I taught art in higher education for over 26 years, over half of that time at the Art Institutes International, Minnesota, in Minneapolis. I retired in 2016 as a Professor of Foundation Studies, specializing in Color and Design.
My focus as an artist is on Contemplative Art, a topic on which I have also lectured in various venues. In recent years I have also translated Chinese poetry, written my own poetry, and designed books that I have self-published.
Currently I am writing a book on non-linear perspective in the history of Western Art, entitled Full Circle. I presented the thesis of this book at a conference in Rome in June, 2014, for The Arts in Society.
Most recently, I have been drawing with ballpoint pen in a series I call Biomorphs.
EDUCATION
1992 MFA Drawing and Painting University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
1989 BFA Summa Cum Laude University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2002-2017 Faculty Art Institutes International, Minneapolis, MN
1999-2003 Adjunct Faculty College of Visual Arts, St.. Paul, MN
1994-1999 Affiliate Faculty, Art Department University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
1993-1999 Faculty, Museum School Minnesota Museum of American Art, St. Paul, MN
1989-1992 Teaching Assistant, Studio Arts Department University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
2015 "Full Circle: Ontological Perspective in Western Art" The International Journal of Arts Theory and History Volume 11, Issue 1, 2015 ISSN 2326-9952
GUEST LECTURES, PRESENTATIONS
2015 Ontological Perspective in Religious Art Visual Arts and the Liturgy seminar of the North American Academy of Liturgy, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2014 Non-linear Perspective in the History of Western Art Ninth International Conference, The Arts in Society Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
2010 Contemplative Art in Disquieting Times University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
2007 Modern Day “Masseboth” Bethel Christian Reformed Church, Princeton, MN
2005 Contemplative Aspects of Ontological Perspective St. Clare's Monastery, Bloomington, MN
2004 Aesthetics and Ontological Perspective College of St. Catherine, St. Paul, MN
2003 Mental Health, Spiritual Development and The Arts Hamm Clinic Conference, St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville, MN
2002 Contemplative Art in Disquieting Times Lunch Time Lecture College of Visual Arts, St. Paul
PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCES ATTENDED
2014 The Arts in Society Annual Conference Rome, Italy
2007 Dallas Society of Visual Communications Annual National Conference, Dallas, Texas
2005 Edward R. Tufte Seminar on Envisioning Information, Minneapolis
2003, 2002 Mental Health, Spiritual Development and The Arts Hamm Clinic Conference, St. John’s Abbey Collegeville, MN
SELECTED RECENT ART EXHIBITIONS
2016 "Intervals and Intersections" Solo Exhibition, Taraccino Coffee, Minneapolis, MN
"Scythes and Whispers" Solo Exhibition, Ai, Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
2015 Faculty Exhibition Art Institutes International, Minneapolis, MN
2014 Art-A-Whirl Exhibition, Featured Artist Tea Leaf Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2012 Faculty Exhibition Art Institutes International, Minneapolis, MN
2012 “Celebration of the Arts” Second Prize for "The Call" (collaboration with my father) 39th Annual Juried Art Spiritual Art Competition Grand Rapids, Michigan
2007 Faculty Exhibition Arts Institutes International, Minneapolis, MN
2006 Into/Out of Nature The Phipps Center for the Arts, Hudson, WI
BOOKS, SELF PUBLISHED
2023 J-9, The Lost Portfolio of Moisés Sánchez A short novella or novelette
The Biomorphic World, Vol.1 The Five by Sevens
Until He Comes to Rain New Poems
Geometric Drawings, 2022 Seven by seven inch drawings on graph paper 2021 Square Mandalas Geometric Cut Paper Designs
Square Geometry Seven by seven inch drawings on graph paper
2020 Equivalenting Photos of the sky over Lake Mille Lacs, Minnesota
Dunescapes Photos of the shoreline of Lake Michigan
Dreamscapes Drawings from the Beach Ball Series
Untitled Sketchbook Drawings from 2019
2019 The Sphere of Life A story with pictures
2018 The Hermitage A story with pictures
Still Life A Short Story
Self Portrait with Moment of Truth Four, loosely related, Short Stories
2016 There is a Story Here Existential Coloring Book
Who Lives Here Another Existential Coloring Book
2013 Chinese Gate translations of poems from T’ang Dynasty, China
2013 I Take Your Poems to the Mountains translations of ancient Chinese poems paired with original poems
2012 Stone Poems images with quotes
2011 Still Life Gestures, Volumes, 1 and 2 selections from my Disappearing Journal series
2010 Bamboo Cottage, Poems and Translations translations of ancient Chinese poems paired with original poems
BOOKS, DESIGNED FOR OTHERS
2023 77 to 91, the Art of Floyd Westendorp
2021 Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep a novella by David Westendorp
2018 Talent Show a novella by David Westendorp
2016 Taken poetry by David Westendorp
2012 Apostrophe poetry by David Westendorp
2011 A Way With Words poetry by C. Westendorp
2010 The House Will Not Be Quiet poetry by David Westendorp
2009 Funding for the Arts poetry by David Westendorp
The five poems are: Mountain Conversation, by Li Bai My Heart’s Tongue Bamboo Cottage, by Wang Wei Indulgence End Over End
This piece was premiered on January 17, 2014 by L’Etoile du Nord, Alyssa Anderson, Mezzo-Sopraino and Joeseph Spoelstra, Guitar at Fallout Arts Initiative, Studio 3, in South Minneapolis.
CLASSES TAUGHT AT Ai Minnesota
Drawing and Perspective Intermediate Drawing Fundamentals of Design Color and Design Design Layout Illustration Advanced Illustration Art History Contemporary Art Design History
