My Creative Journey
My creative journey started at a young age. Like most people who would grow up to be artists, I was always eager to do crafts and could often be found painting rocks. A crystalizing moment in my creative journey came when I was about five years old and my aunt, who also painted and sold her work, bought me acrylic paints so I could paint with her. This moment, though I may not have recognized the significance at age five, proved to be a key memory – one where a role model in my life showed her faith in me and encouraged me to do what I love. This encouragement continued through most of my early childhood where the loving adults in my life helped to cultivate this artistic curiosity. As I grew up, my love for art-making continued and carried over into my college career where I went to Moravian University for graphic design.
In college, I experienced trials that led to growth as many people do during their first-year. I discovered that graphic design was not the type of art-making that brought me joy and I instead found a new passion in the writing arts. During these four years, I shifted my focus from visual arts to written art and found a new way of expressing myself. But even with this new focus, I still loved taking art classes and learning new ways of creating. With the resources available to me, I found a love for screenprinting and honed in on my painting skills.
After graduating college, I worked in the nonprofit and civil service sectors for years, finding joy in helping my community and working hands-on with people. My roles in nonprofit marketing and fundraising allowed me to use my creativity and the artistic and writing skills I gained in college, but I was still craving a more fulfilling artistic path.
From there, I made the monumental decision to go back to college four years after graduating from Moravian University, but this time, I would do something that had always been in the back of my mind – become an art educator so that I can be a role model to a new generation of blossoming young artists.
My Teaching Philosophy
My teaching philosophy revolves around two major themes: The art classroom is a place to try and fail; and art gives students a way to find their own voice.
Experimentation and exploration are the foundation of the creative journey. In my classroom, students will be encouraged to try new things – new ways of creating, new media, new subject matter – even if it means they don’t succeed the first time. Through experimentation, students can learn more about the medium they are using, what works and what doesn’t, and even more about themselves and their values. The process of conceiving an idea, trying it out, making mistakes and then making adjustments helps students practice critical thinking skills and problem solving techniques that help them beyond the art classroom. With this mindset, the final product isn’t nearly as important as the way the students work through challenges and try to grow as artists and as people. As a teacher, I am merely a facilitator for their curiosity and exploration. I will help guide them through the creative process while pushing them to think bigger and try new things.
Because art is a powerful tool for communication, I want to encourage my students to use the art class to work through challenging ideas. Throughout history, art has been a means in which people express their thoughts and feelings about the world. In my art class, it will be no different and I will work with my students to help them understand that art is about idea sharing and finding commonalities through expressive perspectives. Students will be encouraged to find their voice and express their perspective on the world through art making. All too often, young people are seen as apathetic or uninformed, but what would it look like to give them the space to express their feelings? In this way, I plan to also promote greater empathy and idea sharing among students. Not only will my students get to share their thoughts but they will also get to learn about the unique perspectives of each of their classmates by viewing their work.
Art class is about so much more than creating technically proficient art makers. It’s a space to challenge social norms, gain a new understanding of people from unique perspectives, work through big ideas, and join in to conversations about issues the students care about.