Ridgewater graduate takes over art program at Hutch campus

Andrew Nordin started his art education with an associate of arts degree from what is today’s Ridgewater College’s Willmar campus. He was planning on a career in graphic arts.

By the time he graduated from St. Cloud State University in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts, the painting courses he thought would enhance his graphic design interests had become his focus.

“Now I’m the art instructor here (at Ridgewater’s Hutchinson campus) and take care of the gallery, too,” he said. “I’m trying to build up the program, increase enrollment and get more attention for the arts.”

He is teaching two courses this semester — survey and art history and visual design — and will follow that up during the spring semester with modern art history and 3-D design. He sees the courses as a good foundation for anyone pursuing a degree in art or looking for interesting general education courses.

After attending Ridgewater and St. Cloud State, Nordin went on to receive his master’s in fine arts, with a pictorial emphasis, at San Jose State University in California. He began his teaching career there in 1999 as an adjunct instructor. He also began teaching at Ridgewater in 2006, and also continues teaching at St. Cloud State.

“Anywhere I’ve gone to school I’ve taught at,” he said with a chuckle.

(Terry Davis is a Hutchinson Leader staff writer. E-mail him at davis@hutchinsonleader.com.)