COD Instructor Featured at Prestigious Art Event

News at College of DuPage




By Mike McKissackCollege of DuPage Adjunct Professor of Metals and Jewelry Design Aleksandra Vali was recently invited to display her work at the prestigious 23rd annual Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design (SOFA) Fair at Navy Pier in Chicago.“I was thrilled to be invited and to have my creations featured at the fair,” Vali
said. “I’ve attended SOFA Chicago for the last eight years and it was very exciting
to be there as an exhibitor.”Vali was invited to be part of the fair after her successful participation at the
renowned Aaron Farber Gallery’s “Jewelry as Sculpture as Jewelry” exhibition in New
York City in 2016.She said exhibiting at SOFA provided great opportunities as both an artist and a teacher.“The fair gave me the opportunity to network with well-known and respected artists
and gallery owners from all over the world,” she said. “Some of my students attended
the fair and I believe it’s helpful, encouraging and motivating for them to see the
success of their instructors. In addition, I was able to connect with many potential
future students.”Trained in sculpture and ceramics in her native Russia, Vali said that she started
teaching at age 14 when the instructors noticed she was skilled not only at creating
art but also at teaching. She was asked to substitute for an art instructor for a
semester and continued to substitute teach periodically. She went on to eventually
earn a master’s degree from Novosibirsk State University in Russia and continued to
teach part-time while working as a ceramicist for seven years, eventually becoming
the lead artist for a large company. After moving to the U.S. in 2003, she enrolled
in a jewelry class at College of DuPage and discovered a passion for metalsmithing
and creating jewelry.In addition to having her work widely exhibited across the globe, Vali ...

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