Jessie Houff she/her
jessiehouffart.com
540-476-0718
Skills
Teaching Arts and Spirituality/Religion Curriculum, Book Arts and Community Art Curriculum writing and implementation, higher education adjunct, lesson planning, middle and high school after school program teacher/mentor, senior citizens, worked with co-teachers and independently.
Artistic Abilities Papermaking, book making, relief and mono printmaking, natural dyeing, mixed media, use of recycled/upcycled materials, drawing, painting, installation, and hand lettering.
Administrative Communications Managing, change management, proficient in Microsoft and Google Suites, scheduling, monthly newsletters, social media content, maintaining websites, pay contractors, reviewing and updating budgets, audio and video editing, Zoom meeting and recording management, agenda creation for meetings and communication to staff, weekly worship service needs and tech support.
Design Design and curate spiritual spaces and lounge areas, consolidation and functional use of space/storage, cleanliness, research and ordering of professional artist materials for workshops and organizations, promotional material Canva fliers and social media for events and programming, effective use of scrap materials, recycle unused materials for storage and/or artmaking.
Writing Grant writing, taught creative writing for book arts and theatre, efficient typer-over 100 words per minute wordcount.
Theatre and Dance Improvisation workshop leader for all ages, acting, ballet and yoga, meditation facilitating, and performance.
Education
2017-2019 Master of Fine Art in Community Art. Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD. Certificate in The College Teaching of Art
2009-2013 BA in Art and Theatre. Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honor Society. Bridgewater College, Bridgewater, VA
Teaching
Jan 2022-Present Adjunct Faculty, Arts and Religion Courses. Chapel Visuals and Creative Process for Spiritual Practice. Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, DC
2019-2022 Visual Arts Class Instructor: Keswick Wise & Well Center, Baltimore, MD, Hill Preschool, Washington, DC (2022)
Aug 2017-Dec 2020 Artist in Residence/Visual Arts Instructor/Substitute Teacher. Access Art, Baltimore, MD
Aug 2018-May 2019 Fellow/Visual Arts Instructor. Keswick Wise & Well Center, Baltimore, MD
Aug 2018-May 2019 Graduate Teaching Intern. Mixed Media: Book Art Course, History of Paper Structure
Work
Oct 2021-Present Community Arts Coordinator and Ministry Administrator. Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, DC
Sept 2020-Present Community Arts Minister and Ministry Admin, Washington City Church of the Brethren, Washington, DC.
June 2019-Present Freelance Artist – papermaking, commissions, and special projects
Mar-May 2019 Gallery Sitter, Institute of Contemporary Art, Baltimore, MD
Jan-Oct 2018 Gallery Interpreter-Joseph Education Center. Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD
2016-2017 Transcriptionist. Online, Rev.com
2013 Sales Associate. The Fabric Warehouse, Harrisonburg, VA
Workshops
April 2023 Papermaking with Invasive Plants, Collaboration with University of Maryland Baltimore County’s Sustainability Department. Oca Mocha Coffeeshop, Arbutus, MD
April 2023 Natural Dyeing Silk Scarves. Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, DC
Oct-Dec 2022 Arts Classes for 2-5 Year Olds. Hill Preschool, Washington, DC
March 2022 Gel and Monoprint Printmaking Workshops (4). Keswick Wise & Well, Baltimore, MD
August 2021 Relief Printmaking Workshops (4), Keswick Wise & Well, Baltimore, MD
April 2021 Virtual Living Letters Workshop (2), Church of the Brethren Youth/Young Adults
Oct 2020 Handmade Journal Workshops (4), Keswick Wise & Well, Baltimore, MD
Sept 2020 Virtual Learning, Community Art Collaborative, Baltimore, MD
Aug 2020 Handmade Journal Workshop, Keswick Wise & Well, Baltimore, MD
July 2020 Papermaking Demo, Keswick Wise & Well, Baltimore, MD
June 2020 Papermaking Workshop at Night Owl Gallery, Baltimore, MD (cancelled)
Mar 2020 Transformative Papermaking Workshop, Port Discovery, Baltimore, MD
Feb 2020 Transformative Papermaking Workshop Enoch Pratt Library Brooklyn Branch, Baltimore, MD
Oct 2019 MICA Alumni Papermaking Workshop, MICA, Baltimore, MD
Publications
October 2022 Messenger Magazine
March 2022 “On Apocalypses, Binaries, Doubts, & Faith (s)”, Brethren Life and Thought
May 2019 Maryland Institute College of Art Thesis
Art Exhibitions/Vending
September Art+Spirituality, Gormley Gallery, Notre Dame of Maryland University, Baltimore, MD
May 2023 Arbutus Arts Festival, Arbutus, MD
October ‘22-Present The Nature of it All: Visions, Dreams, and Greetings from Afar, Traveling Exhibit, Curator
2023 (Pending) Art and Spirituality Collaborative Art Show, Baltimore, MD
Dec 2022-Jan 2023 Beloved Community, Curated, Wesley Theological Seminary, Dadian Gallery Washington, DC.
Dec 2022 Freeform Exhibit, OCA Mocha Coffee Shop, Arbutus, MD
Jan-April 2022 Living Sanctuary, Curated, Wesley Theological Seminary, Dadian Gallery Washington, DC.
Aug 2021 Bearing Witness Exhibition -the Artist's Tenacious View, Hamilton Gallery, Baltimore, MD
Feb 2021 Recycling Exhibition, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, Sebastopol, CA
Dec-Jan 2020 Advocacy Through Art Exhibit, OCA Mocha Coffee Shop, Arbutus, MD
May 2020 Greater Goods Market Art Vendor, Baltimore, MD (cancelled)
April 2020 Our Words Will Still Be Heard Art Show, Baltimore, MD. http://www.sarahbmccann.com/our-words-will-still-be-heard.php
Mar 2020 Greater Goods Market Art Vendor, Baltimore, MD
Dec 2019 RAW: Natural Born Artists Presents Holiday RAWK, Baltimore, MD
Dec 2019 Beer N’ Bots Art Vendor, Arbutus, MD
Nov 2019 Deck the Walls Art Show, Jubilee, Baltimore, MD
Nov 2019 Innov8MD, Art Vendor, Baltimore, MD
Sep 2019 Seton Hill Flea Market and Bazaar, Art Vendor
June 2019 RAW: Natural Born Artists Presents IMPACT, Baltimore, MD
May 2019 LAUNCH MFA Grad Show, Baltimore, MD
May 2019 Art Pals Exhibit, organized/curated, Baltimore, MD
April 2019 feel. release. repeat. Grad Show III Art Thesis Exhibition, MICA, Baltimore, MD
April 2019 Community Arts Show, MICA, Baltimore, MD
Mar 2019 Our Words Will Still Be Heard, MICA and Jubilee Arts, Baltimore, MD
Mar 2019 Concentrate: Pages of Past MICA, Curated and showed, Baltimore MD
2018 Mixed Media Book Arts-Fox Building 3rd floor MICA, Baltimore, MD
2018 Identity: What's Your Story? Meyerhoff Gallery, MICA, Baltimore, MD
2013 Bridgewater College Juried Show, Alexander Mack Library, Bridgewater, VA
2013 First Night-Beyond Restaurant, Art Vendor, Harrisonburg, VA
2013 Undergraduate Thesis, “Library of Dreams” Cole Hall Bridgewater College, Bridgewater, VA
Awards and Honors
2021 Faith in Action Grant Recipient, Church of the Brethren, $5,000 for Washington City Community Art Space, Washington, DC
2021 CORE Mini-Grant Recipient, Church of the Brethren, $500 for Washington City Art Gallery, Washington, DC
2020 Accepted into the Baltimore Artist Retreat, Baltimore, MD
2020 Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, Baltimore, MD. For completion of AmeriCorps service year
2020 Community Engagement Grant Awardee, MICA, Baltimore, MD. $1,500 grant for Pride Outfits Project at Access Art
2019 Community Engagement Grant Awardee, MICA, Baltimore, MD. $1,500 grant for Art Pals Project at Access Art and Keswick Wise & Well Center
2018-2019 Libby Bowerman Fellowship, MICA, Baltimore, MD. Scholarship to fund teaching fellowship at Keswick Wise & Well Center
2018 Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, Baltimore, MD. For completion of AmeriCorps service year
2017 Community Engagement Grant Awardee, MICA, Baltimore, MD. $1,500 grant for Legacy Art Projects at Access Art
2017 Featured Artist for Brethren & Mennonite Center for Queer Studies. www.bmclgbt.org/center-jessieh
2016 Selected to attend ASTEP six-day Artist as Citizen Conference, The Juilliard School, New York City, NY
Visiting Artist
September 2021 Guest Speaker at Community Art Collaborative, Teaching in a Virtual Format, Baltimore, MD
June 2021 Papermaking Activity Facilitator, Gallery Church Summer Camp, Baltimore, MD
Jan 2021 Artist Talk at Keswick Wise & Well, Baltimore, MD
Dec 2020 Invited to speak with modern dance class at Milford Mill Academy – Students chose “Accumulate” piece as inspiration for their dance. Baltimore, MD
September 2020 Guest Speaker at Community Art Collaborative, Teaching in a Virtual Format, Baltimore, MD
2018-2019 Access Art, Baltimore, MD. Continuing art projects and substitute teaching
2018 Speaker on a Community Art student panel, MICA, Baltimore, MD
2015 Taught Theatre Improvisation and Movement workshop to senior citizens for the National Older Adult Conference for the Church of the Brethren.
2013 Constructed, taught, and gathered assistant teachers for a Theatre Improvisation Workshop for John Wayland Elementary school and Wilbur Pence Middle School.
Volunteer
2020-Present Organizer of Young Adults on Fire, young adult activist group within Church of the Brethren
2022-2027 Board Member for On Earth Peace
2022 District Leadership Team, Church of the Brethren. Mid-Atlantic District
Aug 2019-May 2020 Worship Coordinator, Church of the Brethren National Young Adult Conference, Online
Aug 2016-May 2019 Young Adult Steering Committee Member. Church of the Brethren Annual Young Adult Conference
May-Aug 2016 Volunteer-Administrative Assistant/Substitute Teacher. Artists Striving To End Poverty, New York, NY
April 2016-Feb 2017 Volunteer, Assist with Youth Programming and various events. Rural and Migrant Ministry, New York, NY, Liberty, NY
Jan 2015-Mar 2016 Full-Time Staff Volunteer-Orientation Leader. Brethren Volunteer Service, Elgin, IL
Jan 2014-Jan 2015 Full Time Volunteer-Mentor and Business Oversight. Youth Economic Group, Liberty, NY
June-Aug 2009 Volunteer Counselor-Dance Leader. Camp Still Meadows, Broadway, VA
Theatre
Directing
2012 “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” by Rebecca Feldman. Bridgewater College
2011 “The Zoo Story” by Edward Albee. Bridgewater College
Acting
2017 “This Too Comes By Hard” by James Custer, Washington DC Fringe Festival, Washington District of Columbia
2013 “My Name is Rachel Corrie” edited by Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner. Rachel. Bridgewater College
2012 “You Lucky Girl!” by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Corrie. Bridgewater College
2012 “Circle Mirror Transformation” by Annie Baker. Marty. Bridgewater College
2011 “A Dream Play” by August Strindberg. Quarantine Master. Bridgewater College
2011 “Fools” by Neil Simon. Snetsky. Bridgewater College
2010 “The Life and Death of Larry Benson” by Reginald Rose. Jessie. Bridgewater College
2009 “The Visit” by Friedrich Dürrenmatt. Policewoman. Bridgewater College
Backstage Work
2016 “Spirits of the Lakewood House” NACL Theater, Highland Lake, NY, Production Assistant
2012 Ash Lawn Opera, Charlottesville, VA, Carpentry Intern
Dancing
2011 “The Haunted House” by Mary Chase. Bridgewater College. Choreographer
2009-2010 Dance Team Member. Bridgewater College
2005-2009 Shenandoah Contemporary Dance Theater. Harrisonburg, VA
Awards
2013 Best Actress for work in “My Name is Rachel Corrie”
2012 Nominated for Irene Ryan Acting Competition at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for work in “You Lucky Girl!”
2012 Best Supporting Actress for work in “You Lucky Girl!”
2011 Member of the cast of “A Dream Play” by August Strindberg invited to attend the KCACTF