USBALDO VALERIANO

I was born in Dumas Texas but lived all my life in Ojinaga Chihuahua Mexico where me and my family are from. I moved to the United States when I was 15 to finish high school and I graduated from Sul Ross State University in 2009, with a bachelor's in science and a minor in fine arts. Sul Ross is a small university, but that's a great thing for art students, we are trained in all the different medias there is! During these years I had the chance to study art abroad with the international programs of this school. After working for 8 years in the medical field, specifically the ER, I decided it was time for a little “happier” career and I was encouraged by my mother to start teaching art in Presidio Texas. I took a break for one year working as a metallurgic geochemist at a silver mine in Shafter Texas, but I missed teaching so much, so I moved to Odessa Texas where I have been teaching since then. I taught middle school for many years, and this is my 4th year teaching high school. 

In my class I teach my students pretty much everything there is in art to teach, drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, digital art, virtual reality art, printmaking, jewelry making, photography, fabric art, book making, illustration, and crafts. 

I love to travel, and I am lucky enough to have been in so many parts of the world. I have a photo collection of selfies with masterpieces! 

I love to cook, and I have a food page with my recipes. In my free time I love to watch TV, I crochet, I'm an avid reader, love painting, drawing, and I have my own little bussiness selling handmade bookmarks. 

This is my third year serving as the representative of Region 18 with the Texas Art Educators Association. I'm a teacher who is always happy to help and share my experiences, techniques and knowledge!

 “Art teachers are better than other teachers: some teachers teach the theory of things, facts, dates, places, we do that too, elements, principles, art history, artists, movements. Some other teachers teach technique, how to play an instrument, how to cut wood, how to speak a language, we do that too, how to paint, how to sculpt, how to draw. But no other teacher works with emotions, experiences and feelings to create things that's what art is, express and or create feelings, these only art teachers do all three.” 

-Baldo Valeriano