It is my conviction that art has value in its own right. However, I am passionate about how art can provide an authentic experience that can significantly advance a student’s critical thinking skills, collaborative soft and hard skills, creativity, and idea generation. I am especially excited about the capacity art has for instilling and expanding empathy skills in people. All these skills and qualities equip and empower students to make an impact on themselves, on others, and on their environment.
Over the past three years, I have been successfully teaching students of all levels and proficiencies in grades 7 -12. I have worked to provide a multitude of courses to match the varied interests of the student body. At the same time, I have written the curriculums to meet state standards with an added emphasis on idea development, collaboration, and personal character. As a result, I have grown both the art program and photography program from 128 students to over 440. Because of this growth, I was asked to assist in the evaluation of new hires for the art department and to mentor them.
I bring over 22 years of professional artistic experience to my role as an instructor. While at Art Center, I had the opportunity to visit over 42 professional artists in the physical context of their studios and have been mentored by a number of them. This has afforded me a unique art-making experience that few have had the privilege of participating in. As a result, I have learned unique insights into teaching art. Most importantly that successful teaching requires passion and patience. This experience has also shown me how to powerfully connect students to their own creative process, build engagement, and make the subject matter relevant to a wide variety of personalities. I have been blessed with a significant talent to create artistically. I cannot think of a better way to help others find fulfillment and joy than by cultivating creativity and artistic talent in people. Currently, I am the Art and Photography Instructor at American Leadership Academy (ALA) grades 9-12, located in Gilbert, Arizona.