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teaching philosophy
Art is an integral part of the human experience. Its universal value is established in cultures throughout the world. Consequently, art and craft need to play an essential role in education. The Visual Arts integrate critical thinking skills, the practice of design, problem solving, and social and political discourse to name just a few. The challenges posed through this practice can greatly enhance a student’s ability to take those critical thinking skills and apply them to disciplines such as mathematics, science, and the complexities of everyday life, while encouraging new inquiries into invention and product development.
Art is one of those special disciplines that challenges us in both manual dexterity and conceptual thinking. As a mentor, it is important to focus on art in both a contemporary, as well as an historical context. The practice of creating enables us to express our emotions, thoughts, and philosophies, while requiring us to solve complex problems, keeping our minds probing and inventing. Art can be a documentation of our history; it can be personal, healing, political discourse or protest, an advertisement, design, a study of our cultures, philosophies, of nature, society, or simply a study of our environment.
I believe in practicing what you teach, and I find my enthusiasm for my own process and work overflowing into my goals to share that knowledge and drive with my students. Of the many objectives in my teaching, one of my goals is to give students the sound technical training needed to develop work while simultaneously teaching them how to formulate and articulate the ideas behind the works they are creating. Having strong foundation skills and a sense of design, thought, and philosophy are important components to any practice in the arts. By sharing my knowledge with my students, it is my hope that someday they will be able to go even further with their own explorations in the field than I have.
It is important for me to present information both with enthusiasm and in an understandable manner that promotes drive and curiosity. A class needs to be well structured in combination with flexibility on the teachers’ part for the presentation of materials and projects. I believe that all teachers need to be open to learning from their students, in order to evolve and grow as mentors. It is important to listen, observe, and respond to the needs of your students. In presenting information to a class you must be knowledgeable of both the materials and processes you are teaching as well as of their history. It is important to know where an idea came from, how it has developed over time, and how it continues to develop.
Art and craft play an immense role in our world; therefore, their inclusion in education should be pursued wholeheartedly. They nurture us while giving expression and meaning to our lives, helping us shape our innermost thoughts. Through my teaching, I hope to inspire students to reach their own creative potential.
Art is one of those special disciplines that challenges us in both manual dexterity and conceptual thinking. As a mentor, it is important to focus on art in both a contemporary, as well as an historical context. The practice of creating enables us to express our emotions, thoughts, and philosophies, while requiring us to solve complex problems, keeping our minds probing and inventing. Art can be a documentation of our history; it can be personal, healing, political discourse or protest, an advertisement, design, a study of our cultures, philosophies, of nature, society, or simply a study of our environment.
I believe in practicing what you teach, and I find my enthusiasm for my own process and work overflowing into my goals to share that knowledge and drive with my students. Of the many objectives in my teaching, one of my goals is to give students the sound technical training needed to develop work while simultaneously teaching them how to formulate and articulate the ideas behind the works they are creating. Having strong foundation skills and a sense of design, thought, and philosophy are important components to any practice in the arts. By sharing my knowledge with my students, it is my hope that someday they will be able to go even further with their own explorations in the field than I have.
It is important for me to present information both with enthusiasm and in an understandable manner that promotes drive and curiosity. A class needs to be well structured in combination with flexibility on the teachers’ part for the presentation of materials and projects. I believe that all teachers need to be open to learning from their students, in order to evolve and grow as mentors. It is important to listen, observe, and respond to the needs of your students. In presenting information to a class you must be knowledgeable of both the materials and processes you are teaching as well as of their history. It is important to know where an idea came from, how it has developed over time, and how it continues to develop.
Art and craft play an immense role in our world; therefore, their inclusion in education should be pursued wholeheartedly. They nurture us while giving expression and meaning to our lives, helping us shape our innermost thoughts. Through my teaching, I hope to inspire students to reach their own creative potential.
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO VIEW MULTIPLE GALLERIES
OIL, ACRYLIC, AND MIXED MEDIA PAINTING STUDENT WORKS
DRAWING STUDENT WORK
WATERCOLOR AND AQUA MEDIA STUDENT WORKS
INTRODUCTION TO SCULPTURE