Longtime art professor inspires students to follow their creative passion
For more than 30 years, professor of art Ralph Paquin has been teaching at Presbyterian College, from Foundations of Drawing to Ceramics.
Paquin has been drawn to art since he was a child, reminiscing on Saturday mornings spent with his grandparents and uncles, learning how to draw from John Gnagy’s 1950s TV show “Learn to Draw.”
“I learned to draw watching a guy on TV, and my closest uncle went to school for art,” he said. “I thought, ‘I want to keep doing that,’ and I’ve just kept doing it ever since I was about eight, and haven’t looked back. It’s just very natural to me.”
A well-rounded artist
Paquin is an accomplished artist in several mediums, though he is most known for his sculpting and painting expertise.
Throughout his career, Paquin has won numerous awards and grants, has had his work published more than 30 times, and has had his work featured in more than 40 exhibitions.
Just recently, he had seven of his sculptures featured in an exhibition at the Sims Contemporary Gallery in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood.
From the studio to the classroom
Paquin began teaching as a way to support his family outside of his art ventures. Over the years, he’s held positions at MIT, Ohio State University, Furman University, and Presbyterian College, which he refers to as his settling place.
When he reflects on his time as a professor at PC, the students have been a highlight of his career, as well as the camaraderie found among his former colleagues, Mark Anderson and Dr. Laura Crary.
“All three of us, we got along pretty good, and that’s important,” said Paquin. “We’ve got a really good group of kids – I say kids, because I have kids and they’re all about my kids’ ages, maybe a little younger now. But those are two of the strong reasons.”
I learned to draw watching a guy on TV, and my closest uncle went to school for art. I thought, ‘I want to keep doing that,’ and I’ve just kept doing it ever since I was about eight, and haven’t looked back. It’s just very natural to me.”
Ralph Paquin, Professor of Art
Hope for the future
When he thinks about his years to come at PC, Paquin hopes to see the expansion of the art department, including the development of a graphic design program and the growth of the ceramics program.
“Something that would really suit the school would be to develop the graphic design program, definitely. But also, ceramics has a huge possibility here,” he said.
Most of all, Paquin wants people to understand the important role that art plays for students, even if the results aren’t always tangible.
“It’s creative work, and so the rewards are many times unseen, but felt,” he said.
