My Philosophy

As both teacher and artist, I find the most significant meaning in understanding the world we live in and how we relate to it. Greek philosopher Heraclitus said “change is the only constant,” and nothing can be truer when looking around at the current landscape of our daily lives. Even the specific knowledge and skills we learn through our formative years is constantly in need of updating, editing, and curating. When I was a child Pluto was still a planet, the internet didn’t exist, and “social media” meant tv night with family. There is always something new to learn. For this reason, I strive to be a lifelong learner and model a growth mindset for my students. In over twelve years spent in the classroom I have focused on creating a practice of teaching that encourages students to push themselves to explore and to build upon their prior knowledge to create personal work and new discoveries. My biggest hope is that my students learn how to learn and think critically, and to continue the process for the rest of their lives.

In the last fifteen years I have worked as an educator as well as in the field of visual arts in both public and private sectors. It has become very apparent that the skills and tools learned, while still important, are not enough to produce successful artists, employees, and citizens. For example; I know how to use a camera and compose a photograph. In my capacities as theme park photographer, portrait studio manager, art gallery assistant, and wedding photographer, however, the technique, purpose and logistics in which I used a camera have been different. What is more important is how to adapt prior knowledge to new situations. In my classroom I focus on the eight Studio Habits of Mind to shape young minds through creating new and innovative opportunities for them to express themselves in a safe learning environment. I push my students to experience art, not just create it.

We are all a collection of our past experiences. Our experiences drive our interests, and our interests drive our work. Craftsmanship and formal theory are important to my courses and a key part of every lesson, but to quote University of Illinois at Chicago Associate Professor Olivia Gude (2004), a purely technical and formal course “would not engender in teen artists the commitment to get out of bed on chilly Saturday mornings” (p. 7). Play and exploration have always been a hallmark of childhood, and we all have stories to tell from our early years. Our stories shape who we are. Pablo Picasso was famously quoted, saying “every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” In the mind of a child everything is new and interesting. Every new fact is a puzzle piece in an ever-evolving image of our world. Connecting these new puzzle pieces between varied subjects through cross-curricular lessons and scaffolding from knowledge learned in core classes makes lasting associations that students can call on when new problems are presented to them. I strive to encourage students that while they may not yet know this new content, they do know something that will help them learn it.

I believe that it is imperative for students to have exposure to experiences that connect diverse subjects and include artists and their professional world experience. In my classroom I incorporate STEAM skills to better prepare my students for life after school. I cover practical mathematics when we prepare artwork for display and when mixing recipes for paint, much like illustrator James Gurney. We cover the science of light through color theory and shading through artists like Dorian Iten. During lessons on Cubism and contour line drawing, we discuss how our mind processes visual images. When I cover figure drawing, we look at artists like Andrew Loomis and Leonardo da Vinci, and their study of human anatomy. I encourage the use of technology like computers, cameras, scanners, printers, and collaborative websites and tools in many lessons to familiarize students with the tools they will most likely encounter in their future careers. I encourage my students to participate in local and statewide shows to begin learning the practical processes of artwork preparation, presentation, and pricing.

I bring my own professional and personal experiences into the classroom to demonstrate to my students that art is alive and continuing to flourish in a vibrant community. We can learn from art history and skill practice in the classroom, but art continues to be created in communities full of individuals’ experiences. I collaborate with colleagues and practicing artists to bring our experiences to my students to inspire them to share their own experiences in their work. I strive to act as a guide for my students while they chart their own course to whatever future their journey takes them. None of us know for sure what changes the future will hold, but with a little creativity and some grit I know they will succeed.

Gude, Olivia (January 2004). Postmodern Principles: In Search of a 21st Century Art Education. Art Education: The Journal of the National Art Education Association. 57, (1), 6-12.