Art Faculty Bios

Rie Palkovic

Rie Palkovic is the head of the Art department. She teaches the 2-D classes such as design, drawing, and painting. Rie was born and raised on Okinawa, Japan and came to the U.S. at the age of 18. She attended Bakersfield College (a community college) and transferred to California State University at Bakersfield for her B.A. in studio art and a minor in philosophy. Graduate school was in Las Cruces, New Mexico at New Mexico State University. Her Master of Fine Arts is in painting and drawing. Rie came to Big Bend in 1998 and enjoys the taste of the four seasons that we have here.

Fran Palkovic

Fran Palkovic is a part time instructor of Ceramics, Design III (3-D), and Art Appreciation. He was born and raised in Schenectady, New York. He attended Junior College of Albany and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. His M.F.A. in ceramics was received from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Fran enjoys ice fishing and his fruit trees and grapevine.