the Fine Arts Gallery at Southwestern. Many students, colleagues, and staff came for the opening, which made me feel welcome in this new place.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

Outside of work, I am getting acclimated to living in this new place. I have been going on small outdoor adventures in Texas, hanging out on the porch with my 18-year-old cat, Diesel, or making it comfortable in my studio and apartment.

If you could meet any artist, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

I would like to meet Artemisia Gentileschi, an Italian Baroque painter and seventeenth-century feminist. Gentileschi was known for being able to depict the female figure with great naturalism and for her skill in handling color to express dimension and drama. She is now regarded as one of the most progressive and expressive painters of her generation.

What is something students would be surprised to learn about you?

I love gluten-free cooking, vintage shop parroozing, and sewing my own clothing.

Is there anything I haven’t asked that you would like people to know about you?

I am just happy to be here and excited for the next adventure! Please check out my work on my website, www.heidihogden.com.

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