“The paradox of education is precisely this - that as one begins to become conscious one begins to examine the society in which he is being educated. ”
― James Baldwin
Accomplishing various career achievements, Kirkland, achieved the rank of tenured O’Herron Distinguished Full Professor of Fine Art at Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) in Charlotte, NC. He is the Co-Founder of the Arts Factory, a Visual and Performing Art Interdisciplinary Program at JCSU, founding co-charter member of the National Alliance of Artists from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (NAAHBCU) and the Founder and Executive Director of Psi Rho Alpha Visual and Performing Arts Honor Society, Inc.(PRA). His career in education, visual art, community art engagement, cultural art advocacy, public art consulting, art entrepreneurship, and contributing into various creative economies spans 25 plus years. During his years of his academic success, he has experienced leading,
developing, designing, managing, directing, curating, educating, and cultivating the minds of visual and performing art graduates into the profession of art and education, commercial art, and the industry of visual and performing arts. He has published and exhibited various visual and written intellectual property both domestically and abroad, including but not limited to: African American National Biography of Ernie Barnes with the Harvard University W.E.B. Dubois Institute, Oxford University Press, Below the Surface: Ethnic Echoes in America’s Modern and Contemporary Art and Changing Perspectives in Contemporary American Art: North Carolina A&T, Greensboro, North Carolina Equity and Social Justice in King County: Red White and Blue, Death Lies and Brutes, Wing Luke Museum, Seattle, Washington.
Career Skills:
Educator
Studio Pedagogy
Arts-Based Pedagogy
Programming and curriculum development
Academic policy development
Visual Artist
Curator
Gallery Designer/Art Installation
Community and program engagement
Staff/Student management
Budget Management
Thought leadership and teaming
Public speaking
Public Art consultation/Art planner
Courses Instructed:
Studio Fine Art
Drawing
Painting
Design
Sculpture
Mural
Figure Drawing
Curatorial Studies
Art Appreciation
African American Art History
Modern Art History
Jr. & Sr. Research Capstone
(Dis)Ability Education and Art
Masters in Teaching - Graduate Secondary Visual Art
Masters in Teaching - Graduate Art Integration
Institutions
University of Washington
2020 to Present
Graduate Teaching Assistant
(Dis)Ability Education and Art, and MIT Art Integration
South Seattle College
2020
Adjunct Professor
Art Appreciation
Seattle Central College
2019 – Present
Adjunct Professor
Drawing, Basic Design, Art Appreciation, and Modern art
Renton Technical College
2019 – 2020
Adjunct Professor
Art Appreciation
Seattle University
2019-To Present
Adjunct Professor
Painting, Drawing, and Curatorial Studies (Gallery Design), and MIT Secondary Visual Art
Central Piedmont Community College
2001 – 2006
Adjunct Professor
Drawing and Basic Design.
National Alliance of Artists From Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)
2000 — Present
Founding Charter Member — Engaged in faculty portfolio review, juried exhibition development, conference program development resulting in the establishment of a thriving historic organization of HBCU Faculty artists for the purpose of accomplishing publications, juried traveling exhibits nationally and internationally, and advancing the careers of African American Faculty Artists.
Johnson C. Smith University
2000 – 2018
O’Herron Distinguished Professor of Fine Art (Tenured) –
Studio fine art (basic design, drawing, painting, mural design, figure drawing, sculpture), Jr./Sr. Capstone research, Internship, Freshmen Orientation, art appreciation, and African American Art History. Co-Founder and Developer of the Visual and Performing Arts Interdisciplinary Academic Program, and University Curator.
Washington State University
1997 – 1999
Graduate Instructor
Basic Drawing, Intermediate Drawing, Figure Drawing, and Painting
Exhibitions
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
16th Annual Juried Onyx Exhibition, "Renaissance Unmasked: The Re-Birth of Black Brilliance", Onyx Gallery, Seattle, Washington 2021
Jordan Schnitzer Foundation: Black Lives Matter Movement Pullman, Washington 2021
Open Call: Redmond Lights: Redmond, Washington 2020
Open Call: Tacoma Art Walk-Art for the Cure, (online) Tacoma, Washington 2020
Open Call: Celebrating African American Culture in Art, Onyx Gallery, Seattle, Washington 2019
Equity and Social Justice in King County: Red White and Blue, Death Lies and Brutes, Wing Luke Museum, Seattle, Washington 2018
Changing Perspectives in Contemporary American Art: North Carolina A&T, Greensboro, North Carolina 2018
Into the New Millennium, New Ideas, Abstractions & Identify Politics, Alabama State Univ, Montgomery, Alabama 2017
Into the New Millennium, New Ideas, Abstractions & Identify Politics, Fayetteville St. Univ, Fayetteville, North Carolina 2016
Belk Corporation: Artists of Award of Excellence Recipient Exhibit, Charlotte, North Carolina 2016
Into the New Millennium, New Ideas, Abstractions & Identify Politics, Fayetteville St. Univ, Fayetteville, North Carolina 2016
The DaDa Soiree, An Absurd Art Show, C3 Lab, Charlotte, North Carolina 2016
The Sixtieth Anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott*, National Center Civil Rights and African American Culture Museum, Montgomery, Alabama 2015
The Importance of Art to HBCU in this New Millennium* Southern Univ. Art Department of Visual and Performing Arts, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 2014
The NAACP (1963-2013)-United We Stand a Civil rights Retrospective* National Center Civil Rights and African American Culture Museum, Montgomery, Alabama 2013
Creative Movements* Delta Arts Center, Winston Salem, North Carolina 2013
Eat your Art Out* Packard Place, Charlotte, North Carolina 2012
Influences*Stuart McClean Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia 2012
The Quest for Black Citizenship* Gallery of Art Bowie State Univ., Bowie, Maryland 2012
All aboard the Memory Train* Mint Museum of Craft and Design, Mint Museum of Craft and Design, Charlotte, North Carolina 2011
Visual Grandeur an Art Exhibition* Marrakech Restaurant & Lounge, Washington DC 2011
Macy’s Black History Month Celebration* Macy’s Department Store, Charlotte, North Carolina 2011
New American Paintings* South Online Exhibit, New American Paintings.net, Charlotte, North Carolina 2011
My Art Contest "Anniversary Art Contest"* Online Exhibit, MYARTCONTEST.com Charlotte, North Carolina 2011
Examining Whiteness* King Tisdell Cottage Foundation Beach Institute Museum, Savannah, Georgia 2011
Coming by Force Overcoming by Choice* Nassau Community College, Fire House Gallery, Garden City New York 2011
Smith House Graduation Exhibit featuring Nellie Ashford & Hasaan Kirkland* Smith House Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, North Carolina 2010
CIAA Mixin’ it @ the Mint* Mint Museum of Craft and Design, Charlotte, North Carolina 2009
M3 Mc’s, Mic’s and Metaphors* Gallery at Flashpoint, Washington, DC 2009
The NAACP (1909-2009)-The Quest for Black Citizenship in the Americas* National Center Civil Rights and African American Culture Museum, Montgomery, Alabama 2009
Coming by Force Overcoming by Choice* University Gallery, A&T State University, Greensboro, North Carolina 2009
9th Annual MLK Celebration Exhibit* the New Orleans African American Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana 2007
African American Atelier Exhibition* Greensboro Cultural Center, Greensboro, North Carolina 2007
Expressions and Explorations from the National Alliance of Artists Historical Black Universities and College*Appex Museum, Atlanta, Georgia 2007
Expressions and Explorations from the National Alliance of Artists Historical Black Universities and College*Appex Museum, Atlanta, Georgia 2006
International Art Exhibit- Historical Black Universities and College, Salvador da Bahia, Brazil 2006
Civil Rights: A 50 Year Reflection* National Center Civil Rights and African American Cultural Museum, Montgomery, Alabama 2005
Visions From Within* African American Museum of Nassau County, Hempstead, New York 2004
Visions From Within* Arthur Rose Museum of Art, Claflin University Orangeburg, South Carolina 2004
Visions From Within* National Alliance of artists Historical Black Universities and College Appex Museum, Atlanta, Georgia 2004
Visions From Within* National Center Annex, Visions From Within, Montgomery, Alabama 2003
Visions From Within* Dallas Convention Center Theatre Complex, Dallas, Texas 2003
A Woman’s Vision and Making a Soul Effort* Johnson C. Smith University James B. Duke Library, Charlotte, North Carolina 2003
Charlotte Community Pride Awards* Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, North Carolina 2003
Savannah State University Exhibition* State University, Savannah, Georgia 2003
Central Piedmont Community College Annual Exhibition in Raleigh* Department of Insurance Dobbs Building Raleigh, North Carolina 2003
Celebrating the Legacy of Romare Bearden* Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, North Carolina 2002
Central Piedmont Community College Annual Exhibition in Raleigh* Department of Insurance Dobbs Building Raleigh, North Carolina 2002
What’s New* Spirit Square, Charlotte, North Carolina 2002
Experiences in African American Culture Charlotte* African American Cultural Center, Charlotte, North Carolina 2001
Remembrance of a Legacy* Ruth Hall Hodges Gallery, Morris Brown College, Atlanta, Georgia 2000
Thesis Show 2nd Year Master of Fine Art Exhibition* Mian Gallery, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 1999
Borderlands*, Ridenbaugh Gallery, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho 1997
PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
Talmadge Anderson Heritage House, Washington State University, Washington 2013
Bowie State University Permanent Collection, Bowie State University, Maryland 2012
Smith House Art Collection, Johnson C. Smith University, North Carolina 2010
Smith House Art Collection, Johnson C. Smith University, North Carolina 2009
Robert L. Albright Metropolitan College, Johnson C. Smith University North Carolina 2008
Appex Museum, Georgia 2004
National Center Annex, Alabama 2003
Cynthia B. Dillard Art Gallery, Washington State University, Washington 1998
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
A Ten Year Perspective, Paintings Crutchfield Gallery Space, Johnson C. Smith University, North Carolina 2010
Masters in Fine Arts Exhibition, Paintings Gallery II, Washington State University, Washington 1998
Holland Library Graduate Study Lounge, Washington State University, Washington 1998
CORPORATE / INSTITUTION ART COMMISSION
I Call you Son. Belk Corporation. Charlotte, North Carolina 2016
Dr. Dorothy Cowser Yancey. Johnson C. Smith University. Charlotte, North Carolina 2007