
FSU Spotlight: Q&A with Visiting Professor of Painting & Drawing, Jana Marie Cariddi
Florida State University proudly features Visiting Professor Jana Marie Cariddi, a practicing artist and educator whose work bridges imagination, personal experience, and innovative techniques. Through her teaching and art practice, Cariddi inspires her students to embrace their unique voices while pushing the boundaries of creative exploration.



Q. As a Visiting Professor of Painting & Drawing at FSU, how do you guide students in developing their unique artistic voices?
A. Guiding students in developing their artistic voices is one of the most exciting aspects of teaching. Drawing from my experiences as an artist rooted in imagination, I encourage students to explore their personal interests—whether in popular culture, music, film, or other passions—to uncover what drives them to create.
I view an artistic voice as a complex concoction of life experiences, inspirations, and perspectives that evolve over time. The more “ingredients” students bring to their creative process, the more unique their visual language becomes. These elements contribute to a distinctive artistic identity, Whether through wonderful or challenging experiences or transformative moments.
By identifying the “essential ingredients” that resonate with me and trusting them fully, I’ve developed my visual language, and I strive to support students on this same journey of self-discovery and growth.
Q. Your work often delves into internal landscapes reflecting the body, emotion, memory, and sexuality. How do these themes influence your teaching methodology?
A. While the themes in my work are deeply rooted in personal experience, they demand a sharp awareness of self and a sensitivity toward others. My goal with these internal landscapes is to offer viewers a sense of connectedness, empathy, and understanding. This intention informs how I approach teaching as I strive to create an environment where students feel safe to explore their vulnerabilities and express their unique perspectives. The deliberate way I carefully manipulate materials creates a sense of harmony and clarity that invites ease in viewing. This same sense of care and thoughtfulness naturally extends into my teaching. In the classroom, I emphasize the importance of process and reflection, encouraging students to engage deeply with their work and the materials they use. By fostering an atmosphere of openness and respect, I cultivate a supportive community where students can share their experiences and emotions through their art.
Q. Could you share insights into your upcoming exhibition at the SCAD Museum of Art? What can attendees anticipate from your sculptural paintings and large-scale drawing installations?
A. I’m thrilled to share that my solo exhibition will open at the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah, GA, from October 17, 2025, to January 19, 2026, following a summer residency at Sulfur Studios. The exhibition will feature modular paintings and drawings on custom-fabricated substrates.
I use a CNC router to create dynamic, sculptural paintings with bold, flattened shapes and dramatic shadows that evoke the surreal sensation of a fever dream. Drawing inspiration from cellular structures, microscopic skin views, Y2K media player skins, and 1990s cartoons, my hybrid visual language merges the organic and digital, exploring the boundaries between hand and machine.
The show will also include 32 small-scale graphite drawings—one for each year of my life—depicting imagined and abstracted events within the body’s ecosystem. These works explore a “fake science” based on feeling rather than logic, mounted on intentionally distorted, CNC-routed squares that reflect a dynamic relationship between spontaneity and technology. I’m also collaborating with the 2nd Story Gallery in Lexington, KY, for an upcoming group exhibition curated by Leah Kolb, the former curator of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. The exhibition will include my paintings and sculptures alongside works by artists like Trish Tillman and Ben Tollefson.
I look forward to seeing how these projects push my practice and teaching forward.
Q. Reflecting on your international residencies in Germany and Japan, how have these experiences shaped your artistic practice and informed your teaching philosophy at FSU?
A. My international residencies shaped my teaching and artistic practice by broadening my network and expanding my understanding of diverse cultures and artistic practices. These experiences taught me the importance of taking brave leaps in my career, even when the outcomes were uncertain. In Germany, for example, I immersed myself in a vibrant artistic community by participating in residencies and attending gallery openings regularly—experiences that enriched my perspective in ways I hadn’t anticipated.
My fully funded 50-day artist residency in Japan came about through a connection I made with a French artist during my live-in residency at GlogauAIR in Berlin. This friendship led me to apply for the opportunity, resulting in a life-changing experience I would never have had otherwise. It was a powerful reminder of how artistic communities and the relationships we nurture within them can open doors to unexpected and transformative opportunities.
These lessons have deeply influenced my teaching philosophy. I encourage students to embrace a similar sense of curiosity and courage. I challenge them to step outside their comfort zones, take creative risks, and remain open to the unexpected directions their work might take. By sharing stories from my residencies and the value of engaging with diverse artistic communities, I aim to inspire students to see their practice as part of a larger, interconnected world. These experiences help me guide students in recognizing that their art has the potential to contribute to conversations that extend far beyond the studio. Also, I am deeply honored to have just been accepted into the prestigious Elizabeth Murray Residency through Collar Works. Elizabeth Murray’s pioneering approach to shaped and abstract works has long inspired me, and this opportunity to engage with her legacy while advancing my artistic practice is profoundly meaningful.
Jana Marie Cariddi’s work exemplifies the rich intersection of personal exploration, innovative techniques, and cultural exchange. As a Visiting Professor, she continues to inspire FSU students to develop their unique artistic voices while contributing to the larger world of contemporary art.