Fond Farewell to SAAH Studio Professor

Among her many accomplishments during her time at DU are being a recipient of multiple FRF, CAMF, CILCA, Clemens, and PROF grants and three solo shows at Colorado museums featuring work from Human Imprint, a project highlighting the history of women at mining camps around the state. She presented her work on ideas about "beauty” as part of a panel hosted by a Harvard professor at the American Philosophical Association. Her work has been profiled in Tema Celeste Contemporary Art, Frieze, Connecticut Public Television, 9News in Colorado, Colorado Public Radio, and numerous online and print media. 

Gjertson’s many contributions to the School and University include soliciting donor support to fund a half-time GTA position in Art History, helping build the Programs Director position at the Madden Museum, coordinating with facilities and the DU arborist to plant a tree outside Shwayder Art Building to honor Bob Yablans, serving as a GWST (Gender and Women’s Studies) affiliated faculty, and being awarded multiple tech fee grants to improve and upgrade studio classroom spaces.

She was also awarded a Women's Library Association Grant to increase the holdings of feminist performance artists in its collection. When Penrose Library was reconfigured to Anderson Academic Commons (AAC), Gjertson led resistance efforts to keep books on campus including a campus wide petition, letters to the chancellor, organizing protests outside the Penrose Library and a town hall with then Provost Kvistad, and a sticker and t-shirt campaign. Thanks to her efforts all the art books remained on campus in the AAC alongside other humanities books. Gjertson also brought many renowned artists and scholars to campus including Dana Schutz, Hung Liu, Linda Weintraub, Nigel Poor, and the Guerrilla Girls (to a packed house at the Cable Center!). As Director, Gjertson created the DU Art Travel Grant and the Senior Thesis Mini-Grant. 

Gjertson has served on countless committees in the School of Art & Art History, within the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and at the University level. Highlights include service on the Elected Faculty Committee, GWST Executive Committee, Vicki Myhren Gallery Committee, SAAH Studio Advising Days, Pre-Art Conservation Advisory Board Committee, DU ART Board of Directors, Annex Task Force, Design and Construction that became Nagel Art Studios, Marsico Visiting Scholars Committee, CAHSS Tenure and Promotion Committee, AHSS Dean's Advisory Board, search committees for several faculty and staff positions, and promotion committees for multiple faculty colleagues in and outside SAAH.

Support of Students

Current and former students speak of Gjertson with warmth and enthusiasm. Ballard says “Sarah was a professor who not only fostered critical thinking and hard work within the art classroom, but also became a professional mentor for me after graduation. Without her support, my art practice would not have progressed to its current stage. She was an opportunity-maker for students and alumni and will surely be missed at DU.”

Link-Oberstar shares that “Sarah was my BA Distinction advisor and is one of the most dedicated professors I have worked with. She always advocates for her students and sets them up for success in the art world beyond their time at DU. One of my favorite things about working with Sarah, especially on my distinction project, is that she always challenged me to improve my work by finding the most effective ways to convey my concepts. She helped me grow into visualizing an artistic practice for myself beyond class assignments by providing well thought out and helpful critiques while still allowing me to retain agency over my work. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to work so closely with her while I was at DU. She helped me positively change how I view myself as an artist and has encouraged me to keep pursuing art beyond my education. She is such a passionate professor and artist and will be dearly missed at DU.”