The College for Creative Studies in Detroit has announced the appointment of Kim Harty to head the private college's glass program. Harty, whose title will be assistant professor in the college's craft department, will take over from Herb Babcock, who had led the glass section since 1974 until his recent retirement. Harty will be leading the glass program starting with the fall semester 2014, and will be part of a new generation of glass artists assuming academic positions in college and university art programs. She holds an MFA from the Art Institute of Chicago (2013) and a BFA from RISD (2006). Harty is currently a board member at the Glass Art Society and editor of the organization's GASNews publication. (Disclosure: Kim Harty is also the former managing editor of GLASS: The UrbanGlass Art Quarterly.)
“The College for Creative Studies has taken a leading role in fostering innovation and creativity in Detroit going all the way back to its founding in 1906 as the Detroit Society of Arts and Crafts,” said CCS president Richard L. Rogers in a prepared statement. “I'm excited that Kim Harty will be joining us to carry that legacy forward and to lead the CCS glass program into the future. We are fortunate to have such an accomplished artist and up-and-coming scholar joining not only the CCS community, but the Detroit cultural community as well."
Harty's resume as a teacher includes visiting instructorships at the Penland School of Crafts, Ox-Bow, and Pilchuck. Her most recent exhibiton was as a resident artist at the Chicago Artist's Coalition's BOLT program.
"Kim Harty is highly regarded as one of the new generation of glass artists emerging on the national scene," said Sooshin Choi, provost and vice president for academic affairs for CCS, in a prepared statement. "Her breadth of experience and fresh perspective are sure to prove invaluable to the CCS Community, the local art scene, and the region as a whole. ... With Kim Harty at the helm, I believe that the CCS glass program will become the premier program for the medium in the country.”