School of Art & Design + Performing Arts Division Welcomes New Faculty and Staff

The Division of Ceramic Art welcomes

Paul Briggs, Assistant Professor of Ceramics

Paul Briggs completed his PhD at the Pennsylvania State University, his MFA at the Massachusetts College of Art, and his MA at Alfred University. He researches artmaking as mindful practice, visual culture and representation in the classroom, and the place of the vessel in contemporary ceramic art.

On joining Alfred University faculty, Paul states, “Since my undergraduate days, the NYSCC at Alfred University became the essential influence in my development as an artist. But returning to teach at the Alfred University school of Art and Design is more than a homecoming. I feel honored to become part of a legacy of commitment to education in the ceramic arts. I am joining, and broadening, an increasingly diverse faculty of creative role models who will be here to encourage present and future contemporary students of art as my professors were for me.

Website: psbriggs.com

Nicki Green, Assistant Professor of Ceramics
Nicki Green is a transdisciplinary artist working primarily in clay. Her sculptures, ritual objects and various flat works explore topics of history preservation, conceptual ornamentation, and aesthetics of otherness. She has exhibited internationally, notably in La Biennale de Lyon, Lyon, France, the New Museum, New York and Musée d’Art Moderne, Paris, France. Green is a 2022 Tiffany Foundation Award Winner, a 2022 Nancy Graves Foundation Grantee, and a 2020 ART MATTERS fellow. She received a BFA from San Francisco Art Institute (2009) and an MFA from UC Berkeley (2018).

Nicki states, "I'm excited to join the faculty at Alfred University because of its visible commitment to both the rich and complex histories of ceramics and the forward pushing drive for knowledge, engagement and innovation with these materials. I look forward to the work we can do together to explore and expand the field, digging deeply into the experience of creative practice and being in the world.”

Website: nickigreen.org

Eugene Ofori Agyei, Robert Chapman Turner Teaching Fellow
Eugene Ofori Agyei will begin the Robert Chapman Turner Teaching Fellowship in January 2024. Established in honor of Robert Chapman Turner, distinguished Professor Emeritus at Alfred, the Turner Teaching Fellowship is a rotating position within the Division of Ceramic Art.

Eugene Ofori Agyei earned his BA in Industrial Art, majoring in Ceramics from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana. Eugene creates sculptures and installations that incorporate African batik fabrics, yarn, ceramics, and everyday objects imbued with personal and cultural meaning to explore the notion of identity, belonging, memory, and dislocation.

On joining Alfred University, Eugene states, “It is a dream come true to be selected as a faculty in an institution that has a renowned history when it comes to ceramic art innovation and education. I am thrilled to be part of the diverse ceramics team at New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred University. I look forward to working hand in hand with my colleagues and the students to continue the legacy.”

Website: eugeneagyeiarts.com

Kaylee Kemp, Grinding Room Assistant
Kaylee graduated with a BFA from Alfred University in May of 2023 with a focus on ceramics. Kaylee's work focused on a passion towards nature- specifically on the structures of flowers and coral highlighting the fragility of living organisms and engaging with nature’s beauty.

Kaylee states, "I am joining this community to help students to expand their curiosity with the equipment that the ceramic division has to offer as well as well as continuing to make connections with the community."

The Dean's Office welcomes

Chrissy Perotta Ziese, Special Programs Coordinator

Chrissy Perrotta Ziese (she/her) is a vocalist, actor, and arts educator originally from Brooklyn and New Jersey. She received her MFA in Acting from The New School for Drama in New York and her B.A in Theatre and Drama from Indiana University. She has worked professionally in London, Chicago, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and New York. In addition to teaching voice here at Alfred, Chrissy has also taught theatre and voice at Estrella Mountain Community College in Avondale, Arizona and Finger Lakes Community College. She lives with her husband, Jonathan, (a talented and dedicated theatre practitioner and educator) and their two children.

Chrissy states, “I am very excited to be joining the team here at AU in a new capacity. As a musician, performer, and arts educator, I’ve long held a passion for the importance of the arts and arts programming. I hope to bring that passion to this new role and cannot wait to begin working with everyone involved in executing important and essential programming for the Arts community here in Alfred.”

The Division of Expanded Media welcomes

Christopher Corey Allen, Visiting Assistant Professor of Video
Christopher Corey Allen is a transdisciplinary artist and educator based in Queens, New York. Their practice combines sculpture and expanded media, performance, and printmaking to explore ways of disrupting hegemonic narratives, radical perspectives, and the performance of self. They received an MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art. Christopher’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally including at the Walker Art Center (Minneapolis, MN), Montage Hall (Berlin, Germany), Roman Susan Art Foundation (Chicago, IL) and Hair+Nails Gallery (Minneapolis, MN), among other venues. They have been the recipient of numerous awards including the Lenore G. Tawney Foundation Award and The Toby Devan Lewis Fellowship. Additionally, Christopher has participated in multiple residencies, including at the Frans Masereel Centrum (Kasterlee, Belgium) and at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (North Adams, MA). They have previously held faculty positions at the University of Minnesota and the University of Hartford.

Christopher states, “I am thrilled to be joining Alfred University’s School of Art & Design program. It is an honor to be able to work with such an exciting team of faculty and with a curriculum that emphasizes experimentation and cross-disciplinary approaches to creative practices. I look forward to bringing my own practice and personal experience to the program and to exercising my commitment to fostering a space of engagement that is geared toward communal and personal liberation.”

Website: christophercoreyallen.com

Ellie Gamble, Drawing, Painting, Photography & Printmaking Technician

Ellie Gamble was born in Kansas City, MO and recently earned her BFA from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University in 2023 with focuses in Printmaking and Ceramics and an emphasis in living materials and active processes. As a passionate environmentalist, her art practice is a collaboration between the hand, the materials, and the natural surroundings that observe the autonomy of the earth. She seeks to be interdisciplinary in her practice, continually exploring new mediums and allowing the material to guide the process. Ellie now works as a technician of drawing, painting, photography, and printmaking at Alfred University's School of Art and Design where she hopes to continue to develop her practice and explore the landscape.

Ellie states, “I’m excited to continue to be a part of the Alfred Arts community and provide support for the students and faculty. It’s so wonderful to be a part of the behind-the-scenes work that I didn’t always get to see as a student. I’m excited to keep learning, meet new people and to call Alfred my home for more years to come”

Kelsey Sucena, Assistant Professor of Photography

Kelsey Sucena is a trans* photographer, writer, editor, educator, and former Park Ranger. Her work rests at the intersection of photography and text, often within the bodies of performative slideshows, zines, postal exhibitions, and photo-textbooks. It is centered broadly upon the United States as a site for post-capitalist, queer, and critical reflection. Situating her own transgender identity in negotiation with America’s broader physical, political, historical, and cultural landscapes she seeks to consider questions relating to identity and ideology. Her practice documents her personal struggle with self-identification as a trans*feminine subject against broader political struggles within the contemporary U.S.

On joining Alfred University faculty, Kelsey states, “Ever since I arrived in Alfred I’ve come to think of this place as a space for healing. The many welcoming voices, of friends, colleagues, and students, have helped me to settle into this small Appalachian town and back into my practice with renewed vigor. I could not be more grateful for their kindness and compassion. As I prepare myself for what comes next, I find myself deeply inspired by the students of Alfred University’s School of Art & Design who I see, every day, channeling their hope, fear, frustration, and love into projects that push boundaries and demonstrate profound technical rigor. The last few years have been hard, and the next promise further challenges. As we move through them, we do so together. Here I am reminded of the healing role that art has played within my own life and community. I hope to cultivate an atmosphere of collective healing through the production of art and to consider our role as artists in the shaping of futures.”

Website: kelseysucena.net

The Drawing & Painting Division welcomes

Zihao Chen, Visiting Assistant Professor of Drawing & Painting

Zihao will join the faculty for the 2023/24 academic year teaching undergraduate course in Drawing, Painting & Foundations.

Zihao Chen, born in China, received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts. He then went to Alfred University to receive an MFA in painting from the Alfred-Düsseldorf Painting MFA program. Living in different countries has given Zihao a unique perspective on the relationship between individuality and art from a completely different cultural and political perspective. Personal memory, cultural background, political anxiety, and contradiction are inseparable dialogues in his practice. Through painting and installation, he aims to evoke the tumultuous experiences of individuals in contemporary political environments.

On joining Alfred University, Zihao states, “I am honored to be selected as a faculty member in such a diverse teaching team at Alfred University. Alfred is very special to me. I want to thank all the extraordinary professors in the Alfred painting department for their guidance and witness to my personal growth and transformation over the past two years. From a graduate student to visiting professor, I am ready to embrace this new role. I will continue to carry on the painting department's traditions to help students grow and break through boundaries. In my art practice, I have gained many valuable nutrients from living in different cultures. I look forward to bringing my perspective and cultural background to Alfred to create a lot of more profound and meaningful dialogues.”

Website: chenzi-hao.com

The Galleries welcome

Tim Pauszek, Galleries Preparator & Turner Gallery Instructor

Tim Pauszek is a Western New York native, born and raised a stone’s throw away from Great Lake Erie in the Rust Belt town of Dunkirk, NY. He completed his BFA at Alfred University in chemistry and interdisciplinary art and was a former 2-D technician in Drawing, Painting, Photography, and Printmaking. He was the preparator and assistant registrar at Davidson Galleries in Seattle, WA, before moving down under to complete an MFA by research with a focus on printmaking from the University of New South Wales in Sydney and concurrently acted as the press studio manager at Megalo Print Studio in Canberra, Australia. Upon returning to the US he worked as the preparator for the Turner Carroll Gallery and cofounded Santa Fe Printing House, a collaborative lithography workshop in Santa Fe, NM.

Tim states on joining the School of Art & Design staff, “I was given so much by the faculty and staff at Alfred as a student and a technician which set me up for success, jump started my career, and took me around the world. I’m excited to return to Alfred as the galleries preparator and instructor of record for the Turner Gallery Internship to be able to give back to students and help them develop skills to aid them in their artistic and professional journeys.

Website: timpauszek.com

The Institute for Electronic Arts welcomes

Bernard Dolecki, Institute of Electronic Arts (IEA) Media & Technology Technician

Bernard Aaron Dolecki is an interdisciplinary artist, educator, and technophile from Jamestown, New York, who holds MFA in Emerging Practices from the University at Buffalo (UB). With a practice that spans multiple disciplines, he focused on delivering multi-user experiences through technology. Bernard completed his BFA at Alfred University in 2014. “It was here at Alfred,” Bernard says, “where I learned the value of community and found interactive installation to be my medium of choice.”

Since graduating, Bernard has been teaching at UB in the Department of Media Study with a teaching philosophy centered on community-driven experimentation. Bernard’s current efforts lay in founding the Experimental Media Lab of WNY—a space for artists in the region to discuss critical social topics and create new media works towards ongoing group shows.

Website: bernardaarondolecki.com

Miranda Metcalf, Director of the Institute for Electronic Arts

Miranda K. Metcalf holds a B.A. from the University of Washington in Philosophy and an M.A. from the University of Arizona in Art History, with a focus on printmaking. After graduating, she became the Director of Contemporary Printmaking at Davidson Galleries in Seattle, Washington. In 2017, she moved to Sydney, Australia, where she worked with the world-renowned Cicada Press at the University of New South Wales. After two years "Down Under," she relocated to Bangkok, Thailand, to take a director position at S.A.C. Gallery. She returned to the United States in 2021 and worked as a freelance writer, podcaster, and director of the month-long printmaking festival Print Santa Fe. She co-hosts the podcast Hello, Print Friend, which is the longest-running print-centric podcast with over 200 episodes featuring artists from over thirty countries in English and Spanish. When not working, she is gazing adoringly at her two street dogs, Lucy and Turien, who came back with her from Thailand.

Miranda states, "I was first introduced to the IEA in 2017 after being invited to lecture as part of the 20th anniversary of the residencies and quickly understood it is a remarkable place. The culture of Alfred University and the unique way of life in the village the Washington Post called "collegiest college town in the United States" struck me as a beautiful way to live. I am grateful to have the opportunity to take up the mantle of what Peer Bode and Joseph Scheer started. I'm looking forward to working with the brilliant staff and faculty during this dynamic time at the intersection of art and technology and helping to share the IEA with the world."

Website: helloprintfriend.com, printsantafe.org

The Performing Arts Division welcomes

Kevin Kolton Bradley, Assistant Professor of Theatre

Kevin Kolton Bradley is a director, actor and teacher. He is an alum of Lincoln Center Theater's Directors Lab and the Observership Program with Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC). He has directed at several theatre companies, including Boston’s Huntington Theatre Company, SpeakEasy Stage Company, New Repertory Theatre, Lyric Stage Company, Gloucester Stage Company, and Detroit Repertory Theatre. As an instructor, he has taught at The Harlem School of the Arts, The New Victory Theater in Times Square, and Boston University. Stage acting credits include: The Inheritance (Tristan), Rent (Benny), Dreamgirls (Curtis Taylor), Ragtime (Booker T. Washington), Hairspray (Gilbert), Once On This Island (Agwe / Tonton Julian), Side Show (Jake), Macbeth (Ross), and Measure for Measure (Claudio).

Kolton studied Shakespeare and Classical Drama at The British Academy of Dramatic Arts. He holds a BFA in Acting from the University of Michigan and an MFA in Directing from Boston University. Kolton is a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association and Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

On joining Alfred University's faculty, Kevin states, "As an instructor I mix artistry, scholarship, and pedagogy to create dynamic, adaptable, and rigorous environments in which college students succeed as scholars, artists, and individuals. I am excited to bring this sense of play and whimsy to the classroom at Alfred University. I am thrilled by the opportunity to work with students and faculty across all disciplines of the Performance Arts Division. Collaboration is essential for a director. At Alfred, I will take full advantage to work with students and faculty from music, theatre, dance, and beyond."

Website: KoltonBradley.com

Ola Kraszpulska, Visiting Assistant Professor of Performance Design & Technology

Ola Kraszpulska (she/her) has a BFA in theatre design and technology from Marshall University and her MFA in Scenic Design from Florida State. She is a theatre artist and educator. Most recently, she was the Scenic Charge Artist at Geva Theatre. Prior to that she spent over 10 years in academic theatre, starting out as a Visiting Design/ Tech Instructor at Earlham College, then moving on to Assistant Professor of Scenic and Lighting design at SUNY Oswego. At SUNY, she became an Associate Professor and served as the theatre department chair.

During her time at SUNY, Ola designed scenery, lights and projections for over 35 productions. Some favorites include Fun Home, Fahrenheit 451, Urinetown and The Shape of Things. Ola also worked at Cortland Repertory Theatre creating set designs for Sleuth, Always a Bridesmaid and Fox on the Fairway. She was the associate set designer for Geva Theatre's Jane Eyre. Ola enjoys writing about theatre at TheatreArtLife.com.

Outside of constantly seeking new work to add to her design portfolio, Ola's research interests include Theatre of the Absurd and Theatre of the Oppressed.

Ola states, "I am thrilled to be joining the faculty at Alfred University. After a few years away from teaching, I can't wait to be back in the classroom and work with students. I'm looking forward to collaborating with my new colleagues and solving design challenges. I hope to find a sense of community and can't wait to learn about committee or service opportunities that align with her research and values."

Erin Law, Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance

On joining Alfred University faculty, Erin states, “I am inspired by the innovative energy of the young adults in our current culture and can't wait to facilitate embodied learning with them. This generation will lead us through so much change, and so I look forward to cultivating our movement skills to support us as we shift, adapt, and grow together”

Website: erinlawembodiment.com

Sculpture Dimensional Studies welcomes

Selva Aparicio, Fall 2023 Theodore Randall International Chair in Sculpture/Dimensional Studies

Selva Aparicio is an interdisciplinary artist exploring ideas of memory, intimacy, and the temporality of life through installations that celebrate the cyclicity of the natural world.

Born and raised in the woods just outside of Barcelona, Spain, she found solace in nature from a young age and cultivated a profound interest in the ephemeral, as inspired by the natural world around her. She received her BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2015 and her MFA in sculpture from Yale University in 2017. Aparicio’s work has been shown internationally in solo and group exhibitions including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; The International Museum of Surgical Science, Chicago; Yale Center for British Art; Can Mario Museum, Spain; CRUSH Curatorial, New York; The Kyoto International Craft Center, Japan; Instituto Cervantes, New York; and the Centre de Cultura Contemporanea de Barcelona. She was awarded the JUNCTURE Fellowship in Art and International Human Rights in 2016, the Blair Dickinson Memorial Prize in 2017, and received a MAKER Grant from the Chicago Artist Coalition in 2020.She was also name done of the 2020 breakout artists in Chicago by NewCity Art, made the Short List for the 2021 Foundwork Artist Prize, and received the Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation Artadia Award in 2022. Her sculpture Auto-da-FÈ, exhibited at EXPO Chicago2023, was donated to the DePaul Art Museum with funds from the Inaugural Barbara Nessim Acquisition Prize. Sheís currently working on two outdoor permanent sculptures for both the Belgium Beaufort 2024 Triennale and the Heraclea Archeological Park in Italy.

Website: selvaaparicio.com

Rebecca Arday, Assistant Professor of Glass

Rebecca Arday is an artist-educator who utilizes glass and other amorphous, ephemeral materials to create sculptures and drawings that explore (im)permanence and (in)stability in relation to the personal and societal.

Rebecca holds an MFA from the Department of Art at The Ohio State University (2021) and BFA in glass from the School for American Crafts at the Rochester Institute of Technology (2008). In between study, she served in arts administration as the Registrar and then Education Coordinator on the year-round staff at Pilchuck Glass School. Her work has been included in exhibitions across the United States as well as in Bulgaria, China, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom and was recently included in the exhibition Through a Glass, Darkly at The Delaware Contemporary in Wilmington, NJ. She has presented lectures and given demonstrations in the United States, Denmark, and New Zealand. Rebecca has taught at the Rochester Institute of Technology and The Ohio State University and summer workshops at Penland School of Crafts and Pilchuck Glass School.

On joining Alfred University’s permanent faculty, Rebecca states, “I’m thrilled to continue at Alfred as glass faculty in the Sculpture/Dimensional Studies Division. With a focus in glass, my practice has always been closely tied to community and I’m delighted to continue work with an inspiring group of colleagues and students here. I am excited to further strengthen ties and to collaborate with other disciplines—within the School of Art and Design, and beyond—and to grow the National Casting Center. “

Website: rebeccaarday.com

Andrew Cain, Sculpture Dimensional Studies Technical Specialist

Andrew Cain is a multi-disciplinary artist from Modesto in the Central Valley of California. He graduated with his BFA in printmaking from Queensland College of Art in Brisbane, Australia in 2009 and his MFA from The School and The Museum of Fine Art at Tufts University in 2022. His work is based on community and participation, creating platforms for artists to work together, collaborate, and help cultivate a healthy creative climate by working with universities, galleries, museums, non-profits, and arts organizations to promote arts education.

On joining the School of Art & Design, Andrew states, “I am incredibly excited to begin my new position working with Alfred University as the Dimensional Studies Technical Specialist! I look forward to getting to know the community on campus and in Alfred, and to working with students, faculty, and staff. Experimentation through mediums and collaborations are a few of my favorite things about art making and I look forward to encouraging and participating in the artmaking processes and can’t wait to see what we can do together.”

Website:caincongart.com

Amy Crawford, Glass Technician

Amy Crawford (they/she) is a Hot Glass and Metal Foundry Artist. After graduating from the NYSCC in 2010 they have lived all over the country teaching and producing in these fields. With a passion for process and tools of the trade, they aim to uphold a safe and inclusive glass department at AU. Amy is currently relocating from Kingston NY with partner Malachi, and their doggo Harlan. Their hobbies include foraging in nature for medicinal plants, gardening, bush craft, and textiles. Amy is also a lover of live music, especially bluegrass.

Amy states, "I am most excited to move to Alfred for the atmosphere of creative collaboration, and to once again be part of a rural community."

Emily Yurkevicz, Visiting Assistant Professor of Sculpture/Dimensional Studies- Fibers & Mixed Media

Emily Yurkevicz is an interdisciplinary artist from Brattleboro, Vermont whose work has been exhibited and published both domestically and internationally.  Through her practice, she investigates process, repetition, lifespans, and material storytelling. Her work ranges across a variety of mediums from traditional fiber techniques to sculptural casting and woodworking. Her works are primarily large scale, site-specific installations which are comprised of amassed precious objects creating tension between weight, negative space, and the layered identities of memory and the intersection of queer identity and traditional craft.

On joining Alfred University, Emily states, "I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside engaged, critical students at the intersection of sculpture and fiber in Alfred’s Dimensional Studies program. I look forward to exchanging knowledge and fostering a supportive community of artists and thinkers. I am particularly excited by Alfred's open curriculum, talented faculty, and impressive facilities."

Website: emilyyurkevicz.com