This semester I had the privilege of having Ming as my art professor for two classes. She is the kind of professor that develops a strong bond with her students– she told everyone the first day to call her “Ming”–while still helping them improve with their art and get them started in their careers as artists. She teaches Foundations of Drawing, 2D/Color Theory, and Foundational Concepts, so the students are mostly freshmen. If you are entering the university as an art student or changing your major like I did, here’s a little bit more about art professor Ms. Ming Hong.
HC: How long have you been teaching at ODU?
MH: I have been teaching at ODU for almost a year and a half now. I began my first semester Fall 2016.
HC: How has it been so far?
MH: I love every second of it.
HC: What is your favorite thing about ODU?
MH: The student body. Everyone comes in with diverse experiences and interests that enrich the learning environment here at ODU. And since I teach art, I am fortunate enough to see all these eclectic stories develop into beautiful and thoughtful visuals.
HC: When did you know that you wanted to do art?
MH: My mother enrolled me and my younger sister into an art class when I was in Kindergarten. I had the same instructor for nearly a decade. Even when my sister lost interest in the class, it seemed like I had an infinite amount of enthusiasm for art. On the day she decided to no longer attend the art class, I opted to stay–that’s when I knew I needed to pursue a career in this field. I was 13 years old.
HC: How long have you been practicing art?
MH: I’ve been an artist my entire life. But, I chose to seriously pursue it as a career when I was a freshman in college.
HC: What is your alma mater?
MH: I received my MFA from Washington University in St. Louis and my BFA from the University of Kentucky.
HC: Do you like Hampton Roads?
MH: Why, yes I do.
HC: What do you enjoy the most about the area?
MH: The people. Norfolk has an up-and-coming art scene that is fueled by passionate individuals who want to see their community thrive. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing the NEON (New Energy of Norfolk) become a hub for creativity.
Hopefully, some of you future monarchs get to meet this wonderful professor, and that she teaches here for a long time. I encourage you to take her classes, even you are not an art major and just have a knack for drawing or painting. She’ll enjoy you being in her class, too.