Artist Statement

I am an Educator of Art. As an art educator, I believe that reaching my students and enriching their lives is the most important aspect of what I do. I want my students to see the beauty in this world, that can be reflected in a painting or sculpture, and to appreciate and understand it. This is important to me because every student, no matter what the age, is a life-long learner. We never stop learning, and should always approach life with an open mind. I want my students to learn, not just art, but that all educational challenges open a doorway to higher learning and a more complete appreciation of learning.
I believe there is no one best way of learning, nor do I follow only one type of learning theory. I am an advocator of behaviorism, cognitivism, humanism, and many more philosophies of learning. Student learn in so many different ways, and being capable to teaching to those many needs is most important. If a teacher cannot reach the student and help the student understand, then a great chance for the student is lost. Learning must include methods that allow touching, moving, listening, seeing, and hearing. I try and teach to the different approaches to learning, whether it is audio or visual or even both. A teacher should be able to teach through a direct hands-on approach where the students participate or a verbal approach where the teacher reaches the student through means of stimulating narrative.
My role as an art educator is to teach to a broad spectrum of students. I enjoy teaching multicultural lessons in the arts. Every culture nurtures a colorful history in the world of art. And it is important that my students understand and appreciate different cultures and their traditions. Understanding another culture, so far removed from one’s own culture, generates acceptance. Respect for diversity is essential to learning and each individual should be recognized for his or her own abilities, interests, ideas, and needs—based on their race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, region, sexual orientation and other forms of identity.
I have always wanted to teach. Even as a youth, I so enjoyed learning that whatever I happened to learn, I wished to share with everyone around me. I was fortunate enough to be well educated as a child and forward into adulthood. Not everyone is. That is why I want to teach. Art is an endangered area in many school systems. I’ve taught at “at-risk’ schools where the only art materials were crayons, construction paper, and whatever the teacher could afford out of their salary. I want to reach as many minds as I can, to show them the possibilities that are available to them in art. Let them see the beauty of the world around them and teach them to embrace diversity.