Detail from Sleeping Child Mountain, 1952, woodcut linocut by Jules Heller
Nancy G. Heller, Ph,.D. Bio
Nancy G. Heller is Professor Emerita of Art History at The University of the Arts (Philadelphia, PA). She has also taught at several other colleges, including the University of Maryland (College Park), Texas A & M @ Commerce, and Georgetown University.
Her most recent books are the 4th revised-and-expanded edition of Women Artists: An Illustrated History (Abbeville Press) and Why a Painting is Like a Pizza: A Guide to Understanding and Enjoying Modern Art (Princeton University Press). Dr. Heller also co-wrote and co-edited Imaging Dance: Visual Representations of Dancers and Dancing (Georg Olms Verlag); contributed a chapter to Flamenco on the Global Stage: Historical Critical, and Theoretical Perspectives (McFarland); and wrote the catalogue essay on music and dance for the National Gallery’s 2022-2023 exhibition, “Sargent and Spain.”
In addition to giving guest lectures for numerous museums, clubs, universities, and other organizations Heller has presented scholarly papers at art and dance-history conferences across the U.S. and also in Lisbon, London, Seville, Rome, and Cluj (Romania). From 1995 to 2001 she was a Commonwealth Speaker, one of 52 professors from Pennsylvania colleges chosen to travel around the state, presenting talks on a variety of topics at public libraries, for senior citizens groups and other organizations with limited resources for guest speakers. For three summers Dr, Heller organized and taught a course for Elderhostel (now Road Scholars) on the art museums in the Washington, DC area; and she has been a popular lecturer with The Smithsonian Associates for many decades.
Dr. Heller has received awards from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Smithsonian Institution, the American Association of University Women, the Richard C. von Hess Foundation, the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation, and the government of Spain. Since 1984 she has been a student, teacher, teacher, and performer of Spanish dance, and a writer/lecturer on related subjects.
Moonscape, c.2002, unique ink-jet print by Jules Heller
PRAISE FOR SMITHSONIAN ASSOCIATES TALKS:
“You never cease to amaze me! I thought I knew a lot about Picasso….Yet, your presentation included so much interesting information, works I have not seen, and new perspectives on his art, presented so creatively, that I felt as if I was learning about him for the first time.”
Bonnie Eisenfeld, Nov. 30, 2023
A lecture for The Corcoran Women's Committee, D.C., 2021
“Your ‘Visual Literacy’ course was nothing short of outstanding. As always, attendees sang your praises for your breadth of knowledge, your conversational and down-to-earth teaching style, how well-researched the program was, your beautiful visuals and organization of the material, and your wit and delightful sense of humor.”
Mary J. McLaughlin, Senior Program Coordinator, Feb. 16, 2024
“[Your lectures] are always informative, stimulating, and witty. The depth and breadth of your knowledge and preparation shows in the content, pacing, and exquisite delivery of these lectures. I look forward to attending your next class.”
Jill J. Ramsfield, J.D., Nov. 9, 2023
“It’s been such a pleasure to attend your class. You have a terrific gift for drawing the audience into the various works you’ve featured. You help remind us to look and think twice about what we’re seeing.”
Miranda, March 27, 2023
Quotes from Smithsonian exit surveys, Oct. 3, 2023:
“Superb presentation by Dr. Heller, as always.”
“Dr. Heller is my favorite lecturer.”
“Knowledgeable, engaging, analytical, and provocative, Dr. Heller’s lectures inspire admiration and respect for each of these artists and their works.”
”Nancy Heller is the BEST!!! I’ll sign up for anything she does again.”
“…excellent speaker, great graphics, and wonderful back stories!”
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Lecture, 2019
PRAISE FOR TALKS AT OTHER VENUES:
“I hope your students appreciate your wealth of knowledge and the witty delivery that is your trademark.”
-after a talk for Art Goes to School, May 8, 2009
“You completely enchanted not only me but my friends with your ‘Why A Painting is Like a Pizza’ talk.” (presented in Waco, TX).
Susan Hudson, Nashville, TN, Nov. 24, 2023
“You are an excellent speaker, thoroughly versed in your topic, and your passion for the subject matter you present is infectious.”
-from The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, Dec. 9, 1999
PRAISE FOR WRITING:
Praise for Why a Painting is Like a Pizza: A Guide to Understanding and Enjoying Modern Art, published by Princeton University Press. Has been adopted as part of the docent-training programs in several art museums.
“Destined to be a classic,…. It is lucid, engaging, and ingenious…. Intended for the general reader, the book is also must reading for teachers throughout the humanities.”
Camille Paglia, author and Professor Emerita, University of the Arts, Philadelphia
“This delightful, down-to-earth guide demystifies the act of looking at modern and contemporary art with clarity and humor, drawing upon a diverse and wide-ranging array of artworks, which are abundantly reproduced.”
Bay Hallowell, former Coordinator of Special Projects, Youth, and Family Projects at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Women Artists: An Illustrated History, published by Abbeville Press, now in its 4th revised-and-expanded edition and marketed as a “classic”.
“Engrossing…. Acclaimed across the country in its original edition…highly readable, with beautiful reproductions.”
Publishers Weekly
“…Intelligent, comprehensive, and accurate.”
Philadelphia City Paper
Dr. Heller contributed a chapter to the catalogue of the National Gallery of Art’s exhibition, “Sargent and Spain”; this book won the Jonathan Brown Award from SIGA (the Society for Iberian Global Art) in 2024.
Curriculum Vitae
Nancy G. Heller, Ph,.D.
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1996-2021 Professor (now, Professor Emerita), The University of the Arts (Philadelphia, PA). Taught lower and upper-level undergraduate courses in modern and U.S. art history + cultural history courses emphasizing the visual and performing arts within their broader contexts.
1992-96 Associate Professor, The University of the Arts. Taught art/cultural history courses, plus two-semester survey of Dance History, and Spanish Dance Technique; 1990-92, Assistant Professor.
1988-present Freelance writer/lecturer on the visual and performing arts. Also, Adjunct Assistant Professor at Georgetown University (Spring & Summer 1990, Spring ’93, Spring ’94, Fall ’96, Spring & Fall ’97, Fall ’98) and Catholic University (1985-87).
1982-85/1987-88 Assistant Professor, University of Maryland (College Park). Taught survey & art appreciation courses, plus 19th & 20th-century U.S. and European art history.
Summer 1984/85/86 Lecturer, Elderhostel (now, “Road Scholars”) through the University of Maryland. Organized and presented lecture/touring course on Washington, DC-area art museums.
Fall 1985-89 Coordinator, Coe College—Washington Term. For undergraduates in residence from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, taught weekly art history seminars; helped arrange and supervise internships; administered program budget; organized and led field trips; planned and conducted biweekly performing-arts appreciation programs.
1979-81 Smithsonian Predoctoral Fellow, Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden (Washington, DC). Conducted research for doctoral dissertation.
1977-79 Instructor, East Texas State University (now, Texas A & M at Commerce). Developed and taught undergraduate and graduate courses; initiated and administered program of distinguished guest lecturers; supervised art history budget, slide room assistants, and slide library.
1974-77 Instructor/Teaching Assistant, Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ). Taught summer courses in modern art history; conducted discussion sections and graded examinations for large, team-taught art-history survey courses.
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Summer 1984 Editor, The Public Art Connection (Washington, DC). Solicited information, wrote/edited articles for quarterly newsletter of the Public Art Trust.
1981 Editor, National Gallery of Art (Washington, DC). Completely responsible for 250-page exhibition catalogue on funerary art from Zaïre; copyedited manuscript; handled all stages of proof; functioned as liaison between authors and museum staff.
1980 Writer/Publicity Assistant, The National Trust for Historic Preservation (Washington, DC). Wrote, edited, and proofread materials on new books from The Preservation Press.
1973 Assistant Book Editor, Trans/Action-Society (Piscataway, NJ). Worked with authors of social science books; copyediting, proofreading, author correspondence.
1971-72 Writer/Editor, Appleton-Century-Crofts (NYC). Worked on introductory college texts for a number of subject areas.
1970-71 Publicity Assistant, Pantheon Books (NYC). Worked with authors, reviewers, and Publicity Director; handled public inquiries.
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Ph.D. Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ), May 1982; in modern art history.
M.A. Rutgers University, January 1975; in art history.
A.B. Middlebury College (Middlebury, VT), June 1970; art history/French.
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2020, Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award (The University of the Arts).
2017, President’s Award, International Spanish Dance Society (sole U.S. recipient); “in recognition of service performed to further the aims and achievements of the International Spanish Dance Society.”
2012, Provost’s Fund for Faculty Development: research grant (The University of the Arts).
2005, recipient of the Richard C. von Hess Faculty Prize for Outstanding Commitment as a Teacher and Mentor (The University of the Arts).
2003, research grant from the government of Spain [for sabbatical-term project], through the Program for Cultural Cooperation Between Spain’s Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports and U.S. Universities.
1999, PCAD (Philadelphia College of Art & Design) Venture Fund Research Grant (University of the Arts). Also 1998, ’96, ’94. and ’93.
1995-2001, Pennsylvania Humanities Council; one of 52 college teachers, statewide, chosen to be Commonwealth Speakers.
1995, National Endowment for the Humanities: Fellowship for Aston Magna Academy.
1995, North American Women Artists of the 20th Century designated “A CHOICE Outstanding Book of 1995” and “A Library Journal Best Reference Source for 1995.”
1995, PCPA (Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts) Faculty Project Grant (University of the Arts); also awarded in 1994.
1988, American Association of University Women: Certificate of Excellence (Washington, DC chapter) for magazine cover story about Georgia O’Keeffe.
1988, Short-listed, Yorkshire Post (England) Art Book Award, for Women Artists.
1979-81, Smithsonian Predoctoral Fellowship (to do research at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, DC).
1976-77, first recipient of the Bartlett Cowdrey Fellowship in Art History (Rutgers University).
1976-77, Rutgers University Fellowship for Graduate Study.
1974-76, New Jersey State Grants for graduate study.
1970, Dean’s List (Middlebury College).
1966, Pennsylvania State Scholarship for undergraduate study.
1966, Prizes in French and Spanish (State College Area High School, State College, PA).
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BOOKS (sole author):
Women Artists: An Illustrated History (NY: Abbeville Press; originally published in 1987; revised and expanded editions: #2, 1991; #3, 1997; #4, 2004. British edition published by Virago Press in 1988; German translation published by VGS in 1989; French translation published by Herscher in 1991).
Why a Painting is Like a Pizza: A Guide to Understanding and Enjoying Modern Art (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2002).
BOOKS (contributor/co-editor):
“Shapes Made of Air: The Life and Art of Ibram Lassaw,” essay in the catalogue for Figge Art Museum exhibition, “Quanta of Space: The Bosom Sculptures of Ibram Lassaw” (Andrew Wallace, ed.), scheduled to open September 9, 2023 (Scheidegger & Spiess, 2023), pp. 20-39.
“Portraying the Art of Flamenco, Embodying Spanish Dance,” in the exhibition catalogue Sargent and Spain by Sarah Cash, Elaine Kilmurray, and Richard Ormond (National Gallery of Art—Washington, DC and Yale University Press, 2022), pp. 48-99.
“Flamenco in La Flor de mi Secreto: Re-Appropriation and Subversion in a Film by Pedro Almodóvar,” in Flamenco on the Global Stage: Historical, Critical, and Theoretical Perspectives (eds. K. Meira Goldberg, Michelle Heffner Hayes, and Ninothchka Bennahum) (McFarland & Co., 2015), pp. 244-251.
“Amalie Rothschild: Quiet Feminist,” lead essay in Amalie Rothschild (Firenze, Italy: Angelo Pontecorboli Editore, 2012)—catalogue for retrospective exhibition held at Towson University (MD).
Imaging Dance: Visual Representations of Dancers and Dancing (co-editor—with Barbara Sparti, Judy Van Zile, Adrienne L. Kaeppler, and Elsie Ivancich Dunin, and author of lead essay—“When is a Circle Dance Simply a Circle? Matisse and the Sardana) (Hildesheim: Germany: Georg Olms Verlag, 2011).
Women Artists: Works from the National Museum of Women in the Art, co-author (NY: Rizzoli Publishers, 2000.
North American Women Artists of the 20th Century: A Biographical Dictionary (co-edited with Jules Heller) (NY: Garland, 1995; paperback edition published in 1997).
An Age of Grandeur: Artist Evelyn Metzger (co-author with Brett Topping) (Washington, DC: National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1995).
The Regionalists (co-author with Julia Williams) (NY: Watson-Guptill, 1976; reprinted as Painters of the American Scene by Galahad Books, NY, 1982).
SCHOLARLY JOURNALS:
“What’s There, What’s Not: A Performer’s View of El Jaleo,” American Art (journal of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American Art), vol. 14, no. 1 (Spring 2000), pp. 8-23.
“Flamenco in America: A New Film (review of Sobre las olas: A Story of Flamenco in the U.S. [2013] by Carolina Loyola-García), in Dance Chronicle, vol. 38. Issue 2 (Summer 2015), pp. 255-259.
Review of monograph, Edna Andrade, by Debra Bricker Balken for Woman’s Art Journal, vol. 38, no. 1 (Spring/Summer 2017), pp. 57-59.
Review of monograph, Agnes Martin, by Henry Martin for Woman’s Art Journal, vol. 39, no. 2 (Fall/Winter 2018), pp.
Review of the National Ballet of Spain’s NYC performance in Ballet Review, 46.3 (Fall 2018), pp. 20-23.
NEWSPAPER AND MAGAZINE ARTICLES/REVIEWS:
Feature articles and exhibition reviews in Sculpture magazine about the art of : Eugenia Dignac, Marlene Alt, Lila Snow, Jerry Dodd, Elisa Arimany, and others, 1988-2015; plus feature articles and reviews about various artists for: American Art (journal of the Smithsonian American Art Museum), ARTnews, ARTS magazine, American Ceramics, American Artist, Museum & Arts Washington, the Washington Gallery/Museum News, the Mexico City News, the Washington Post, and the Philadelphia Inquirer.
OTHER PUBLICATIONS:
Contributor, Women’s Studies Encyclopedia (Helen Tierney, editor) (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1990), Vol. II.
Contributor, Dictionary of American Art (Matthew Baigell, editor) (NY: Harper & Row, 1979).
Associate Critic, Washington (DC) Dance View, 1985-86.
Contributing Dance Critic, City Paper (Philadelphia, PA), 1992.
Freelance Dance/Art Critic, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 1995+.
Sole U.S. Reviewer, Flamenco International Magazine (London, England), 1998-2002.
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PAPERS PRESENTED AT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES:
“From the Caves of Sacromonte to Seville’s Cafes Cantantes: How Changes in Venue Influenced the Development of Flamenco Dance,” at VISTAS, the annual conference of the 19th-Century Studies Association, held in Philadelphia, March 16, 2018.
“Theatrical Gender Politics: The Art of Costume Rendering--Joan Personette at the Roxy (1939-1954),” for conference on “Framing Justice: Modernism and Social Advocacy in American Visual Arts and Dance, 1929-1945,” held at Loyola University Chicago, October 14th and 15th, 2016.
“Fandango or Not? Valencia’s Mortitxol and the Velorio del angelito,” conference on “Spaniards, Indians, Africans, and Gypsies: The Global Reach of the Fandango in Music, Song, and Dance,” held at The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York City, April 17, 2015.
“A View From 2014: Forty Years of Progress and Backsliding, With Hope for the Future of Women Artists.” Keynote address, at the First International Congress on Art and Gender (held at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal), October 22, 2014.
“Dance in the Films of Pedro Almodóvar: ‘Re-Appropriating’ Flamenco in The Flower of My Secret,” conference of the European Association of Dance Historians (EADH) in London, England, October 15, 2011.
“Flamenco Outside Spain,” EADH conference in Seville, Spain, September 24, 2010.
“Looking at Paintings of Spanish Dancers,” conference of the Study Group on Ethnochoreology of the International Council on Traditional Music in Cluj, Romania, July 2006.
“Painting Spanish Dance,” for “Reading Dance Images,” conference of dance and art-history scholars, American Academy in Rome (Rome, Italy), February 11, 2004.
PAPERS PRESENTED AT NATIONAL/REGIONAL CONFERENCES:
“Bailaoras/Bailarinas: Three Non-Spanish Soloists of Spanish Dance,” at Flamenco History and Research Conference: New Perspectives on Flamenco (University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM), June 2017.
“Flamenco Dance and El Velatorio,” at Flamenco History and Research Conference: (University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM), June 2014.
“El Velorio del Angelito: Spanish and Hispanic American Paintings of Children’s Wakes,” for panel at College Art Association (CAA) conference (Chicago, IL), February 14, 2013.
“Amalie Rothschild: Quiet Feminist,” for panel at Third Annual Feminist Art History Conference, American University (Washington, DC), November 10, 2012.
“Humor in Pop Art,” symposium for exhibition, “Seductive Subversions: Women in Pop Art, 1958-1968,” The University of the Arts (Philadelphia, PA), February 6, 2010.
Chair and panelist for “Imaging Dance” session, CAA conference (Dallas, TX), February 23, 2008.
“Images of Flamenco Dancers,” Flamenco Symposium, Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC), May 1, 2002.
Keynote speaker and panelist, First Women’s Art Festival, Clemson University (Clemson, SC), March 7 and 8, 2002.
“Torsal Shivers and Upheavals: What Two Paintings of La Carmencita Reveal About Attitudes Toward Art, Women, Foreigners, and Dance in Late 19th-Century New York City,” meeting of the Southeastern Colleges of Art Conference (SECAC), Louisville, KY), October 20, 2000.
“When is a Poem Also a Painting?” The Prominence of Words in Late 20th-Century Visual Art,” conference on Liberal Arts and the Education of the Artist, School of Visual Arts (NYC), October 21, 1999.
“When is a Circle Dance Simply a Circle of Dancers? An Analysis of Henri Matisse’s Painting, The Dance (I), Based on Spanish-Dance Performance Practice,” conference of the Society of Dance History Scholars (SDHS) (Albuquerque, NM), June 13, 1999.
“An Interpretation of John Singer Sargent’s El Jaleo, Based on Flamenco Performance Practice,” annual SECAC meeting (Miami, FL), October 29, 1998.
“Three Contemporary Spanish Women Sculptors: Some Unexpected Similarities,” annual SECAC conference (Richmond, VA), October 25, 1997.
“Images of La Gitana: Paintings of Female Flamenco Dancers,” First Biennial Flamenco History Conference, University of New Mexico (Albuquerque, NM), June 14, 1996.
“A Non-Catalan’s View of the Sardana,” 7th annual conference of the North American Catalan Society, University of California (Berkeley, CA), June 4, 1993.
“The Surrealist Sculpture of Alberto Giacometti,” annual meeting, Texas Association of Schools of Art (Galveston, TX), April 1978.
SELECTED PUBLIC LECTURES & SERIES:
for the Smithsonian Associates (Washington, DC), the Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden (Washington, DC), the Corcoran Gallery of Art (Washington, DC), the National Museum of Women in the Arts (Washington, DC), the Library of Congress, the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Walters Art Gallery (Baltimore), Sotheby’s Institute of Art (NYC), the National Arts Club (NYC), the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (NYC), the Princeton University Art Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (Philadelphia), the Woodmere Art Museum (Philadelphia),the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Telfair Museum (Savannah, GA), the Tyler (TX) Art Museum, the Arkansas Art Center (Little Rock), The Dixon Gallery and Gardens (Memphis, TN), Auburn (AL) University, the Montgomery (AL) Museum of Fine Arts, the Columbus (GA) Public Library, the Columbus (GA) Art Museum, the Naples (FL) Art Center, the Portland (OR) Art Museum, and numerous other venues.
Series of lectures at venues throughout the state of Pennsylvania, as a Commonwealth Speaker for the PA Humanities Council, 1996-2001.
Series of lectures relating to book, The Regionalists: Painters of the American Scene, presented at universities and art museums in Arizona, Minnesota, and North Dakota, Winter 1997.
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North Country Radio (89.5 FM in Canton, NY)—“The 8:00 News Hour,” interview with Todd Moe, taped on September 25, 2003.
KPFA (94.1 FM in Berkeley, CA)—“Living Room: A Daily Program About Politics, Society, and Culture,” interview taped on June 10, 2003.
WAMU (National Public Radio—Washington, DC)—“The Kojo Nnamdi Show,” live interview; November 20, 2002.
WBAI (Pacifica radio station, NYC)—interview with Harry Allen, taped November 11, 2002.
WHYY (91 FM, National Public Radio in Philadelphia, PA)—“Radio Times” with Marty Moss-Coane; live interview about art censorship; November 30, 1999.
MMC (Maryland Municipal Cable t.v., channel 45/30)—“The Art Scene with Lila Snow,” taped interview about art censorship; first broadcast July 9, 1996.
MMC—“The Art Scene with Lila Snow,” taped interview about Spanish dance; first broadcast August 1, 1995.
WHYY—“Radio Times” with guest host Barbara Bogaev; live interview about Women Artists book; September 23, 1991.
WMAL (630 AM, Washington, DC)—“The Karen Leggett Show”; a pair of interviews about visual art; broadcast in February 1990.
Voice of America (Washington, DC); ”Ellas en Primer Plano” (Spanish-language program on issues of particular interest to women); interviewed by Milagros Hermoso about Women Artists book; broadcast to Spanish-speaking nations, Winter 1989.
WAMU—“The Mike Cuthbert Show”; live interview about Women Artists book; October 29, 1987.
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“The Sculpture of Ibram Lassaw.” Completed February 1982; Advisor: Dr. Joan Marter.
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“Multiple Views in 16th-Century Italian Mannerist Sculpture.” Completed December 1974; Advisor: Dr. Virginia Bush.
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Spoke on their project, “Writing About Dance,” and facilitated related discussions with a selected group of local high-school students for Philadelphia Futures, October 10, 2018.
Invited to review a manuscript submitted to Dance Chronicle (Winter, 2016-17).
Member, Outreach Committee for Exhibition,” “The Female Gaze: Linda Lee Alter Collection of Art by Women,” Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 2012-13.
Chaired a session at annual CAA conference, (Dallas, TX), February 2008.
Served on CAA jury for Charles Rufus Morey Book Award, 2005-06.
Member, Advisory Group for Women Artists Teaching Posters, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2001-2002.
Served as sole juror for 20th annual Hoyt National Art Exhibition, Hoyt Art Institute (New Castle, PA), August 2001.
Panel member re: women artists, at annual CAA conference (NYC), Feb. 2000.
Chair, art history panel at annual meeting, Southeastern College Art Conference (SECAC), (Washington, DC), October 1995.
Attended (and was drafted to teach an informal Spanish-dance class during), The Aston Magna Academy (New Brunswick, NJ), a two-week multidisciplinary conference and workshop on Spanish and Hispanic History, Literature, and the Visual and Performing Arts, Summer 1995.
Served as sole juror for Annual Members’ Exhibition, Greater Norristown (PA) Art League, 1995.
Invited to help represent The University of the Arts at the first annual National Conference on the Liberal Education of Undergraduate Performing Artists (North Carolina School for the Arts, Winston-Salem), October 28-30, 1994.
At The University of the Arts served on: the University Promotion [and Tenure] Committee (elected to serve as Chair, several times); the Art Transition Committee; the Search Committee for a New Dean of the College of Art, Media, and Design; the Liberal Arts Curriculum Committee; the University Committee on Instruction; the Exhibitions Council; Faculty Senate; the Music Library Committee; and various other groups.
At The University of the Arts served on numerous senior painting panels, several graduate thesis committees, and helped create and advised Independent Study Projects.
2014-2017, Coordinator of the Art History faculty group, which involved scheduling and leading monthly meetings for 17 teachers, advising UArts Art History minors, helping to determine relevant curricula, etc.
Elected Departmental Representative to the Divisional Council, University of Maryland.
Appointed member of the Graduate Faculty, University of Maryland.
Elected Departmental Representative to the University Senate, East Texas State University.
Selected to act as Liaison between graduate students and Art History faculty, Rutgers University.
Member, College Art Association, since 1976.
Member, Society of Dance History Scholars, since 1999.
Member, American Society for Hispanic Art Historical Studies (ASHAHS—now, SIGA, the Society for Iberian Global Art), since 2013.
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Art Appreciation: Tools of the Artist, the Art Historian, and the Art Viewer.
Survey of Western Art (I): the Paleolithic era to the early Renaissance.
Survey of Western Art (II): the High Renaissance to the Present.
Art and Civilization: a 2-semester, chronological survey of cultural history in the west.
Modernism: a 2-semester course, placing 19th and 20th-century European and U.S.
visual and performing arts into a broader historical context.
19th-Century European Art
European Modern Art: c.1860-1945.
European Art: 1945 to the Present.
American Art: Colonial Era to the Present.
American Art: 1945 to the Present.
Women Artists: From the 16th Century to the Present.
History of Printmaking
Survey of Modern Sculpture
Modern Spanish Artists: Antonio Gaudí, Joan Miró, Eduardo Chillida.
Major Artists: Frida Kahlo and Georgia O’Keeffe.
20th-Century Mexican Artists: Leopoldo Méndez, Diego Rivera, Lola Álvarez Bravo.
Spain After Franco: The Flowering of the Arts Since 1975
Dirty Pictures: A History of Art Censorship
First-Year Writing: Honors section—Writing About the Arts
Creative Practices (Honors and regular sections)--co-taught with a printmaker colleague, introducing first-year students in all majors to ways of observing, thinking, speaking, and writing about a broad variety of art forms.
Seminar (Georgetown University & UArts): Art Censorship.
Seminar (Georgetown University): Modern Women Sculptors.
Seminar (Georgetown University): 20th-Century Women Artists.
Dance History: a 2-semester survey of Western concert dance.
Spanish Dance Technique: emphasizing flamenco.
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As an undergraduate foreign-language major at Middlebury College (Middlebury, VT), I focused on French; also took courses in Spanish and Italian. Elsewhere, I have taken introductory-level courses in: German (in high school); American Sign Language (at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC, summer 1980); Arabic (at Temple University/Center City, Philadelphia, summer 2009); and Hebrew (through Gratz College, Philadelphia, Fall 2011).
Since 1984 I have been studying, teaching, performing, and writing/lecturing about various types of Spanish dance (old and new-style flamenco, plus Spanish classical dance, and traditional/”folk” dances from many different regions). Have performed at venues including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Smithsonian Institution’s Baird Auditorium, the World Bank, the National Geographic Society, the National Press Club, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and the National Gallery of Art (all in Washington, DC); the Baltimore Museum of Art; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; and the Juilliard School and the American Museum of Natural History (both in NYC); plus the London (England) Studio Centre. In 1997 I became the second person in the U.S. certified to teach the entire Syllabus of the International Spanish Dance Society.
Took introductory courses in Bharatanatyam (South Indian classical dance)—at The University of the Arts (Philadelphia, PA)--Fall 2009 and in Berkeley, CA (through the American Society for Eastern Arts)—Summer 1969. Have also studied: ballet (Vaganova technique); modern dance (Graham technique); Brazilian samba, tai chi, salsa dancing, Balkan and Israeli folk dancing (was also in two amateur Israeli folk-dance performance troupes), and several other dance forms—including tap dance, with LaVaughn Robinson, Karen Cleighton, and Corinne Karon (all in Philadelphia, PA).
In addition, have played percussion at Commencement ceremonies with The University of the Arts’ samba band and sung in the UArts University Chorus for Carmina Burana (performed with 90 voices, 45 musicians, and 50 dancers, in Philadelphia’s Miller [formerly Merriam and, before that, Shubert] Theater), April 15-16, 2005; reprised April 14-15, 2012. Also was a “super” (extra) for American Ballet Theatre’s production of Petrushka (NY State Theater—now, the David H. Koch Theater--at Lincoln Center, NYC), Summer 1973.
REFERENCES: Available on request.
Burnt Sugar , c. 2005, unique ink jet print by Jules Heller