The son and grandson of tinkerers, I grew up in the corn fields of southern Ohio. Living in a tornado valley, I learned to appreciate the conflicting forces of danger and beauty.

I received a B.S. in Design from the University of Cincinnati where I studied painting, ceramics, photography, filmmaking, and graphic design. I have a Master of Architecture from Harvard University, where I was mentored by the painter Paul Rotterdam with whom I was privileged to share a studio, and by the architect Richard Meier. Later, I earned an MFA in visual art from Vermont College, where I studied under Steven Kurtz, a founding member of the performance art group Critical Ensemble.

For fifteen years I practiced the making of art and architecture in New York City and regularly studied in its museums, galleries, and streets.

Philosophy
The vernacular of beauty . . . Remains a potent instrument of change in this civilization.
Dave Hickey


Beauty and Sustainability
In architecture and art the highest order is characterized by permanence. Keeping a book in print, a play in production, a sculpture preserved or a building maintained requires resources. The effort to extend a work’s life is a testament to its value.

As culture evolves, the issues we explore in architecture and art wax and wane. Aesthetic beauty has the power to transcend this discourse, bridging generations and provoking us to preserve.

In this disposable culture saturated with meaningless information it is necessary now more than ever to pursue significance and durability in architecture and art. Beauty, at the core of making, is integral to how we define ourselves. It is the foundation of quality and sustainability, and it will continue to seduce.

dwoolf@norwich.edu