Who am I?
I’m Ben Schachter. I received a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University in studio art and art history (I got half way through the math major) and I received an MFA in studio art and an MS in art history and criticism from Pratt Institute. Soon after finishing my studies I was hired by Saint Vincent College where I am currently professor of visual art and chair of the Fine Arts department. All along, I’ve exhibited artwork and given public lectures.
And this fall, I will have my first book published.
Image, Action and Idea in Contemporary Jewish Art.
I’m very excited. The Pennsylvania State University Press has been wonderful to work with and I can’t wait to share the book with you.
That brings me to blogging for the Jewish Art Salon. I had been blogging on my own, but found it challenging to maintain the habit without knowing who was out there. As artist Jacqueline Nicholls agrees, posting ideas and pictures out to cyberspace can help motivate the artist – and the writer – to keep going. She may not ever know how many people wait for her Draw Yomi posts, but never mind, knowing that someone is out there listening and looking keeps her going. That is my hope for my posts here at the JAS.
What will I write about? Jewish art and ideas. Sometimes I’ll describe specific works of art, sometimes I’ll talk about something related to my work. Sometimes the connection will be a bit less direct but always related to Jewish sources, opinions, and the arts without rattling on too long or about distant things. I don’t know about you, but I’m not interested in reading about someone’s morning coffee. That is a private matter. So I’ll keep it topical and that means I may not write every day, but I do hope to write often enough to keep your attention. And with that, I look forward to sharing my next post with you.
More info on Ben here