Stepping Outside the Boundaries of Traditional Art Education
CFA Alumna Genevieve Tremblay Embraces Her Own Path Forward
School of Art
written by
Pam Wigley
Curiosity drives Genevieve Gaiser Tremblay’s life. It certainly contributed to her pursuit of interdisciplinary studies that allowed her to blend her diverse skills and study art outside of what many would consider “traditional.” Carnegie Mellon University made it possible, she said.
“The gratitude I feel for my time at Carnegie Mellon University is immense,” Tremblay said. “The pioneering spirit and interdisciplinary ethos of CMU have deeply influenced my path and have given me a unique way of thinking, creating, collaborating and contributing.”
Tremblay, who earned her bachelor’s degree in Intermedia from the College of Fine Arts in 1984, grew up in the Washington, D.C., metro area. When she sought a higher education degree, she said she was drawn to CMU, which met her qualifications of size, university setting, and the depth and breadth of the School of Art’s curriculum.
“I was initially drawn to Carnegie Mellon University for its reputation as a stellar arts school within a university,” she said. “I studied with many incredible faculty across disciplines … Herb Olds (School of Art), Richard Schoenwald (Dietrich College), Stefani Ledewitz (School of Architecture), and many others. But it was Bruce Breland (School of Art), who inspired me to look ahead and embrace the possibilities of interdisciplinary thinking, collaboration and global citizenship."
“Intermedia” was her major at CMU, an innovative concentration that Breland designed, focusing on experimental art, media, performance, technology and telecommunications. “It was one of the very first art + technology programs in the country,” Tremblay said. “Although this new major was initially met with skepticism, it turned out to be the perfect open learning platform for curious art students like me.”
Stepping outside the boundaries of traditional art education, Tremblay embraced a path that encouraged her to think differently through a more experimental practice. She and her fellow Intermedia students were encouraged to take part in groundbreaking projects like Roy Ascott's 'La Plissure du Texte' — a seminal work in the telematic art movement. Becoming involved in projects like this “broadened our understanding of art's expansive possibilities in the digital age,” Tremblay said, especially so because the artists involved were based around the world and [their work] showed her new ways that art and technology could forge global connections.
After graduating in 1984, Tremblay looked for job opportunities that blended art and technology. One of her first jobs was at Colormedia/Sunrise Systems in Massachusetts, where she introduced a simple coding language to create animated programs for LED signage. Sunrise Systems manufactured and programmed the signage systems that new media pioneer Jenny Holzer used in her Boston art installation.
“I had the opportunity to program the electronic signage for Jenny Holzer's city-wide public installation, SIGNS, hosted by the M.I.T. List Visual Art Center. The signs I programmed with her text were placed in public venues throughout Boston.” Tremblay said.
“This first-hand experience with pushing the boundaries of technology and moving art from formalized spaces into the public realm expanded my thinking about art and still continues to inform and inspire the work I do.”
After finishing graduate school at Massachusetts College of Art, where she earned a degree in Studio for Inter-related Media (SIM), Tremblay found herself drawn to the natural beauty and opportunities in both the art and technology sectors in the Pacific Northwest. She moved to Seattle with her husband to start her family and worked for many years as an artist, interactive media designer and art director and later was hired by fellow CMU alum, Jeff Brice (CFA ‘80) to teach at Cornish College of the Arts. There, she taught design (Senior Capstone Studio, Motion Design) and developed design and interdisciplinary curriculum for the college.
She continued her art and teaching with a focus on environmental themes and in 2016, Tremblay did an art + science residency at University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Marine Lab. There, she was introduced to marine coastal research scientists, including Chilean marine ecologist and artist Fernanda Oyarzún.
“That introduction sparked a dynamic partnership and led to an ongoing collaboration, including co-founding the U.S. Embassy (Chile)-funded art + science diplomacy program, ASKXXI (Arts & Science Knowledge Building & Sharing in the XXI).” Tremblay said. The aim of their joint pilot program was to create a cross-cultural dialogue among artists and scientists across hemispheres to address pressing climate and environmental challenges in both regions.
Tremblay’s work creating ASKXXI led to her role as Adjunct Researcher at SECOS: Coastal Socio-Ecology Millennium Institute in Chile, where she has been part of an interdisciplinary team since 2020. Her efforts include a coastal mural project, which integrates traditional murals with AR, VR, and data visualization to engage coastal communities on sustainability and climate change. This project was featured in an exhibition curated by fellow CMU alum (CFA ‘85), Geraldine Ondrizek, at the 2022 European Cultural Center’s Personal Structures biennale in Venice, Italy.
In addition to her role at SECOS, she is a member of the Climate Knowledge Collective (CKCollective), a newly formed nonprofit organization dedicated to sharing innovative, women-centered climate change projects through digital narratives that preserve environmental resilience and feminist knowledge.
Genevieve is currently an artist at SOIL Gallery and Passable Art+Tech Collective and mentors University of Washington graduate students pursuing their Master’s of Science in Technology Innovation. She is excited to be serving on Carnegie Mellon’s College of Fine Arts Dean’s Advisory Council. Her decision to take on that role, she said, is driven by her hope of deepening her connection with the university community.
“Throughout my journey, I've had to expand my definition of being an artist. A broader vision better reflects my multidisciplinary practice and allows me to explore new territories beyond the traditional boundaries of the studio."
Genevieve Tremblay
“I look forward to exploring collaborative opportunities with fellow alumni who share a passion for navigating the intersections of art, technology, research and education on a global scale.”
featuring the following:
"Vector Landscape" 2022: laser etching and watercolor on clayboard
mural by Alonzo Salazar, painted by the community of Tubul, Chile
photography courtesy of Genevieve Tremblay
