Michael Pearce, Ph.D., MFA

Professor

Book this person as a speaker:

Email: pearce@callutheran.edu
Phone: (805) 493-3316

Speeches:

• Magic Circles and Artificial Caves: The Stone Circles and Chambered Mounds of Neolithic Britain
  This is a short introduction to the art and architecture of the Ancient British megalith-builders. We'll be looking at images of megalithic structures like Stonehenge and the beautiful and remote Rong of Brodgar dating from two and a half thousand years before the birth of Christ. There are two broad categories of structure to appreciate: chambered mounds (which resemble artificial caves) and open-air enclosures like stone circles and henge monuments. A short talk will be accompanied by plenty of photographs of these mystical places from my collection, and some sneak peeks into current rock and art research.

• Art on Earth: The Installation Art of Andy Goldsworthy
  An introduction to the beautiful work of Andy Goldsworthy, British land artist. Goldsworthy is one of the best known contemporary British artists because his light touch transforms simple natural forms like leaves and twigs into elegant and fragile sculptures. His books, "Stone," "Wood," and many other titles have caught the imaginations of millions, while his film, "Rivers and Tides," has been a big seller.

• What are you looking at? The Invention of the Museum and Why We Like to Look at Things
  An illustrated lecture about how museums came to be, a peculiar journey featuring the bizarre wonders of cabinets of curiosity, strange esoteric philanthropists, and American revolutionary heroes.

• Ophelia's Bouquets: Herbs in Hamlet

Professor Michael Pearce joined the Art Department at CLU full-time in 2005 having previously served as an adjunct professor in 2001. He's an accomplished oil painter, installation designer, and an award-winning theatrical scenic designer. He says teaching painting and drawing to CLU students is the most rewarding job of his life.

He is passionate about figurative painting. In 2018 his "Secret Paintings" exhibit completed a tour that crossed the United States, gaining excellent reviews. 

He is Chair of The Representational Art Conferences, a series of events designed to provide an academic platform for the discussion of 21st Century representational art.

Between 2005 and 2016 Michael was the curator of the Kwan Fong Gallery of Art and Culture, which under his direction hosted exhibits like Running with Scissors, The Man Show, The New Romantic Figure, and has shown works by a huge variety of artists including Jeremy Lipking, Mia Tavonatti, Cyn McCurry, Pamela Wilson, and of a broad range of genres, including the AIDS Quilt, photos from communist countries, installation art, and art by CLU's Art faculty.