Teaching Philosophy

“Art is a foundation for human development. Art is a visual language that transcends beyond communication and transforms head knowledge into a tangible expression. When I think of art as a language, the learning process is analogous: the art takes time, practice, and failure. If a student learns a new language, the words are jumbled and it takes time to fit sentences together and even longer for complex sentences to develop. Students are learning art skill by skill and it takes time for the skills to combine together into complex design. Through this lens, I use the phrase, “learn by failure.” Many students walk into the class with high expectations of themselves and want perfection. My favorite quote by Rick Ruben says, “Let go of the outcome and the work will arrive in its truest form.” The quote describes how clinging to a specific goal actually hinders creativity. Students need a space where they can focus on their art and let go of self-criticism, judgment, and negative self talk. The process based approach I have developed in my own work translates into how I teach art. 

Connection and relationships are key to the classroom. My goal is to build a relationship with each student and get to know what their interests are as well as their learning abilities. By knowing a student, then I can teach to their interests and cater lessons to the needs of the class. My approach to teaching is focused on exposing students to various methods and experiences. Then my job is to nurture their strengths and support them in the areas they need to grow.”