Art is everywhere and it is the human capacity, both creative and moral to “invent visions of what should be and what might be in our deficient society, on the streets where we live, in our schools.” Educational philosopher Maxine Greene viewed the journey of an art educator as the beginning of creating human landmarks and that it is our duty to be aware of the stages of cognitive development as it is an essential part of our mission. I feel that as we view art is how we view the world and everything life has to offer, and that part of teaching is to help students create themselves. By incorporating aesthetic education into our lessons, we are encouraging our students to explore their ideas through creative thinking and process like fine art, music and dance. My aim is to provide my students with a safe space for them to develop cognitively, emotionally, and socially through artistic exploration and discovery. My students are encouraged to build their own solutions to problems, developing flexibility and creatively approaching complex situations from more than just one assigned perspective.

As an art educator, I am here to build confidence and encourage critical thinking through freedom of artistic expression, student choice and thinking outside the box while we embrace mistakes. I believe that as an educator, offering a blend of studio practice with art history, aesthetics and visual technique, I am able to present art to my students as a subject that exists more closely than they might realize, that art is found in every subject students experience throughout their entire school day. I want my students to feel relaxed and inspired to create in a positive working environment and to make art based on their intentions and perceptions inspired by their own life experiences.

“Imagination is the source of every form of human achievement. And it’s the one thing that I believe we are systematically jeopardizing in the way we educate our children and ourselves.” Robinson said regarding our current educational system which is slowly drawing less and less focus on the importance of art education. “The arts especially address the idea of aesthetic experience. An aesthetic experience is one in which your senses are operating at their peak; when you’re present in the current moment; when you’re resonating with the excitement of this thing that you’re experiencing; when you are fully alive.” I’m hoping to incorporate all of these values by spending time together as a group, whether in the class or together online for open critiques after assignments are completed to discuss our ideas and the process we’ve experienced along our creative journeys. Critiques are a great way for students to be fully present while they learn to appreciate a work of art, our individual processes and to gain new perspectives from their peers as they engage as young spectators.

Sir Ken Robinson’s philosophy embraces mistakes, something I feel has been stigmatized today as anything but a learning experience which can often times lead to having little acceptance for one’s “authentic self”. Robinson says “If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you are not prepared to think of something original.” I want my students to feel relaxed and inspired to work in a non-judgemental environment and to create art based on their intentions and perceptions inspired by their own life experiences. By working collaboratively and learning how to problem solve together, students will develop better social skills while they also grow as independent thinkers through their own unique contributions.

My mission is to help students develop a skill for understanding and an appreciation for what is possible, lessons that will ultimately transcend beyond the classroom. Bringing students together to create an open dialogue of sharing ideas and information inspires creativity and awakens the imagination. Maxine Greene once said, “imagination is what, above all, makes empathy possible.” If we allow our students to connect to art and to one another, they develop the unique and much needed ability to discover what is possible in the world. Allowing children the creative freedom to express themselves and encourage the sharing and understanding of process not only allows them to develop strong social skills, it allows the work and process to be “achieved” by their peers. I want to build a creative environment that encourages my students to open their minds through artistic education and aesthetic experiences. Furthermore, as an artist with professional experience, I am here to encourage my students to stay creative and support and guide those who choose to pursue a life long career in art after high school.