Meet Our Faculty
Joel Seah
- Title
- Assistant professor
- Department
- Art
- Areas of interest
- Print making, as it relates to contemporary art
What are the strengths of the art program?
We are a really dynamic faculty, and our student-to-faculty ratio is very good. Interaction with students is really important to the USM program. We’re not just dealing with students’ education, but with their feelings. You have to establish a mutual trust and a willingness to be vulnerable. To develop as an artist, you need to be able to accept criticism, be mature enough to understand where it’s coming from. One of the great things about USM is that you get to do that. The faculty is very personable.
How do Portland and southern Maine play into the quality of the art program and the education USM students receive?
Portland is great. Between the Art Gallery, the Portland Museum of Art, and all the galleries, there is really good work in Portland. One thing I enjoy about Portland is that it’s such a small, dynamic community. People get to know each other, and the arts community is really accessible.
Who is drawn to the art program at USM?
Students who land in our department are really not traditional-aged students. A lot of them are working, have families, work part-time jobs. I have students who have started at Savannah College of Art and Design, Warren Wilson College, you know, really great schools, but they haven’t been able to finish up. That’s exciting. Or other students who have had a lot of college experience and have come back to school. They’re really well-rounded.
What is your role in students’ lives?
My personal philosophy is I’m not just a teacher; I’m there for students for whatever they need. With the print shop, I’m a facility manager. I’m a life coach. I help students find different ways to tap into their own personal vision and have success.
You received an Outstanding Faculty Involvement Award. Was there any one experience that has influenced your teaching style?
I was always extremely fortunate as a student to have professors who cared about me beyond the classroom. They were always there to make sure I was having fun, and having the life experiences that would make me a better artist. That’s the way I’ve modeled my approach. It’s a way to give back, to add to the cycle of things.
What surprises you about USM students?
They tend to be very honest. There’s almost a purity about their character when you first encounter them. There’s a purity in the sense that you don’t have to work through a lot of bad habits. They’re very eager and willing to learn. If you’re a good role model, they’re very unconditionally yours to shape and mold as you will.
You were on sabbatical for the 2008-09 academic year. How did you spend your time away?
I had residencies at the Banff Arts Center in Banff, Alberta, Canada; the Delaware Center for Contemporary Art; and Anderson Ranch in Colorado. I used the time to reflect on my first three years at USM in order to come back refreshed and on top of my game.
