ARTIST BIO

I believe in art education. 

Art is everything that surrounds an individual in this world. It is found in the graphics of t-shirts, the industrial design of vacuums, the classical museum works, and the elementary classroom projects. It can be used to describe how we interpret and understand the world. It can be the positive outlet used to communicate with others inside and outside academia. With art, there’s access to a variety of tools that strengthen the core capabilities of life through creative problem solving and developmental learning. Developing artistic skills is applicable to all aspects of the professional and educational world unlocking creative and design-based thinking. By creating a philosophy in art education the educator is agreeing to include the students as learners developing throughout the academic years and beyond as well as growing their artistic development through multiple and diverse learning strategies. In my teaching, I include a vast approach to learning through art history and exploration and play of art materials.

My most recent curriculum has been developed with the merging of early child developmental skills, exploration of play and materials, diverse learning strategies, deep and interactive understanding of art history, and interactive pedagogies. I chose this curriculum for the K-12 art classroom to expand the student artist with enhanced learning of creativity and exploration through storytelling, the idea of family through grouping and association, destination and location, and nature. With celebration and play as the center of my teaching practice, I am exploring and encouraging art to merge with a diverse set of mediums and passionate interest levels in a socially relevant and creatively inviting way. 

My role as an art educator. 

When considering my role as an art educator, I choose every day to create a learning environment for my students and I that addresses the needs of growing artists in a world of diverse creativity and provides the student with an atmosphere in which creative thinking is encouraged and developed. Because no individual is alike in every way, it is important that students are thus educated with individual needs in mind considering life experiences of all. My educating goal is to ensure that the classroom addresses these needs and experiences which shape the identity of the student and creates room for growth of both the educator guide and the student body. Finding and making personal connections with a diverse array of materials and mediums has the ability to serve learners and develop their artistic practices with fellow students, educators, community, as well as their personal creative spirit. 

Teaching-learning theories in art education. 

I believe that in early childhood development, art education forms a child's ability as an individual to express themselves through multiple media in the art curriculum, supporting their exploration and discovery in an enriching environment that challenges and encourages their interest. It is important that early childhood artists learn to grow their creative skills as lifelong learners, consistently improving and evolving their work. I am an advocate for a responsive classroom in learning which students can help to build their own curriculum creating an environment of active participation. It is important that diversity is respected and represented, understood by each student in their ownership of the classrooms interests, ideas, and needs.