Hello and WELCOME to the East Lake Art Room! My name is Katri Hanson and am the Art Specialist at East Lake Elementary. I have had the wonderful opportunity to help open East Lake in its very first year in session and am honored to be a part of this amazing staff and school family. Prior to East Lake I taught in the Anoka-Hennepin School District. Teaching and connecting with children through art has always been a passion of mine. I love to see their eyes light up when they discover something new.
When I'm not teaching I enjoy my time at home with my husband and our three children (ages 19, 16 and 13) who also attend schools in ISD 196. As a family we enjoy being outside, camping and hiking, taking road trips to National Parks in the summer months and spending time with our old yellow lab rescue, Rex, and two cats, Stevie and Charlie. The kids at school often hear stories about our silly animals.Â
When I'm not at school or running my kids to different activities, you will often find me in my studio working on my own art. My heart belongs to weaving and creating anything with fibers. My Swedish grandmother was a master weaver and even as I child I remember getting right up close to her weavings to try and figure out how she made them. About 10 years ago a dream came true when I had her loom shipped all the way from Sweden here to Minnesota. It's one of my greatest treasures.