Kaz McCue has spent the past thirty years working in the arts as a visual artist, educator, curator, and arts administrator and currently serves as Instructor of Visual Arts at the Leelanau School. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in photography from Parson’s School of Design and a Master of Fine Arts degree in mixed media from Long Island University/C.W. Post Campus. As a professional artist, he has developed a reputation as a visual storyteller who creates works using sculpture, installation, printmaking, and photographer. He has been the recipient of numerous grants and awards as well as being featured in exhibitions both nationally and internationally. As a curator, he has put together over 200 exhibitions and over 100 lectures and artist presentations. Kaz has taught at numerous universities, colleges and academies and has served in several arts administration positions. In 2009, his work was the subject of a catalog entitled “Bad Seed” with essays by Judy Collischan and Sarah Glover that explore the masculine stereotype in relation to ideas of social justice that are encapsulated in Kaz’s installation work.
Kaz has a broad range of teaching experience that includes courses in art foundations, beginning and advanced drawing, sculpture, printmaking, beginning and advanced photography, and digital media. He has also worked with graduate, undergraduate and high school students in the areas of thesis development, contemporary practices and gallery management. Additionally, Kaz is trained in approaches to teaching for understanding and assessment and maintains a strong knowledge and understanding of art history and current trends in contemporary art. His background in teaching includes assignments at C.W. Post, Nassau Community College, University of Bridgeport, Indiana State University and Interlochen Arts Academy, and he has conducted numerous workshops such places as; Connecticut Graphic Arts, Pyramid Atlantic Center for Printmaking and the Art of the Book, Manhattan Graphics Center and Nassau County Museum of Art.
Kaz is a seasoned arts administrator, having held positions such as: Artistic Director for Michigan Legacy Art Park, Director of the Visual Arts Division at Interlochen Center for the Arts, Gallery Manager at the University of Bridgeport, and Program Director at the Music and Arts Center for Humanity, Gallery Director at Indiana State University. While with Michigan Legacy Art Park, Kaz was responsible for the permanent collection, featuring some 50 outdoor sculptures, the works on loan program and the visiting artist program. At Interlochen Center for the Arts, he ran the visual arts programs for Interlochen Arts Academy and Interlochen Arts Camp. Kaz also oversaw the design, construction, and development of the state-of-the-art Dow Center for Visual Arts, an $8 million award-winning project. At Indiana State University and the University of Bridgeport, Kaz administered to a number of exhibition and visiting artist programs and with the Music and Arts Center for Humanity, he managed more than twenty programs for at-risk youth and kids with disabilities. THis tenure at MACH included the development of programs like Neighborhood Studios, which provided apprenticeship opportunities in the arts to inner-city youth, and ArtWorks, which utilized the arts to teach at-risk youth alternatives to violent, gang-based lifestyles.
As a curator, Kaz has developed or facilitated more than 200 professional and student exhibitions including such shows as: New Works/New Europe, a major international exhibition with work from artists in Sarajevo, Zagreb and Ljubljana, Philip Pearlstein: Models and Other Objects, Robert & Shana ParkeHarrison: Excerpts for the Architect’s Brother, Against Tradition: Contemporary Trends in Printmaking, and Footcandles: History and Process in Contemporary Photography. Kaz also developed and has been curating an artists project entitled Extraordinary Things: A Study of Contemporary Art Through Material Culture for the past decade and has put together three major exhibitions, three panel discussions, numerous lectures, two television programs and a catalog that includes an essay on Material Culture and Art by noted cultural anthropologist Dr. Terry Barnhart.
In addition to his work in administration and education, Kaz has also been a staunch advocate for the arts and has been recognized for his involvement in the community. He has fought for artist opportunities and worked with various city officials and community organizations to promote and enhance community access and involvement in the arts. In Bridgeport, CT he helped facilitate two distinct projects for the city: Connecticut Sculpture Park – Bridgeport and the Museum of Contemporary Impressionism. In Terre Haute, Kaz served on the Process Committee for Downtown Redevelopment and the establishment of an arts corridor in the downtown area. He is also a founding member of the Cultural Alliance of Terre Haute and served as the organization’s President from 2005-2006.
As a professional, Kaz has dedicated his life to the arts. The diversity of his background and the wealth of his experience have shaped him into a mature and knowledgeable artist-citizen. His enthusiasm and dedication has helped to define his career and his belief in the power of the arts has driven his commitment to participating in the process of the arts and mentoring young artists.