Professor Karen Zimmermann has been named interim director of the School of Art for the 2025-26 academic year, College of Fine Arts Dean Andrew Schulz announced.
Zimmermann, currently the school’s associate director, will take over in July for Colin Blakely, who is stepping down as director after 10 years. Blakely has accepted the position of associate provost at the Rhode Island School of Design.
A professor in the school’s Illustration, Design and Animation (IDA) program, Zimmermann also leads the Book Arts & Letterpress Lab. She served as the school’s acting director during the fall 2023 semester while Blakely was on sabbatical.
“I’d like to express my gratitude to Director Blakely, an outstanding leader and mentor with whom I have collaborated for nearly a decade,” Zimmermann said. “I appreciate the support of Dean Schulz, Arizona Arts and the faculty and staff of the School of Art, as I step into the interim director position.
“I feel fortunate to work with such a fantastic group of colleagues and students, and I look forward to collaborating with them in this role throughout the upcoming academic year. I’m also eager to assist the school during this transitional year and in the search for a permanent director.”
The College of Fine Arts will conduct a national search during the coming academic year, Schulz said in a note to faculty and staff.
“Karen brings to this new assignment a wealth of experience from her years as the school’s associate director, as well as from the semester during which she served as acting director,” Schulz said. “I am confident Karen will do an outstanding job, and with your support and collaboration the school will move forward in important ways under her leadership.”
Zimmermann has taught Typography, Information Graphics, Motion Graphics, Design History, Design, Culture and Language, Design Studios, Visual Narratives, and Letterpress and the Multiple. Her art practice examines print and book production and visual communication.
This excerpt is republished with permission. For the complete news story, visit the School of Art’s website.