Design/Art Educator seeks Teaching Opportunity (tertiary or community based)

A creative design/art teaching or art and design education-related opportunity is required. Graphic design, visual communication, exhibit design, photography, basic 2-d design, basic 3-d design, creative process, design methodology, art therapy, visual thinking. I am not suited teaching software...although I use it.

My name is Larry Matthews and I am a dual US/New Zealand citizen. I have lived in New Zealand since 1993 and came here to teach design and art. I have had the opportunity to teach many students from overseas and enjoy the creativity and diversity of students from various cultures. I am seeking a teaching or support role to re-enter academia. In 2003 I became unwell and subsequently had to leave full-time employment in 2004. I have worked hard to regain my health and I am eager to return to a career in art and design education which is my passion.I am seeking part-time permanent employment.

I currently run a small non-profit art gallery called {lanyop} lagniappe small art gallery that is open only at night and worked viewed only by candlelight. The name for the gallery comes from a French Cajun word “lagniappe” which means ‘a little extra something’. I am also currently a freelance art reviewer for a local Fairfax Media Publication ‘D-Scene’. Alongside this I continue to write poetry and paint.

For the past few years I have worked with Literacy Aotearoa where I worked with adults. As a creative person and a love of teaching I found ways to incorporate creative writing into teaching to encourage writing. Further I inititated courses where students could learn to do bookbinding so that their work could be showcased in self-published books. Some of these new ways of teaching literacy were soon recognized by other tutors. I was asked to teach some of these methods to other tutors at a national convention and I was granted an Exceptional Teaching Award for my work. I have also been involved with teaching English as a Second Language with various schools here in Dunedin and also the Home ESOL programme to help migrants settle in New Zealand whilst learning English.

Prior to this I was a senior teaching fellow at the University of Otago in Design Studies was coordinator of Design and Communication papers and also taught special topics in Book Arts and Environmental Graphic Design. Whilst at the University of Otago I also completed my masters' degree exploring a new coffee beverage concept design and the consumer response to it.

I originally came to New Zealand to teach at Wanganui School of Design where I had a variety of teaching roles with emphasis in Computer Graphic Design, Two and Three Dimensional Design, development of a Book Arts course, and Foundation Level Creativity courses. Please see my CV for full details.

Prior to moving to New Zealand I was a graphic designer for the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoological Park where I was involved in designing exhibits and educational materials to promote awareness of our natural habitat, science, plant and animal life especially in relation to the issue of conservation. There I developed a large wayfinding/signage system to help direct visitors throughout the 200 acre park. This major project involved studying the traffic flow of visitors through the park, surveying the staff on what requirements they envisaged, prototype development and complete design and overseeing fabrication and installation.

I am seeking a creative and challenging position where I can utilize my skills and creativity in teaching. I am especially interested in a role teaching both art and design related subjects.

My creative abilities include: painting, poetry, writing, music (play piano), drawing, photography, book art (hand made books) and more. I also am a magician and enjoy performing magic for the public whether it be for a party or street performances in town.