Arunas Oslapas, IDSA | Western Washington University
Professor & Program Coordinator
www.wwu.edu/id
www.wix.com/oslapas/metal
Arunas studied at Montana State University under Jayne VanAlstyne who passed on Roweena Reed Costello’s theories from Pratt Institute. He continued his studies at the University of Illinois where he was influenced by the likes of Ed Zagorski, Jim Kaufman, Mark Arends, and Peter North. After working in industry for 7 years, in 1990 he found his calling as a professor and currently runs the ID program at Western Washington University in the pacific northwest.
As a professor at WWU Arunas co-founded the Sustainable Design Minor, has taught in Greece, Lithuania, and has worked with hundreds of students as a mentor, teacher, and taxi service to Mt. Baker Ski Area.
His current summer activities turn to fine art as he participates in many nationally ranked art festivals throughout the west with his recycled woven metal baskets and metal quilts. He and his industrial wife (Art Center ’91) have raised three creative children who have pursued everything but design.
Arunas’ rules:
Never settle.
Compromise weakens the spirit.
Create daily.
Balance technology with the primitive.
Invest absolute faith.
Inspire and be inspired.
Be teachable.
Overbuild.
Craftsmanship, craftsmanship, craftsmanship.
Relish the challenge.
Taste life.
It’s about people.
Persist eternally.
