The Southern

Issue date: 10/9/09 Section: News

Media Credit: William Otremsky Professor William Otremsky is the head of FSC's art department and an active painter.

Professor William Otremsky, the head of the art department, artist and professor has a very upbeat character. Always with a smile on his face despite his busy schedule, Otremsky is an art professor that many students admire. He refuses to go by the name "William" or "Bill," though. He prefers to be called "Otremsky," or any other clever name you make up for him that he likes.

Otremsky was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to a family of driven professionals. His father is an electrical engineer, his mother is a medical laboratory manager and his brother is a computer systems analyst.

The rebel of the group, Otremsky had a blossoming love for art and pursued it completely.

He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Edinboro University and his Master of Fine Arts from the University of Pennsylvania.

In his eleventh year at Florida Southern College, Otremsky is currently the chair of the department of art and art history.

The art program helped to draw Otremsky to FSC.

"I chose FSC because of the opportunity to develop a burgeoning art program into one of national importance," Otremsky said. "Our department has grown from approximately 30 to almost 100 majors in the time that I have been here."

Otremsky mainly teaches painting and figure drawing classes, but he also teaches FSC's senior seminar course. He has taught several other courses such as drawing, figure painting, mural painting and a team-taught art conservation course, which was in conjunction with the chemistry department.

"Painting is always my favorite," Otremsky said, "simply because it is my passion."

Otremsky takes pride in and really enjoys his students.

"The opportunity to mentor them and guide them into professional careers is extremely rewarding," Otremsky said.

His goals are to continue to develop the art department to 110 to 120 majors and to continue producing his own work with an eye to a consistent exhibition record. He has had several recent one-person shows and will be a featured artist at an art exhibition at Pennsylvania State next month.

Aside from painting, Otremsky has other hobbies he pursues.

"I love to work out and am a hardcore fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Steelers," Otremsky said. "I also enjoy watching my infant daughter Alexandra discover her fascinating new world."

Otremsky enjoys reading mainly art history books, although he read the "His Dark Materials" trilogy this past summer.

"Good stuff," Otremsky said. "I just picked up "The Lost Symbol," which is the new Dan Brown book."

His favorite foods are of Italian and Polish origin, since he is half Italian and half Polish. Yet, he also enjoys sushi.

Otremsky did admit that he isn't great at everything.

"I have been fortunate to be good at just about everything that I do, but I'm a terrible swimmer. I can't float and I sink like a rock," Otremsky said. "I don't swim for fun…only for survival."

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