Title: Artist and Studio Art Professor
Company: Fairleigh Dickinson University
Location: Brooklyn, New York, United States
George Cochrane, Artist and Studio Art Professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Artists for dedication, achievements and leadership in Fine Arts and Visual Graphic Design.
Mr. Cochrane has established a distinguished career as an artist and studio art professor, holding a faculty position at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, New Jersey, since 2004. Over the course of more than two decades, he has taught foundational drawing and painting, color theory, watercolor printmaking, life drawing and landscape painting. His instruction in oil painting and two-dimensional studio arts has shaped the creative development of numerous students. In addition to his academic role, Mr. Cochrane is an active exhibiting artist and painter.
During his tenure in academia, Mr. Cochrane also spent 2009 to 2011 as an artist with the College Art Association at the Tweed Museum of Art at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. During this period, he further developed his artistic practice and contributed to the museum’s programming.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Cochrane gained invaluable experience as a studio assistant for Alex Katz from 2001 to 2004. This role provided him with direct exposure to the operations of a professional artist’s studio and deepened his understanding of the business aspects of the art world. Before this, Mr. Cochrane excelled as a studio manager for Julian Schnabel between 1998 and 1999, overseeing daily studio operations and supporting large-scale projects.
Before pursuing graduate studies, Mr. Cochrane spent over five years immersed in New York’s art world. He worked as an art installer and preparator at both Sperone Westwater Gallery and Ross Horowitz Gallery. These positions allowed him to develop technical skills in exhibition preparation and installation while gaining insight into gallery operations. Mr. Cochrane’s subsequent work as a studio assistant for renowned American artists Alex Katz, Julian Schnabel and Keith Saulnier provided him with a comprehensive foundation in both creative practice and the business side of art.
Mr. Cochrane’s academic background includes a diploma from The Cambridge School of Weston, earned in 1990, a Bachelor of Arts in fine art and Italian from Sarah Lawrence College in 1994 and a Master of Fine Arts in fine art painting from Hunter College at the City University of New York in 2003. Trained primarily in Italy, Mr. Cochrane adopted an Italian mindset toward art education, which has influenced both his creative output and his teaching philosophy.
Mr. Cochrane is a member of the North Atlantic Fella Organization, reflecting his engagement with professional networks within the arts community. His creative publications include “New Illuminated Manuscript of Dante’s Divine Comedy” (2014 to 2021), a singular accomplishment among contemporary artists. Mr. Cochrane also published “What Love Is Book 1” in 2024 and continues publishing sections through magazines and artist book editions. He remains dedicated to completing his graphic novel, a project begun in 2008 that remains central to his artistic vision.
Mr. Cochrane is best known for his monumental achievement in creating a new illuminated manuscript of Dante Alighieri’s “The Divine Comedy.” From 2014 to 2021, he dedicated himself to writing the entire poem in Italian, using three sources because Dante signed no official version. Mr. Cochrane illustrated every page himself, an unprecedented feat historically accomplished by teams rather than individuals, and engaged deeply with scholarly debates regarding textual authenticity. The manuscript was published in San Marino in 2021 to commemorate the 700th anniversary of Dante’s death, followed by Italian and English editions in Italy and, approximately one year later, a German translation by Mueller and Schindler. Mr. Cochrane’s approach notably brought together the language of comic books and the medieval manuscript tradition. He meticulously copied the oldest known medieval Italian manuscript from 1336, using a comic font, teaching himself to read and reproduce it.
In 2009, Mr. Cochrane marked another significant milestone with the launch of his solo exhibition at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (Mass MoCA), which recognized him as a graphic novelist. This show introduced audiences to his autobiographical graphic novel project, a collaboration with his daughter that began when she was 5 and continues today as she enters adulthood.
Throughout his journey, Mr. Cochrane has attributed his progress to perseverance. He recalls being invited by Thornwillow Press to create an illuminated manuscript covering all three parts of “The Divine Comedy.” After completing “Inferno,” contractual issues led the publisher to abandon the project despite its commercial success. Facing personal challenges, including the loss of his Long Island City studio after two decades and significant changes in his family life, he persevered through setbacks by leveraging relationships in the publishing world. Ultimately, Facsimile Finder agreed to publish Mr. Cochrane’s work, ensuring its completion despite industry obstacles.
In his personal time, Mr. Cochrane enjoys playing music, with a particular affinity for stringed instruments. His career reflects resilience, innovation and a commitment to advancing both traditional and contemporary forms within visual storytelling on an international stage.
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