RD MOREAU
BIO, STATEMENT & PHILOSOPHY
Biography
R. D. Moreau began the study of drawing and design at Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, while still a high school student. Moreau majored in painting and minored in drawing while earning a BFA, and graduated, magna cum laude, from Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas in 1998. After spending a year at the University of California, Santa Barbara studying design independently with Professor Gary Brown, he returned to Lamar University where he completed an M.A. in 2000. In 2001, he enrolled in the graduate studio program at Stephen F. Austin State University and completed an M.F.A. in 2002. From Fall of 2002 until Spring of 2009, he held the position of Assistant Professor of Art at Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, LA. From 2010 to 2014 he acted as an adjunct professor at the University of Texas, Pan American, Edinburg, TX. From Fall of 2014, he has worked as art faculty at Mesalands Community College. He has acted as a juror on several local and statewide art competitions including the Youth Arts Council of Louisiana’s annual art competition. He is represented by galleries in Houston, Texas and was hired by the Rapides Symphony Orchestra to design the advertising campaign for the inaugural Louisiana International Piano Competition. Robert has recently written the curriculum and all other necessary material for an Associates of Art with an emphasis in Graphic Design. This was approved by the Higher Learning Commission in the 2016 academic year.
Artist Statement
A concern with issues of craftsmanship and concept informs Moreau’s work. He shows this with a Westermann-like crafting of wood sculpture and a high degree of draftsmanship in figurative drawings. This may come from his desire to create objects which indicate their maker’s mastery of a skill or skills, as well as to underscore the importance of the relic: the object that results from the concept.
Recent work involves the combination of various media and explores the resulting conceptual dynamics of these combinations. By placing sculptures and drawings so that they seem to interact, he allows the viewer an opportunity to participate in an intellectual game, where he or she is required to assign meaning to several aspects of the exhibition. The combination of well-crafted objects with a puzzling concept results from his desire to reintroduce Modernist ideas of beauty and “objecthood” into the contemporary pluralism of post-Postmodern art. This recent work explores the use of readymades: objects found in the hardware store. Finding much of the inventory of any given hardware store beautiful in an almost Duchampian way, he wonders exactly how much assistance they need to become art or, at least, a part of the art. In his view, more is required of the artist than simply to choose the object for it to become art. Also, more is required of art than simply an idea or a concept. Art must also be carefully and skillfully embodied in durable, material form.
Teaching Philosophy
Moreau firmly believes that the best teachers remain lifelong students. It is with this idea in mind that he works toward an interactive manner of instruction. He encourages experimentation in an effort to help students learn to think creatively on their own. The exchange of ideas with students is a process that allows both teacher and student to grow. It is also necessary that students develop the skills needed to effectively communicate something of their own ideas and experiences. If this is done, they are well on their way to finding their own unique voices.
Finally, it is important for Moreau to help his students become aware not only of the value of the basic skills needed for the creation of their own art, but also to understand the fundamental importance of art itself. An understanding of the important role of art, both historically and contemporarily, should be an aspect of all art courses.
