Email: b.ennis@aur.edu or ennisbreda@gmail.com
PRESENT POSITION:
Director and Full Professor, Fine Arts Program, The American University of Rome.
OVERVIEW:
Nearly 30 years creating, exhibiting and contributing to the art world.
WORK EXPERIENCE:
2007 to Present: Teaching in the Universita Europea di Roma-Pontificia Ateneo Regina Apostolorum in the Masters in Architecture, Sacred Art and the Liturgy program. All lectures are held in Italian. Served on the exam commission for the Master’s final thesis since 2010.
2004 to 2009: Director of The Pyramid Art Studio of The American University of Rome. (This space was also shared with the American University (Washington) Master’s in Fine Arts program in 2004-2005.)
2001 to 2009. Gave four lectures per year on the Sistine Chapel and The churches of the Gesu and Santa Maria del Popolo (Art History) to the students from Christendom College (Virginia, United States) Rome Program.
2000-2005 Taught graduates of the Fine Arts (Drawing and Critiques) for the American University (Washington) Italy Master’s in Fine Arts program.
1988 to present. The American University of Rome. Full time tenured Associate Professor of Fine Arts. Proposed, and then implemented, a Minor in Fine Arts in 1996. Developed Fine Arts Major (the first English language Fine Arts Major available in Italy), which has been on offer since 2012.
1987 E.C.B.S. College. Teaching Drawing and Color Theory.
EDUCATION:
2006 March-June Pontifical University, Sacro Cuore (Rome, Italy)
Certificate for Course on Informazione Religiosa per Giornalisti (Religious information For Vaticanists and Vatican Radio Collaborators)
2001 Pontifical Gregorian University (Rome, Italy)
Diploma De Patrimonio Culturli Ecclesiae Conservando Colendogue (Diploma on The Cultural Patrimony of the Catholic Church)
1987 The Calcografia Nazionale (Rome, Italy)
Certificate in Experimental Research in Printmaking Laboratory for Post Graduates (12 months). One of only three non-Italians selected for this Certificate program.
1984 Accademia Di Belle Arti (Rome, Italy)
l year postgraduate Printmaking Specialization, studying with Maestro Guido Strazza.
1979-83 Accademia Di Belle Arti (Rome Italy)
Diploma di Licenza in Decorazione (Contemporary Painting), studying under Maestro Guido Strazza and Maestro Antonio Scordia.
EMPLOYMENT – ACADEMIC
2007 to Present: Teaching in the Universita Europea di Roma-Pontificia Ateneo Regina Apostolorum in the Masters in Architecture, Sacred Art and the Liturgy program. All lectures are held in Italian. Served on the exam commission for the Master’s final thesis since 2010.
2004 to 2009: Director of The Pyramid Art Studio of The American University of Rome. (This space was also shared with the American University (Washington) Master’s in Fine Arts program in 2004-2005.)
2001 to 2009. Gave four lectures per year on the Sistine Chapel and The churches of the Gesu and Santa Maria del Popolo (Art History) to the students from Christendom College (Virginia, United States) Rome Program.
2000-2005 Taught graduates of the Fine Arts (Drawing and Critiques) for the American University (Washington) Italy Master’s in Fine Arts program.
1988 to present. The American University of Rome. Full time tenured Associate Professor of Fine Arts. Proposed, and then implemented, a Minor in Fine Arts in 1996. Developed Fine Arts Major (the first English language Fine Arts Major available in Italy), which has been on offer since 2012.
1987 E.C.B.S. College. Teaching Drawing and Color Theory.
HONORS, GRANTS, AWARDS:
2012 Critics Award ‘pari merito’ with French artist Eleline Attard, V11 Mostra Internazionale di Arte Pittorica – Palazzo Pretorio, Gubbio.
2007 Awarded grant for Belgium exhibition by CULTURE IRELAND, an Irish government funding body for the Arts.
2006 Sabbatical Leave Fall Semester to prepare works for an exhibition to
be held in Louvain in Belgium in May 2007.
2000 Silver Papal Medal. Secretariat of State. Vatican City. For Radio work
on Roman Art and Roman Churches – 35 min. weekly program for Holy Year on Vatican Radio.
1989 Silver Medal. Italian Ministry of Fine Arts for representing Ireland
in ‘Academies of Europe Show’ held in Rome.
1985 Bursary from Coca Cola Ireland Ltd. For art studies
1981 Italian Government l year Scholarship for Art Studies – Ministry
of Foreign Affairs for studies at the Accademia di Belle Arti of Rome.
TEACHING INTERESTS:
History of Art and Fine Arts – Interest in putting more emphasis on the fusion of Art History and Fine Arts so that students become more articulate and are more prepared in writing about their works.
Developed in 2001 a new pedagogical method of teaching the fine arts called “Inspirational Track Methodology”. This method enables students to develop ideas in a more disciplined and fruitful way thus leading to less frustration in the creation of art works and a methodological approach to doing research.
SERVICE TO AUR:
Preparation of proposal for a Minor in Fine Arts, which was approved at Department and Curriculum Committee level and is now listed in the catalog.
Preparation of proposal for a Major in Fine Arts. This went through committees, was approved, and is now being offered at AUR.
2011. Academic Year 2013/14. President Faculty Senate.
Member of Curriculum Committee 2010/14.
Vice Chair of Work Group 2 – Middle States Accreditation.
Member of various academic committees over the years.
Elected for three consecutive years as President of the Faculty Executive Committee (FEC) – 1999 to 2001
Founder of Student International Magazine (produced at end of each semester) Editing of this Magazine.
Developed the Distinguished Lectures Series in 1996.
Organized many student exhibitions to enhance AUR’s image and stimulate the
Students to be proud of their work and enjoy exhibiting it.
Collaborator (twice yearly for five days each time) on the Orientation Programs and Art History Lectures in Siena for A.U. Washington undergraduate study abroad students.
For at least 14 years or so did lecture tours of Venice and Pompei and Paestum on a twice yearly basis for The American University.
Invited by the President to be Grand Marshall for the 2007 Commencement Exercises.
MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:
Member of an association of liturgical artists called ‘Il Baglio’ (Made up of professional painters, sculptors and architects throughout Italy).
Founder Member of an international association of women artists ‘Donne Internazionali D’Arte’ formed in 2006.
Member with Arts and Humanities Dept. of College Art Assoc. in U.S.
Member of AAUP American Association of University Professors.
AUR Vaticanist (relating to the arts and liturgical aspects and the Cultural Patrimony of the Catholic Church.
PUBLICATIONS:
Books – Articles:
2009 The paper entitled ‘Beauty in Art – Contemporary Art and Artists’presented at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome was published in the Acts of the Congress entitled ‘Mimesi,Verita,Fiction (organized by thePhilosophy and Communications Departments)
2007 In the July/August Issue of ARTE CRISTIANA (An international and prestigious magazine on liturgical arts). Ten page article entitled “Un Vuoto nello Spirito”
2004 The Journal of Sacred Architecture – University of Notre Dame. Indiana
Article entitled: “A Vacuum in the Spirit” The Design of the Jubilee Church in Rome.
2003 The Journal of Sacred Architecture – University of Notre Dame. Indiana. U.S.A. Article entitled:” An Italian Connection, Rome’s Littlest Basilica and the Capitol Building in Washington“.
1985 Kinnegad Magazine. Ireland Article entitled “The Development of the Irish High Cross”
1969 Nine Articles on classical music for “Showcase Magazine”, Dublin Ireland.
Cited by other authors:
2008 NEW BLACKFRIARS JOURNAL, Vol.89 No 1025 pp.522-42 cited by Rev. Adrian Nichols in his article entitled “Archi-Liturgical Culture Wars”.(below mentioned Journal of Sacred Architecture). Professor in Cambridge Univ.
2005 A new book by Moyra Doorly entitled “No Place for God” was published in 2007 by Ignatius Press.U.S.A. containing a reference (on page 84) to my article published in the Journal of Sacred Architecture in 2004. She also used my photographs from the same article.
2003 The Journalist Mark Irving cited my article ‘A Vacuum in the Spirit’ published by the Journal of Sacred Architecture in 2004 in The Financial Times of London.
Forthcoming:
2008/9 Invited to contribute a chapter for a book to be published in Austria on Iconography in the 20th Century, which will be edited by Dr. Heidemarie Seblatnig, Script writer, film director and lecturer at the Vienna University of Technology. Chapter submitted.
2008/9 The paper entitled “Beauty in Art. Contemporary Art and Artists” presented at the Pontifical University of The Holy Cross in Rome has been selected for publication in the acts of the Congress entitled “MIMESI, VERITA, FICTION”.
2008/9 Another article requested by ARTE CRISTIANA on the Padre Pio Church in Southern Italy.
CREATIVE WORK:
Completing the series entitled ‘A Dream of Wind and Trees’ The Paintings for the Spring and Fall Seasons have been completed. I will now begin work on the Summer and Winter paintings from this series, thus completing it. Already doing research on a new project for paintings which will begin when the above series has been completed.
OTHER:
In the Fall (Mid October) 2009 a long interview with me about my life as an artist and my art work will be published in the U.S. Journal “LOGOS” A Journal of Catholic Thought & Culture. which comes out of The University of St. Thomas. A painting of mine will be on the cover of this quarterly. 4 works will also be shown inside the journal (the first time they have done this since the Journal began.) This interview has been reviewed and selected by a committee made up of academics from the universities of Harvard, Oxford, Columbia, Cambridge, etc. LOGOS IS NOW OUT.
July 2009 – Interview by Carmen Villa Belancourt of the Vatican Newsagency ZENITH in a piece entitled ‘Making Spaces to Meet God’. The interview was also published in Italian and Spanish and picked up by at least 8 web links.
January 15th 2009 the leading Irish Catholic Newspaper “The Irish Catholic’ featured an article entitled “Irishwoman designs Embassy Altar’ – commissioned by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs in 2007.
2007 October – invited to form part of the Examination Commission for the ‘Tesi’ of students finalizing their Master’s in the Master’s Program entitled ‘Architettura, Arte Sacra e Liturgia’ at the Universita Europea of Rome – Pontificia Ateneo Regina Apostolorum.