Michael Godsil

Instructor in Art

General Interests
"My personal, creative photography is primarily of landscapes and nature details and is usually made using a large format, 4" x 5" field camera, with traditional film and analog darkroom methods; although I also do some work in digital photography. Recent self-assigned projects have involved multiple trips to the American Southwest to photograph isolated Anasazi ruins, a trip to Peru to photograph Machu Picchu and other Incan ruins, and a project photographing receding glaciers in Alaska, Montana, and the Canadian Rockies. Photographs from the Anasazi and Inca sites are now part of a sizeable solo exhibit titled 'Ancient Echoes in Stone,' which was first exhibited here at Knox in the fall of 2003. The glacier images from Alaska were part of a recent solo exhibit, and field work on that glacier project is ongoing."

Years at Knox: 2005 to present

Education
B.A., Studio Art, 2004, Knox College.
B.A., Economics and Business Administration, 1976, Knox College.
Summer session in photography, 1975, Colorado College.
ACM program, 1973–1974, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.

Teaching Interests
Basic photography (includes analog black and white darkroom processing and printing methods), photojournalism, digital photography, history of photography

Recent Accomplishments
Presentations
Chair of panel discussion on, "Wet & Dry: Integrating Digital Photography into an Existing Analog Photography Program," Academic Conference, Wabash College, Crawfordsville, Indiana, 2008.

Gallery talk in conjunction with an exhibit of photographs titled, "In the Light: Photographs from the Sikkema Collection," Figge Museum, Davenport, Iowa, 2008.

Solo Exhibitions
Galesburg Civic Art Center, Galesburg, Illinois, 2008.

David Stawn Art Gallery, The Art Association of Jacksonville, Illinois, 2005.

“Ancient Echoes in Stone” Knox College, 2003.

Museum of The Honolulu Academy of Arts, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1989.

Caterpillar Corporation World Headquarters, Peoria, Illinois, 1984.

“Photographs of the American West” Knox College, 1984.

Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois, 1984.

What Students Say
"Mike teaches you how to think, process and learn, then do it all over again till the result is something you never imagined you could do. He recognizes talent and potential, and rewards hard work and perseverance. I will never forget the lessons learned; he went from being my strictest professor to my mentor and good friend, and will be for years to come. An excellent professor, one of the most caring individuals at Knox, and an excellent photographer!"
-Farah Ahed, Karachi, Pakistan: Anthropology/Sociology major, Photojournalism minor

"Michael Godsil has contributed in no small way to my Knox education. By working closely with him for the past few years, I have come to know him as a reliable, knowledgeable and concerned professor and friend. He is representative of everything I was promised as a Knox student: meaningful interactions with knowledgeable, concerned professors, actively engaged in the task of teaching."
-Veronica Kehoss, Studio Art and Economics major

"Mike is a dedicated professor and a strong component to the Knox art community. He often works one on one with students interested in independent study. He is a supportive and dedicated professor who stresses printing craft, knowledge of photographic materials, and the history of photography. These building blocks give you the means to achieve independently as a photographer."
-Jennifer DeCarlo, Studio Art and French major

Contact:
309-341-7503
mgodsil@knox.edu