Christopher Sweeney Artist

Mr. Christopher Sweeney is a 1996 graduate of University of the Art’s Philadelphia College of Art and Design with a B.F.A. in Fine Arts/Painting and Drawing, and recently received his M.A., also from the University of the Arts, in 2012. While enrolled at the University of the Arts in undergraduate studies, Mr. Sweeney majored in painting/drawing and held a minor in art education. Mr. Sweeney was also the recipient of several awards while attending University of the Arts including the Ernest W. Greenfield Annual Award in Painting, the Peter J. McCahill Memorial Award in Art Education, and finalist for the Rohm and Haas Fine Arts Award, all of which were awarded in 1996. He was also awarded the prestigious position of giving the Student Address at the 1996 commencement. Recently, he was awarded by Pennsylvania Art Education Association the Outstanding Secondary Art Educator for 2016 .He is also an Ambassador for MakeyMakey, Chibitronics, Morphi, and is a fellow at Ultimaker 3D Printer's Pioneer Education program.                        Mr. Sweeney has taught art to different communities of students in the Philadelphia area, ranging from pre-K to adults. He has taught a variety of students in many settings, both at public, private, and charter schools.Mr. Sweeney has taught at various schools and/or organizations such as the Philadelphia School District, Foundations, Inc. at Christopher Columbus Charter School, Friends Central, Arts League, and the Creative Artists Network, as well as the University of Pennsylvania in 2015, where his students built a 3D printer and learned how to use it. He is also a practicing artist with a variety of artistic interests, one of which currently is 3D printing and using digital media such as the MakeyMakey, Drawdio, and electronic circuitry. Mr. Sweeney is currently employed full time as a Design teacher at Charter High School for Architecture and Design in Philadelphia. Mr. Sweeney teaches a variety of classes, all of which are geared towards students’ full understanding, appreciation, and education in the visual arts and design. He places a special emphasis on multicultural, interdisciplinary, and technological education in the visual arts, in his current position, as well as wherever he is teaching. Chris also created and teaches a course called 3D Printing in the K-12 Classroom through the Professional Institute for Educators (P.I.E.) at University of the Arts in Philadelphia.He is an avid artist, designer, and educator who most recently was highlighted in DesignPhiladelphias’ “Best in Show” for his interactive bio-design work with mycelium and LED lights. Chris is a cutting-edge art and design educator whose students, whether at Charter High School for Architecture and Design, or at University of the Arts, are working on new and emerging technology for the art, design, and STEAM connections. Chris is a highly sought after speaker whose has presented at PAEA, NAEA, ISTE, and other educational conferences locally, regionally, and nationally. He most recently presented at Construct 3D conference at Georgia Tech with a presentation on “3D Printer Benefits for the Art Room & Special Needs Students”. He also has been working for several years his students in conjunction with the University of Pennsylvania Archaeology and Anthropology Museum in working with their Outreach Program scanning artifacts and 3D printing copies coded with Braille. This is to help visually impaired patrons so that they can enjoy the docents tour when they are guided through the galleries. Chris has also been combining relief printmaking with high-tech 3D printed presses for use with his students design curriculum. His art and design studio work with OpenPress Project 3D printed presses http://openpressproject.com will be shown in Germany and the EU in the upcoming months. Chris has been featured and written for publications such as Make Magazine, School Arts, EducationCloset and others. He is also a frequent contributor to Ultimaker’s Educational blog, last writing about the Sara Project, where himself and a fellow art educator, Ms.Lara Roth, collaborated to create a DIY 3D printed drawing aid to help Sara, who has spastic cerebral palsy, draw unaided in her art class for the first time.