The All State

Media Credit: Patrick Armstrong Diehr sits next to the "Dean Sculpture" and explains it's meaning. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Patrick Armstrong Professor James Deihr sculpts a female figure out of alabaster stone. The finished work will be displayed at the faculty art show in October. [Click to enlarge]

Across from his desk, Professor of Art James Diehr, observes one of his sculptures, a pale brown object with conical, clownish protrusions. He amusedly recounts his inspiration for the work, which he calls the "Dean Sculpture," and the meaning behind it. "This one encompasses the aspects of a dean," Diehr says. "You have to have a point, you have to keep things balanced, you have to be nice, you can't leave until the fat lady sings, you have to keep your ears open for gremlins and don't have things fall through the cracks."

Diehr speaks from six years of experience as APSU's former Dean of the College of Arts and Letters. This semester, however, he is stepping down and returning to a position more dear to him: professor. Dixie Webb is replacing him as interim dean of the college.

Diehr explains how teaching gives him the opportunity to impact someone's life in a positive way.

"I love to teach, so I'll stay here and teach," Diehr added. "I would rather wind up my career as a professor than as an administrator."

While many of his colleagues were retiring, Diehr didn't find that idea appeallng. At 67 years old, he's still full of life and exudes enthusiasm for his work as an educator, administrator and artist. He looks forward to continuing his art in his studio as well as mentoring his grandchildren. "Family has always been important to me. Not just my family (my wife, children and now grandchildren) but also the family of the university," Diehr said. "I've always felt that being a part of higher education is like being a part of a family. That's such an important part of my life, especially considering that I never thought I'd be a college professor. It's something I never planned to be."

As I scribble down his dialogue, I look up and ask him, "What did you originally plan to do?" Diehr inhales to phrase an answer, but expels it instantly in a guttural laugh. Apparently, he was just in the right place at the right time.

"I don't think I really had a plan," Diehr says excitedly.

When asked about being a dean, Diehr continues, "As a college professor, you normally get to know the professors only in your department, but as a dean you get some contact with people across the departments. It's broadening as an experience to get to know so many people."

This semester Diehr will be teaching two sections of Three Dimensional Design 1020 and one section of Art Appreciation 1030. For the students attending his classes, I inquire if there's anything special he wishes to convey.

Swiveling in his chair, Diehr draws in deep and shrugs. "Over the years, I've watched students who have great talent, but don't work. They have this illusion that somehow they're going to be 'found,' and that just doesn't happen. I think work ethic is so important in order to get to where you want to be. You have to have talent, but you also have to work hard. I have students who come up to me and say 'Well, I got this idea about such and such,' and my response is, 'Show me!'" Diehr chuckles. "Some of it is simply just work. For instance, I'll have a great idea. I'll sketch it out, but if I don't make it, it's meaningless. You've got to work and put in that labor to actualize those ideas."

When I ask him to impart some wisdom to aspiring teachers, particularly in the fine arts, Diehr looks off and furrows his brow. Looking back at me, he responds, "Don't impose too much of yourself on the student. Try to know what the student wants to achieve and help the student achieve that. As a student, I've had professors who tried to make me a little one of them. I didn't want to be a little one of them; I wanted to be me. I wanted them to tell me how I could be better at being me." Towards the end of the interview, I jokingly ask him, "Are you a fan of that Patrick Swayze movie, 'Ghost'?" I expect this to confuse him, but he isn't fazed in the least. He laughs hard and replies, "You know, when that movie came out, the enrollment of my pottery class increased by 30 percent-all of them women. They kept asking me when Patrick Swayze was going to come help them with their pot."

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