Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE - At their annual fall conference on Oct.30, the Wisconsin Art Education Association (WAEA) announced the recipient of their Art Educator of the Year award. The honoree is former University of Wisconsin-Platteville alumnus and Edgewood College professor, Bob Tarrell.

The Wisconsin Art Educator of the Year award goes to a WAEA member who has significantly demonstrated a long-term contribution to the WAEA and art education on local, state, and national levels.

It is well known that at Edgewood College, Tarrell has done more for faculty and students than anyone else. "With his guidance and effort over the past decade the faculty has been expanded from two full-time and one adjunct to six-full time and five adjunct. He helped expand the offered majors to include studio art, art teaching, graphic design, and art therapy. Tarrell also helped develop the DeRicci Gallery, a venue for professional and emerging artists to showcase their work," said Janice Havlena, an assistant art professor.

Melanie Herzog, associate professor of art history and chair of the art department at Edgewood College added, "Tarrell values what he can learn from his students, even as he challenges them to exceed any limits they might imagine for themselves."

Tarrell's response, "Ultimately my goal is to prepare all students to incorporate the benefits of the visual arts into their lives. To help people recognize their interests, talents, and abilities; to gain self esteem; to think critically; to be creative and imaginative; to foster perceptual, sensory, and aesthetic awareness; to communicate ideas, thoughts, and feelings; and to enjoy life and grow as humans."

Tarrell graduated from UWP in 1980 with a B.S. in comprehensive art, summa cum laude. He then attended the University of Iowa, Iowa City, where he graduated in 1983 with a master of art degree. Since then, Tarrell has filled numerous roles and received a myriad of awards and statewide recognition including the Underkofler Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1999. That same year he was selected to fulfill the role of WAEA president. In 2001, Tarrell was a recipient of the Arts and Letters Award from the College of Liberal Arts and Education at UWP.

WAEA was founded in 1950 as a state organization to further scholarship and excellence in art education, and to promote excellence in visual art and design education for students. Approximately 600 members make WAEA one of the 10 largest state organizations for art education in the U.S.