Meet the faculty: A Q&A with art professor Chris Cohen

Chris Cohen

Randolph College’s 2019-20 academic year is underway, and several new faces have joined the faculty.

Art professor Chris Cohen is one of the newest additions to the faculty, but he is no stranger to Randolph: 

Where are you originally from and what is your career/educational background?

Tough question. I was a military brat for the first part of my life. Honestly, I’ve lived in Lynchburg for the last 20 years, which is longer than I’ve lived anywhere else in my life, and I usually answer that this is where I am from.

I’m the new assistant professor in studio art, but the last 20 years of my career was in IT as a developer and designer, but I also was an adjunct in art at the College for nearly half of that time.

What attracted you to this job at Randolph?

Lynchburg is my home, and Randolph is the center of that. Randolph has gone through a lot in the last 20 years, which has only solidified the idea that what the College is doing in this part of the country is important, and I wanted to be part of that.

What classes are you teaching this fall?

Digital Photo, Monotype Printmaking, and Intermediate Drawing

Describe your teaching style. What can students expect in your classes?

I vacillate between over-explaining and over-demonstrating in my art classes. Students can expect that I am interested in helping them become the curators and creators of their own aesthetic.

What is your impression of Randolph and its students?

I don’t remember what my initial impression was, but I still feel like, more than any other institution I’ve been involved with, every single person at Randolph is dedicated to lifting each other up and launching them into the world prepared to make a difference. I’ve seen that happen over and over again over the last 20 years.

What sorts of hobbies or fun activities do you enjoy outside the classroom?

I can barely remember what hobbies or free time are like (three kids, mortgage, what, what). I was in a rock band an eon ago with other faculty spouses called “The Significant Others.”