Philip Eliasoph was appointed in 1975 as the first full-time Art Historian to join Fairfield's faculty in the early years of the Fine Arts Department, now Visual & Performing Arts. Appreciating that most students arrive in his classroom with a minimal, or passive understanding of art history's wonderfully rich heritage of icons, idols, and images -- he impresses everybody to learn the class motto: "ART REALLY MATTERS!
While guiding students of all ages - from 18 to 88 - on energetic museum trips and cultural tours from New York to Florence and Rome, he points out the stylistic, technical, and societal distinctions viewed through the visual legacy of western art histroy. He has made significant contributions to the field of American Art with his research and publications on a number of over-shadowed 'Magic Realist' masters including Paul Cadmus, Robert Vickrey, and Colleen Browning. He is a public arts advocate, serving by appointment of the Governor on the Commissioner for the State of Connecticut's Arts Division, and was the founding co-president of the Town of Fairfield Arts Council. His expertise is often called upon as a fine arts advisor, appraiser, and counselor for distribution of philanthropic assets to museums and non-profits.
In 1996 he was the founder, director and on-stage host/moderator for the university's popular 'Town Hall' public affairs series: OPEN VISIONS FORUM. Over the years, these spontaneous, live interviews brought our students and fellow faculty experts into dialogue with many global and national notables, authors, artists, broadcast media anchors, social activists, humanitarians, prominent opinion-makers. He was honored with the Alumni Association's Distinguished Faculty Award by Fairfield University in 2008.