
Between the Lines: Opening Reception
The SFC Art Gallery and SFC Library present “Between the Lines,” featuring the doodling work of Gerard Shaw, Ed.D., Professor of Education. Students, faculty and staff are invited to attend the opening reception in the SFC Library. The art in the exhibition provides a completely subjective experience of visually arresting combinations of lines, shapes and colors. As a sabbatical project, Dr. Shaw explored his art practice to create myriad intimate doodles.
Doodling is the process of drawing while one’s attention may be focused elsewhere but, contrary to popular belief, “It has nothing to do with doing nothing.” Rather, to doodle is to “make spontaneous marks … to help yourself think” … and “problem solve” … and that "a doodler is engaging in deep and necessary information processing … and generating massive insights” (Brown, 2014). Doodling is like dreaming, an experience that provides a direct connection with the creative unconscious of the artist. There is no one correct interpretation and no one correct emotional response.
About the Artist
Shaw's background is in athletics and physical education. He earned both an Ed.D. in sport psychology and a master's degree in exercise physiology from Columbia University, Teacher's College. He is a fencing master, a degree he earned from the Institut National des Sports of France and that he puts to use coaching the College's women's fencing team. Professor Shaw teaches a variety of courses at St. Francis College, including Kinesiology, Introduction to Sport Management, Organization and Administration, Psychology of Sport and Physical Education for Students with Special Needs. He is also a licensed psychoanalyst.