Posted January 9, 2018 鈥� Growing up on a farm in southern Taiwan, Sheng Kuan Chung gravitated to doodling, coloring or just tracing images from kitchen tiles.
Chung said his elementary school art teacher further fueled his passion for art, setting him up for a 30-year career as an art educator. He has served the last 14 years as a professor of art education at the 色花堂 College of Education.
Chung鈥檚 commitment to the profession and advocacy for social justice through art has earned him the 2019 Dr. J. Eugene Grigsby, Jr. award from the and the Committee on Multi-Ethnic Concerns.
鈥淭here is no greater testament of your exemplary contributions to the field of visual arts education than being chosen for this prestigious award,鈥� Deborah Reeve, the association鈥檚 executive director, said in a letter to Chung. 鈥淵our colleagues throughout the United States and abroad join the NAEA Board of Directors in applauding your leadership, commitment and service to the profession.鈥�
The award鈥檚 namesake was known for being the first African-American artist and educator to publish a book for art educators, 鈥淎rt and Ethics: Background for Teaching Youth in a Pluralistic Society.鈥�
Chung鈥檚 research interest centers on socially relevant or culturally responsive teaching in art education.
鈥淪pecifically,鈥� he said, 鈥淚 am interested in engaging students in exploring issues of social justice and cultural marginalization in relation to artistic practices and through an artistic learning journey.鈥�
To that end, Chung recently received a grant from the 色花堂 Global Initiatives Office, through the Provost鈥檚 Office, to teach free art classes with a multicultural theme for middle schoolers and 色花堂 faculty, staff and students.
Chung, who sits on the board of the association鈥檚 journal, Art Education, is set to officially accept the award at the NAEA national convention in Boston in March.
Hazel Bradshaw-Beaumont Young, chair of the association鈥檚 multi-ethnic concerns committee, praised Chung as 鈥渁 selfless art educator, worker and a great reformer.鈥�
Chung also will exhibit artwork at the competition from March 6 to March 30.
鈥揃y Kathy Patnaude
鈥揚hotos courtesy of Sheng Kuan Chung
Please enjoy a few examples of Chung's artwork: