Amanda (Rodriguez) Morales, Ph.D.

She/her

Education: Bachelor of Arts in art (May 1998)

Master of Science in education foundations (with a minor in museum studies) from Texas Christian University

Doctor of Philosophy in curriculum and instruction from Kansas State University

McNair Project: Sidney Goodman: A Bridge to Modern Realism (1997)

Mentors: LouAnne Culley, Ph.D., and Gary Woodward, M.F.A.

Sidney Goodman plays a vital role in the continuation and substantiation of realism as serious art form in the twentieth century. This essay discusses the evolution of his style, his influences and interpretations, the sharing of his knowledge as an artist and teacher, and the impact his career has on the artists of today. The major points researched include: major stages of his career, major influences, his views and odd personal interpretations, his function as an essential link between early Expressionism and modern Realism, and those artists, such as Randall Exon and Bo Bartlett, whose work reflects Goodman's influence.

The transfer of artistic knowledge between generations is the main focus of this discussion; Goodman continues to aide this process, by communicating his techniques coupled with his personal interpretations of human experience, stressing the significance of the figure and how it functions as the medium for imaginative expression. Through his own distinctive work and his straightforward teaching, Goodman completes a creative circle in the world of art.