I am a printmaker, book and paper artist interested in engaging students of all ages and abilities in the transformative power of art. Although I have had a lifelong interest in art, my formal training came later in life after a career in the world of paper and graphics. I use relief and intaglio methods of printmaking, cut paper and book arts as tools for artistic expression. I am founder of Wingtip Press, Treasure Valley’s community printmaking studio/workshop, and can provide portable equipment for what I call “roaming print and play.”

Describe a transformative process that has occurred in your own practice as an artist or in a past residency as a teaching artist.
I have experienced first hand reservations regarding my own personal creative abilities and fully understand the reluctance of students to trust their creative instincts. With printmaking and book arts, students often come to the process without the limitations imposed by preconceptions and, as a result, express themselves more freely. During every workshop the anticipation and surprise witnessed by the experience of pulling a print is transformative for students and confidence soars!

What excites your imagination and in turn how does your work excite imagination for your audience?
I am excited by the idea that we can learn much about ourselves by engaging with a piece of art, whether it is our own work or by connecting with the work of other artists. Our life experiences provide endless resources for creating art and provide rich opportunities for making valuable connections to the world around us. These connections are powerfully relevant for critical thinking and problem solving skills.

How do you foster creativity, both in your own work and as a teaching artist?
I foster creativity by looking and listening to all forms of art. I keep a small notebook and when I have an idea or “inkling” about an idea, I write it down. The idea may be inspired by a line from a song, a statement I read in a news article, the texture of a surface, an image created by a shadow or an everyday object within our visual culture. I encourage students to simply notice what they are attracted to, and store those observations for future development. Creativity can flourish in an atmosphere of support rather than judgment.

List three key understandings of your discipline.
1.  To view and create art as a tool for positive, productive expression
2.  To understand art is a conversation, and understand the collaborative nature of art as conversation for both viewer and creator
3.  To develop knowledge and understanding of a process-intense medium

List three outcomes of the three key understandings.
1.  Printmaking by its very nature has been used throughout history to tell a story and to influence and share ideas. Because it is a process for creating multiples, students will understand how art has and will continue to influence public attitudes, opinions, ideas and actions.
2.  Printmaking is a collaborative process and students will learn respect for the tools, equipment, their peers, and especially for their own work and that of other artists.
3.  Students will acquire skills and appreciation of process and use these skills for problem solving and critical thinking.  

List some subject areas outside of the fine arts that relate to your potential residency work.
Science, Math, Geometry, Literature, History, Social Sciences, Foreign language and culture, Current Events

Jill Fitterer, Assistant Professor
Department of Art
Boise State University
208-426-1060

Terra Feast, Curator of Education
Boise Art Museum
208-345-8330

Amy Fackler, Cultural Programs Manager
Boise City Arts and History Department
208-433-5673