For Brigid O’Kane, drawing is a continuous process that unfolds over time and through experience. ‘Drawing: The Unfolding of Time’ is a reflective talk that explores drawing as a lifelong practice of attention, inquiry, and presence. Through examples drawn from figurative, observational, plein air, abstract, and large-scale wall drawings, O’Kane traces her personal journey with drawing as a way of seeing the world and understanding life as it is lived. The talk considers how drawing functions across scales and contexts, from intimate studies on paper to immersive wall drawings, and how each mode reflects a different relationship to time, perception, and the body. O’Kane also shares her experience as co-founder of Manifest Creative Research Gallery and Drawing Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, where drawing is approached as a serious, sustained form of research and community engagement. This talk frames drawing as a continuous, evolving practice, one that shapes how we observe, respond, and remain present in an ever-changing world.

Brigid O’Kane earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1990 from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan, and her Master of Fine Arts in 2005 from the University of Cincinnati. In 2005, she co-founded Manifest Creative Research Gallery and Drawing Center, a not-for-profit arts organization in Cincinnati, Ohio. At Manifest, she is actively engaged in many areas. Since 2000, O’Kane has been sharing her expertise as an Associate Professor at the University of Cincinnati, where she teaches drawing and advanced studies at the undergraduate and graduate levels. She has received 18 noteworthy awards, including the Special Dean’s Recognition Award in 2007 and 2017, the Professor of the Year Award in 2007, DesignIntellegence National Award for One of the 30 Most Admired Educators for 2014. O’Kane has been awarded two Artist Residencies in Italy & Ireland, has hosted 10 significant workshops in the USA, Ireland, China, & Belgium, and has had her drawings featured in numerous national exhibitions.