October 2011Educators Showcase: Kristin Skees — Integrative Teaching International

Kristin Skees’ artwork combines traditional women’s craft, contemporary DIY culture, and a love of the unexpected and absurd. In her current interdisciplinary project, Cozy Portraits, Kristin creates custom cozies for her photography subjects, who are often close friends and family. Like an ill-fitting handmade sweater, the cozies are about the claustrophobia and absurdity of relationships. Some of the portraits take a week to complete, and some take a year. From beginning to end, the piece is defined by the relationship, dialog, and collaboration with the person being cozied. This work is currently being exhibited in the show Cozied at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s ArtLab. Kristin received her MFA from the University of Arizona, and also has a MLIS from the University of Alabama. Last year she was awarded an Emerging Educator Fellowship from ITI. Kristin currently teaches Digital Photography, Video Art and 2D Design at Christopher Newport University in Virginia.