Jan Descartes
jan@jandescartes.com
Contact
JAN DESCARTES
jan@jandescartes.com
www.jandescartes.com
EDUCATION
CUNY Graduate Center, Masters of Liberal Sciences, Women’s, Sexuality, and Gender Studies 2017
Carnegie Mellon University, Masters of Fine Arts 2007
Syracuse University, School of Visual and Performing Arts, Dual Bachelors of Arts in Illustration and English & Textual Studies 2001
TEACHING
Brooklyn Detention Center Zine Workshop, with Brooklyn Library February 2019
Queens Museum, Comics Production/Climate Change July 2018
Brooklyn Public Library, Comic Production Workshop Series 2016 – present
SAGE, Comic and Zine Workshop for LGTBQ seniors 2017-2018
Girls Educational & Mentoring Services (GEMS), Comics workshop 2017
George Mason University, Mini-Comics Workshop 09/2017
Brooklyn Heights Public Library Workshop, Making Mini-Comics Workshop 06/2017
Write to Read Day at PS 89, Comics workshop 05/2016
Interference Archive, Feminist Zines and Comics Workshop 05/2016
Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Soft Sculpture class 2007
SUMMIT Program, Portrait Drawing class 2007
Pennsylvania Organization for Women in Early Recovery, Public art project to teach drawing to women in recovery 2005
Carnegie Mellon University, Graduate Teaching 2004-2007
⚬ Sequential Art
⚬ Foundations Drawing
⚬ Foundations Painting
⚬ Advanced Painting
⚬ Mixed Mediums
⚬ Printmaking
VOLUNTEER
Pop Gym, Co-founder, Treasurer 2017-present
⚬ Co-founder of 501(c)3, offering free self-defense workshops
Interference Archive, Radical Archive in Gowanus, Staffing Volunteer 2015-present
AmeriCorps Program, Rosie & Harry’s Shelter, After school Arts and Academics tutor for children 2001
CONFERENCES/TALKS
Comic Memoir and Ethics, Queers and Comics Conference 05/2019
Digital Activism: Panel Discussion and Cryptoparty, Interference Archive, Coordinator/Moderator 03/2018
Curatorial Talk, Our Comics, Ourselves, at Fenwick Gallery at George Mason University 09/2017
Curatorial Talk, Queer Comics and Our Comics, Ourselves, at University of Connecticut at Waterbury 03/2017
Liber Mundi, Sketchbook Project, Moderator 09/2016
Curatorial Talk, Our Comics, Ourselves at Thomas J. Dodd Research Center at UConn 08/2016
Feminist Histories and Comics, Interference Archive, Co-moderator 04/2016
2015 3rd Annual Students for Critical Animal Studies Conference, Vassar College 11/2015
⚬ Pleasure in Domination: The role of Artist/Viewer in Jannis Kounellis’ “Untitled (12 Horses)”
CLAGS, Queers and Comics Conference 05/2015
⚬ Comic as Memoir Panel Discussion
PUBLICATIONS
Comics and Critical Librarianship for Academic Libraries, “Feminist Curating and Our Comics, Ourselves” 2019
Never Forgets: Traumatic Trace Within Public Space, CUNY Academic Works 2017
Our Comics, Ourselves Catalog, Co-editor and contributor 2016
CURATORIAL
Our Comics, Ourselves, Wasser Strassen Festival, Basel, Switzerland 08/2018
Our Comics, Ourselves, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 08/2017 - 10/2017
Our Comics, Ourselves, University of Connecticut at Waterbury, Waterbury, CT 01/2017 -03/2017
Our Comics, Ourselves, Thomas J. Dodd Research Center at University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06/2016 - 08/2016
Our Comics, Ourselves Digital Gallery, coordinating ongoing online exhibition 02/2016 - present
Our Comics, Ourselves, Interference Archive, Brooklyn, NY 01-04/2016
Transform, SHO Gallery, Brooklyn, NY 03/2010
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS/PUBLICATIONS
Shout Your Abortion 2018
IdaRose Stamps 2017
Heartland Comic, Illustrator and co-author 2014 - present
Taylor Hodson Staffing 2013-2014
Financial Analysis of Stocks and Commodities Magazine 2008-2009
Pittsburgh Magazine 2008
Pittsburgh City Paper 2008
Beastieland.com webcomic, Illustrator 2008
Wine Enthusiast Magazine 2007
The Bear Magazine 2004
NY Press, Cover of supplemental insert 2003
Financial Analysis of Stocks and Commodities Magazine 2001
NY Times Book Review 2001
NY Times Op-Ed Page 2001
Nylon Magazine 2001