Working on my Creative Arts Fellowship project for the past 8 months has not only strengthened my confidence as an artist but also restructured my view of the significance of creativity and curiosity in our lives. This fellowship granted me the opportunity and space to recognize how the arts and lived experiences can play powerful…
Author: cjdawson
Networks of Creativity
I met my project mentor, Professor Gretchen Bender, my junior year during my Undergraduate Research Assistantship position. Professor Bender was then developing a course called Museums: Society and Inclusion? for the new Museum Studies major in the History of Art and Architecture department. I was fortunate to work with several other undergrad students (and a…
Creative Challenges and Opportunities
In the early stages of a larger project like the Creative Arts Fellowship, I often have to remind myself that my first pass at an idea or composition doesn’t have to be perfect. I tend to chase instant gratification and perfectionism in many aspects of my life, but I think this is especially inherent in…
Cohort and Community
Working alongside the Creative Arts Fellowship cohort during the past spring semester and into this summer has played a crucial role in stimulating my creative process and my reflection upon how my work can situate into larger conversations and communities. When I received the Creative Arts Fellowship I didn’t realize just how excitingly vast the…
CJ Dawson Introduction: Portals in a Pandemic
Hi everyone! My name is CJ Dawson, my pronouns are she/her, and I am a rising fifth year student majoring in History of Art and Architecture with minors in Studio Arts and Museum Studies. When I’m not in class or drawing I can be found lacing up my cleats as a player on Pitt’s Women’s…
Growth in a Digital Fall: My CUTF Experience
Working with Professor Gretchen Bender this semester as a teaching assistant for Museums: Society and Inclusion? gave me the opportunity to grow both as a student of Art History and as an educator. As a recipient of a Chancellor’s Undergraduate Teaching Fellowship, I was able to explore the concept of media in museums, both in…
Learning Through Teaching in a Virtual Environment
Working with Professor Gretchen Bender this semester as a teaching assistant for Museums: Society and Inclusion? has been an enriching experience. I was also fortunate enough to work with her this past spring as a research assistant alongside several other undergraduate students from the History of Art and Architecture department. We helped Professor Bender develop…
An Introduction: Museums and Media in the Age of COVID-19
Hi! My name is CJ Dawson, my pronouns are she/her, and I am currently a senior majoring in History of Art and Architecture and minoring in Museum Studies and Studio Arts. I’m excited to work as a recipient of a Chancellor’s Undergraduate Teaching Fellowship for HAA 0125 “Museums: Society and Inclusion?” this semester alongside Annie…