Jim O'Halloran

Jim O'Halloran is a northwest artist and educator. He earned his BFA from Boise State University and is currently teaching introduction and advanced visual art at ArtsWest. The last five years Jim has dedicated his time to his 'fine art side' especially in the disciplines of painting, printmaking, collage, and mixed media. When asked what medium or techniques he likes best, his answer would undoubtedly be "all of the above."

My main objective in teaching the visual arts is to help students establish and develop their own personal aesthetic. Whether you call it your own voice or language, visual art is the ability to speak visually. The word aesthetic pertains to a sense of beauty and that sense is connected to emotion and “sens”ation more than intellectuality. To acquire a sense for aesthetics is to connect with an essential component of life. My mission as a teacher is to raise students’ awareness of beauty and to enjoy the process of critical thinking, and working with different kinds of media and materials to express themselves.

Much of the subject matter I select for student projects are things that inspire me. I see beauty and great design in a rusty old manhole cover. After I think or see something of beauty I begin to process a way to share that thought with someone else. Art is not a complicated or intellectual theory-its’ a language of visual form.

"I was extremely fortunate to work alongside many gifted colleagues, win numerous design awards, and jury national design competitions. In addition to the focused but frenzied lifestyle, I exhibited my art in several art venues in the Northwest."