Jennifer Ferriday

Chair of Curriculum Development

Greetings from the land of enchantment! My name is Jennifer Ferriday, and I’m a Chair of Curriculum Development here at AOEU. Prior to my current position, I worked as a Faculty Development Specialist, Associate Professor, Adjunct Instructor, Academic Advisor, Student Coact, Subject Matter Expert, and FLEX Contractor here at AOEU. I’m incredibly proud to be living this dream, and I wake up eager, excited, and motivated to work here every day!

My fine arts passion areas include printmaking, book arts, papermaking, painting, drawing, and environmental/eco-art.  Often, you can find me in my art studio or out in nature, working with mixed media, ink, colored pencils, and paints.  I am also deeply passionate about maintaining a visual-journal practice for self-care and continual imaginal studies.

My education passion areas include therapeutic art education, curriculum development, and instruction.  In addition to designing art curricula and teaching in traditional PK-12 public and private schools, I spent many years in nontraditional schools, higher education, and community-based art education roles.  My background includes nearly two decades of experience in the healing arts field as an Artist-in-Medicine in hospital systems and community spaces.  I co-developed a university Healing Arts Certificate Program where I instructed its undergraduate and graduate courses in the university’s College of Fine Arts.  I also taught K-12 art at the hospital’s residential psychiatric center school and adult art education classes at their in-patient psychiatric unit.  As an Artist-in-Medican and art educator working throughout the entire hospital system, I developed curricula and facilitated therapeutic artmaking experiences with patients, family members, medical professionals, and the general public.  I am passionate about writing grants, developing and presenting workshops and lectures, and designing art curricula for local, regional, national, and international projects.

Although I’ll always be a Jersey girl at heart, my soul dug in deep and rooted itself into the high mountains on the turquoise trail in New Mexico. When I’m not geeking out on all things art education-related, you can find me gardening, hiking, camping, traveling, making art, and spending as much time as possible with my art teacher/class artist husband, young son, dogs, cats, and chickens.  I crave the beach, the mountains, live music, and time with animals.

Professional Achievements:

Rutgers University – Mason Gross School of the Arts Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree (2002)
The University of New Mexico Master’s Degree (2007)