My journey with art really started during my first year in college. I did have a scholarship in art, as a painter, but when I took my first college art classes I truly fell in love with art of all kinds. It was like I was eating oatmeal and I was suddenly introduced to a million varieties of candy. I took all the art classes I could, including sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, drawing, painting, and illustration. I enjoyed the processes as well as the products. One of the reasons I find fulfillment in teaching is that I get to continue learning new processes and techniques and sharing that new excitement and knowledge with others.
While taking college classes I found myself inspired and excited to learn and create by specific professors. These professors were enthusiastic about what they were teaching. They didn’t just give us assignments, but they would create works of art right along side the students. In short they practiced what they were preaching. I believe that great teachers don’t just teach what they know, but show their students that they love what they are teaching. In art classes this was evident by the professors that were willing to be hands on instructors, and would create to help inspire.
When in a classroom, I teach every aspect of a new process through demonstration, and by showing personal work, student work, if possible, and, other professional work. I give specific instructions and strive to inspire the class to be creative and experiment within those boundaries. I spend time helping students as they create their projects and spend some time creating my own projects along with them.
I want every student to develop a love and appreciation for art. I want them to come away form my class Inspired, and knowing that their teacher was committed to their education and the arts. I have found that many of my former students have continued on in art as a hobby, taking continued education classes from other colleges or art guilds. I love that I had a hand in getting them started in this endeavor, and that I was able to inspire them and equip them with a creative avenue that will influence their life forever.
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