Biography

Dr. Grubbs is an exhibiting artist, published author, administrator and art professor within the Department of Media and Visual Arts, teaching Undergraduate courses in art education, art history and studio courses. He also is the Coordinator for the Graduate Visual Art Education Program. He has worked closely with various art education associations, including WV, OH, PA, KY, NY, AR, and CA. He was on the West Virginia Art Education Association Executive Board leadership team from 2020-2026. As a published author Dr. Grubbs has produced an eclectic list of articles and books, from topics such as: Art appreciation, Art education history, Design thinking, Teacher belief research, Motivation theory, Visual culture and Appalachian studies, and he is a peer review for NAEA Art Education magazine (2014-2017) and Visual Inquiry: Learning and Teaching Art (2010-Present). Finally, Dr. Grubbs enjoys developing study abroad courses; taking students to London, Paris and Japan.

Education

2020 M.A., University of Kentucky Educational Leadership
2010 Ph.D., The Ohio State University Art Education
1999 M.A., Miami University Art Education
1997 B.A.E., Indiana University Art Education

Most Recent Publications and Presentations

Publications
2026 Art Appreciation: Five Art Paradigms. Kendall Hunt Press
2026 Using Motivation Theory to Support Educational Practice of Design Thinking
In book, Design Thinking in Art Education, by Dr. Robin Vande Zande, NAEA Publication
2025 West Virginia Tin Man: Life and Art of Robert Villamagna
Appalachian Journal. Vol 52(3) March
2023 Editorial: Visual Inquiry: Learning and Teaching Art, Vol. 12 (2) and (3) pp. 89-92
2020 Editorial: Visual Inquiry: Learning and Teaching Art, Vol. 9 (3) pp. 1-4

Presentations
2025 Mid-Atlantic Region Association for Asian Studies Conference; Pittsburgh
Critiquing Art history: Moving to a comprehensive Global Art History.
2024 West Virginia Art Education Association Conference, Morgantown, WV
Six ways to teach Aesthetics in the art classroom
2024 Picililli Conference, Parkersburg, WV
Bookbinding: Japanese Side stitch
2023 Kentucky Art Education Association, Crestview Hill, KY
Assessing Creativity in the Classroom
2023 West Virginia Art Education Association Conference, Fairmont, WV
Assessing creativity in the classroom