Sharon Harper is retiring from full-time teaching after this semester.  She says it has been a difficult decision, as she’s committed to supporting her students through to graduation. But that is why she has agreed to continue to teach part-time during the next academic year, 2018-19.

Sharon was appointed Assistant Professor at Missouri State University in 1993. Teaching at first in the Foundations program, also occasionally in Digital Arts/Animation, then eventually Drawing and Painting where she also ultimately found herself regularly teaching the BFA in Art, Senior Exhibition class for graduating seniors. It’s at that stage that students are expected to be reaching towards an independent perspective, readying a body of work, and working with a committee of faculty to mount a cohesive exhibition. A successful teacher of that class is able to address the needs of students across all of the disciplines, helping them express their own vision, brokering a successful experience between media and display considerations, whether it’s in the gallery, a site-specific installation, or theater showing.

She’s asked quite often what she will do in retirement. To that she says “. . . work in the studio more! I’m looking forward to having my brain to myself.”

If you’d like to read more about Sharon and her work, you can find an additional post here.