Ellen E Mcmahon

Interests

Teaching

Since 2005 McMahon has developed a number of environmental projects that fuel several individual creative endeavors, exploring the potential of interdisciplinary collaborations, providing practical experience for students, and creating significant bonds with and long-term benefits to the community. McMahon’s interest in the power of all forms of representation to construct meaning and create culture fuels her sense of purpose and commitment to participate critically and creatively in working toward positive change and to educate and inspire her students to do the same.

Research

McMahon’s artwork has been exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions and her artist books are in the collections of UCLA, Scripps, Occidental, Texas Tech, the Center for Creative Photography and The New York and Boston Public Libraries. Her writing is published in Mother Reader: Essential Writings on Motherhood, The Oldest We’ve Ever Been, and The M Word: Real Mothers in Contemporary Art. In 2007 she received a Fulbright Scholars Grant to contribute as a writer and graphic designer to an interdisciplinary conservation project in Mexico. In 2010 she received a grant from UA Confluence Center for Creative Inquiry for the project, "Parallel Play: Interdisciplinary Responses to a Dry River," to collaborate with faculty and students from Architecture, Creative Writing, Geography, and Ecology on a project addressing the fragile aqueous ecology of the region. This work is collected in the book Ground|Water: The Art, Design and Science of a Dry River, which she edited with colleagues Beth Weinsein and Ander Monson. Released in January of 2013, it has won national and international design awards and is No.1 in the series it inspired, Confluencenter Beyond Boundaries. Her current focus is on collaborating with environmental scientists to make work which raises awareness of climate change.

Courses

No activities entered.

Scholarly Contributions

Books

• Mcmahon, E. E. (2012). Ground| Water: The Art, Design and Science of a Dry River. Confluencenter with UA Press.
  More info

  Twenty-nine contributors
• Weinstein, B. M., Mcmahon, E. E., & Monson, A. S. (2012). Ground|Water: The Art, Design + Science of A Dry River. Tucson: Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry/University of Arizona Press..
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2011). The M Word: Real Mothers in Contemporary Art. Demeter Press, York University, Toronto and London.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2008). The Oldest We've Ever Been: Seven True Stories of Midlife Transitions. University of Arizona Press.
  More info

  Edited by Maud Lavin, six others contributed essays
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2007). The Oldest We’ve Ever Been: Seven True Stories of Midlife Transitions. University of Arizona Press.
  More info

  Edited by Maud Lavin, six others contributed essays
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2003). Teaching Graphic Design:Course Offerings and Class Projects from the Leading Undergraduate and Graduate Programs. Allworth Press.
  More info

  I wrote the chapter, Steven Heller edited the book

Chapters

• Mcmahon, E. E. (2010). Art Between Us. In The M Word: Real Mothers in Contemporary Art(p. 20). Demeter Press.
  More info

  Myrel Chernick and Jennie Klein

Journals/Publications

• Mcmahon, E. E. (2018). Implicit assumptions of conceptual diagrams in environmental science and best practices for their illustration. The Journal of the Ecological Society of America, 9(1)(e02072), 15.
  More info

  Citation:Fandel, C. A., D. D. Breshears, and E. E. McMahon. 2018. Implicit assumptions of conceptual diagrams in environmental science and best practices for their illustration. Ecosphere 9(1):e02072. 10.1002/ecs2.2072
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2009). "Art Between Us". The M Word: Real Mothers in Contemporary Art, 15 page essay and four pages of my artwork.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2009). Inside Out: Locational Eco-Cultural Lessons in Design. Multi: The Journal of Diversity and Plurality in Design, on line journal.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2005). Artists pages, "A Little Bit of Loss". n.paradoxa: International Feminist Art Journal, Families Homilies, Vol. 16, 4.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2004). What Drives us: Teaching Critical Issues in Design. Rough: The Journal of the Dallas Society of Communication Arts, 3.
  More info

  Ellen McMahon, edited by Jeff Barfoot
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2003). What Drives us: Teaching Critical Issues in Design. Journal of the Dallas Society of Communication Arts, 3.
  More info

  Ellen McMahon, edited by Jeff Barfoot

Presentations

• Mcmahon, E. E., & Zwinger, L. M. (2023).

   “A Model for Understanding the Nature of Knowledge Creation through Arts Research: Embodied, Embedded, Enacted and Extended,” with Professor Ellen McMahon, Associate Dean of Fine Arts, UA (50% contribution)

  . , Twenty-first International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities, Sorbonne Université, Faculté des Lettres, Paris, France June 28 - 30, 2023. Virtual presentation. 50% contribution. Paris, France: New Directions in the Humanities.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2019, March 7). In Nature | Of Nature | Perceptions of Place. Artist's talk in conjunction with an exhibition of my work. Laramie, Wyoming: University of Wyoming.
  More info

  Lecture about my work on exhibition.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2019, Oct 3). Art and Climate Change: Resiliency and Hope. Interdisicplinary panel. University of Central Arkansas: Honor's College.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2019, spring). University/Community Creative CoLab: Addressing Climate Change through Art and Design. University Climate change Coalition (UC3) Event. ENR2 on UA campus: University of Arizona.
  More info

  Asked to represent the arts and make a proposal in this initial gathering to determine how UA will leverage their new membership in the national UC3.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2018, 02). Understanding Regional Water thorugh the Lens of Art and Design. Interdisciplinary and interscalar frameworks for advancing societal processes to challenges around water issues. UA School of Architcture Green Room: CAPLA.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2018, April). Climate Change, Art and Popular Culture. Climate Change Teach-in. Northern Arizona University: Northern Arizona University.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2017, February). Student Engagement Projects Panelist. Faculty Fellows Symposium. UA Campus: Office of Student Engagement.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2017, January). Initiating and Supporting Collaborative Art/Science Projects. Interdisciplinary Collaborations Lecture Series, first lecture in the series. UA Campus: The Graduate Center, University of Arizona..
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2017, June). Environment, Wellness, and Community: Eco Art and WaterAnnual Symposium. Annual Symposium, Association of Environmental Science Studies (AESS). ENR2, University of Arizona campus: Association of Environmental Science Studies (AESS).
  More info

  Panelist, presentation about my project, Ground|Water.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2017, May). Role of Art in initiative: Sociohydrology in Arid Systems: Use-inspired Basic Science in the Age of the Anthropocene. Round table Discussion. Water Resources Research Center (WRRC), UA Campus: Water Resources Research Center (WRRC).
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2016, April). Art and Environment Collaborations. Arts and Humanities Program Directors Roundtable Discussion. ENR2, UA Campus: UA Office of Research and Discovery and Art, Environment and Humanities Network.
  More info

  I discussed my projects for this group of directors and research administrators to jump start large external grant proposals to support art/humanities/science collaborative projects.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2016, February). Art and Design Student 100% Engagement with a Desert Sea, a Dry river and a Dying Forest. Faculty Fellows Luncheon. Tree-Ring Research Building, UA Campus: Faculty Fellows.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2016, February). Climate Change through the Lens of Art and Science. Art Advisory Board Salon. Residence of College of Science Dean Joaquin Ruiz: School of Art Advisory Board.
  More info

  Presentation with Thomas Saffle and David Breshears.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2016, March). How Climate Change Comes to Matter Through Art and Popular Culture,. New Mexico State University Arts and Sciences Colloquium. Las Cruses, New Mexico.: New Mexico State University.
  More info

  University-wide lecture.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2016, November). An Ecology of Relationships: Art, Design and Environmental Agency. 9th Annual My Arizona Faculty Lecture. University of Arizona ENR2 Auditorium: School of Geography and Development and the Institute for the Environment.
  More info

  One faculty member is selected each year to give this lecture to a University and community-wide audience. https://arizona.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=ae98f26b-fc05-443b-a5e8-cfd8c7527aec
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2016, October). Collaborative Projects. Office for Research, Discovery & Innovation REsearch Proposal Development Workshop. UA Campus: ORDI.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2016, September). Addressing Environmental Issues and Underrepresented Communities through Art and Design. Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science Colloquium. University of Arizona: Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science.
  More info

  Lecture to University-wide audience.
• Weinstein, B. M., & Mcmahon, E. E. (2015, march 28, 2015). On Tree Mortality through the Lens of Art and Science. Balance/UnBalance Conference 2015. ASU: ASU.
• Weinstein, B. M., & Mcmahon, E. E. (2015, March). On Tree Mortality through the Lens of Art and Science. Balance/UnBalance Conference 2015. ASU.
  More info

  http://www.balance-unbalance2015.org/?page_id=427
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2012, Spring). Strategies of Promoting Prescription Drugs Directly to Consumer. Externally funded Seminar "Scientific and Ethical Aspects of Modifying Human Behavior". UA Chemistry Department.
  More info

  Individual Presenter
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2012, Summer). A role for the Visual Arts in Facilitating Human Adaptation to Climate Change. Adaptation Futures: 2012 International Conference on Climate Adaptation. University of Arizona.
  More info

  Panel Speaker
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2011, Fall). Gallery Talk. Coastal Issues: Art, Science and the Sea Exhibition. Louis Carlos Bernal Gallery, Center for the Arts, Pima County Community College.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2011, Fall). Past and Current Projects. University of Arizona Museum of Art Docent Meeting. University of Arizona Museum of Art.
  More info

  Individual Presenter
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2011, Fall). What Do I Know About the Phainopepla. Poetic Inventory, 2011 Saguaro National Park Bioblitz Poetic Inventory. Red Hills Visitor Center, Saguaro National Park.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2011, Fall). Working with UA Students in The Sea of Cortez. Coastal Issues: Art, Science and the Sea. Center for the Arts, Pima Community College.
  More info

  Panel Speaker
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2010, Fall). Art/Science Trajectories. Art LAb Residency. Biosphere II.
  More info

  Individual Presenter
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2010, Spring). Bats, Shrews and Spotted Frogs: Art, Design and Science. Public Lecture. New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico.
  More info

  Individual Presenter
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2009, Spring). Notes from the Gulf: Art, Science and Conservation. Lecture Series. University of Arizona Poetry Center.
  More info

  Panel Speaker
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2008, Spring). Strategies of Selling Prescription Mood Altering Drugs Directly to the Public. Templeton Foundation funded Lecture. UA Dept of Chemistry.
  More info

  Individual Presenter
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2008, Spring). Through the Looking Glass: Keeping Up with Alice in Her Teens. reading. Antigone books, Tucson.
  More info

  Individual Presenter
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2008, Spring). Using Art to Save an Estuary in Mexico. Honor's Forum Luncheon. UA Student Union.
  More info

  Individual Presenter
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2008, Summer). Being There: Crossing the Border to Form Sustainable Design Partnerships. New Views 2: conversations and dialogues in graphic design, an international symposium defining Graphic Design for The Future. London College of Communication, University of the Arts, London, UK.
  More info

  Individual Presenter
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2007, Fall). Incorporating a Bi-national Conservation Project into the Visual Communications Curriculum. International Council of Design Associations (icograda) World design Congress. Cuba.
  More info

  Panel Speaker
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2005, February). Taxonomies of the Home. MFA in Visual Art Residency at Vermont College. Montpelier Vermont.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2005, March). Experiencing Agency as a Designer Through Service to the Community. American Institute of Graphic Arts Conference. Art Center College of Design.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2004, 4/2004). Advertising Prescription Drugs Directly to the Consumer. UA course funded by the Templeton Foundation on the Scientific and Ethical Aspects of Changing Human Behavior through Chemistry. Chemistry Buildng. UA.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2004, 4/30). A Decade of Work on Motherhood. Maternal Metaphors Exhibition. Rochester Contemporary Art Center.
• Mcmahon, E. E. (2003, 2/7). The Problem of Representation : It's Relevence to My Work. Visiting lecturer - Vermont College MFA Residency. Vermont College, Montpelier Vermont.

Creative Productions

• Mcmahon, E. E. (2016. Phanopepla. A Literary Field Guide of the Sonoran Desert. UA Campus: Published by UA Press.
  More info

  I contributed an essay for A Literary Field Guide of the Sonoran Desert edited by Eric Magrane and Christopher Cokinos Book named a 2016 Southwest Book of the Year. http://ericmagrane.com/the-sonoran-desert-a-literary-field-guide-named-a-southwest-book-of-the-year/
• Weinstein, B. M., & Mcmahon, E. E. (2016. Prone 2 Collapse. Balance/UnBalance Conference 2015. Phoenix AZ: ASU. http://www.balance-unbalance2015.org
  More info

  installation; environment designed and constructed by Beth Weinstein; projected imagery by Ellen McMahon based upon hemispherical photography documenting forest die-off due to climate change, from base research gathered by UA dendrochronology lab (Dave Breshears)
• Weinstein, B. M., & Mcmahon, E. E. (2015. Prone To Collapse. Arizona Biennial. Tucson, AZ: Tucson Museum of Art. https://www.tucsonmuseumofart.org/exhibitions/arizona-biennial-2015/
  More info

  installation; environment designed and constructed by Beth Weinstein; projected imagery by Ellen McMahon based upon hemispherical photography documenting forest die-off due to climate change, from base research gathered by UA dendrochronology lab (Dave Breshears)
• Weinstein, B. M., & Mcmahon, E. E. (2015. Prone to Collapse. Balance/UnBalance Conference 2015. Phoenix AZ: ASU. http://balanceunbalance2015.sched.org/event/bb9cdfbde5004f59ed90f1e9e9100935?iframe=no#.VhQwsbxrg50
  More info

  installation; environment designed and constructed by Beth Weinstein; projected imagery by Ellen McMahon based upon hemispherical photography documenting forest die-off due to climate change, from base research gathered by UA dendrochronology lab (Dave Breshears)

Others

• Mcmahon, E. E. (2017, November). Strategies for Supporting Art/Environment Collaborations within and between Research Universities. National Conference of the Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities, Boston MA.
  More info

  Led a working group at Annual A2RU conference, “Arts in the Public Sphere: Civility, Advocacy, and Engagement,” at Northeastern University, Boston MA.

Creative Works

• Maternal Matter; Artist books; October; I have been curated into a national exhibition titled Maternal Metaphors. It is originating at The Rochester Contemporary in New York and will be traveling to other venues. Other artists include Mary Kelly, Renee Cox, Judy Gelles, and Mierle Laderman Ukeles. It opens April 30, 2004. I will be showing several new pieces as well as older work.
• Through The Looking Glass; text and photgraphic essay to be part of an anthology; October; I was asked by Maud Lavin to contribute to her book addressing the issues of midlife, my 40 page essay is about my life with my duaghter during her teen years, our trials and our artisitc collaborations. The manuscript has been sent to publishers.
• Scorpio is Bright; video; March
• Implicit assumptions of conceptual diagrams in environmental science and best practices for their illustration; Open Access Journal; John Wiley and Sons, Washington DC; January 2018; ECOSPHERE: An Ecological Society of American Open Access Journal, John Wiley and Sons, Washington DC; Accepted January 2017 for publication January 2018  
• White Paper for the Environmental Research Landscape Committee; Research; February 2018; Internal document for UA Strategic Planning; This year, as the only representative from the Arts or Humanities on the UA Environmental Research Landscape Review Committee, created by RDI and chaired by the Dean of the College of Science, I researched the structure and funding of art/science collaborations at UA and a number of peer institutions for a report, which will go to President Robbins. On this committee I was involved at the top levels of analyzing and strategizing the role of visual art and design in the future of environmental research on campus.
• Phainopepla; Eric Magrane; April 2012; Spirel Orb Five: A Poetic Inventory of Saguaro National Park; Published with 80 other writers in Spiral Orb experimental on-line poetry journal