Art Professor, Not 'Teacher'

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Photo by Ronald Sitton

Visitin'- New Art professor Scott Lyken (left) discusses life with David Ray (right, green shirt) while Lyken's wife, Kim Wilson (center), listens during the Chancellor's Cookout at the beginning of the school year.

   A new hire at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, Assistant Professor of Art Scott Lykens has an interesting philosophy on his job, according to his students.  

   "He says he's a professor, not a teacher. A teacher just teaches. A professor instructs," said Martha Rico, an art major. 

   Lykens received his Bachelor's of Fine Arts from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and later went on to receive a Masters of Fine Arts from Kent State. 

   He currently teaches sculpture and art appreciation. Though most first-year professors are coolly received by their students, Lykens' pupils have positive things to say about him. 

   "He's an outgoing person. He's a coyote teacher. He questions you with a question," said another student, David Felts. 

   While Lykens is regarded as a highly competent instructor, he also does more with his knowledge than just teach. His artwork has been published in two books, and his work was recently displayed in the Teapot Invitational. He plans on submitting a collection of sake bottles in the upcoming Strictly Functional Pottery National. 

   "The ceramics community is small, so I know people I would never know if I were a painter. I'm really fortunate to do ceramics," Lykens said. 

   Currently, Lykens plans to offer at least one ceramics course every semester at UAM. He also offers these words of encouragement for those who believe they are less than artistically inclined.

   "I believe everyone is born an artist," he said, "You just decide to stop. My little boy just wants to draw and play with playdough, and that's basically all I wanted to do; just no one ever told me to stop."