Laura Berlin

My name is Laura Berlin and I will be your teacher for Art 1-2. I’m very excited for us to be back in the classroom this semester and be able to get to know each other and make art together in person!

I was born in and grew up in San Diego and attended San Diego State University where I earned my Bachelor’s degree, majoring in Fine Art. I also attended the University of Southern California at Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts on a scholarship I received for winning “Best of Show” for artwork I entered in the San Diego County Fair. I earned my Master’s degree in “Technology and Learning” at United States International University (now called Alliant University) in Miramar. I have loved art and creating things as long as I can remember. Besides teaching art, I have engaged in many of my own artistic projects and endeavors. I have commissioned portraits, done illustrations for textbooks and children’s books, created cartoons for Copley News Service, designed logos for businesses and characters for games. I have done community murals and backdrops for theater sets. I have participated in many themed art shows and exhibits. I was a sponsored participant in the world-wide “Cow Parade”exhibit, painting on a life sized fiberglass cow! My favorite medium is oil painting and that is what I do for my own satisfaction and fun!

I am very interested in how Art helps us experience and learn about our world; especially the STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). I was selected to participate in a year and a half long “Art of Science Learning” Project created by Harry Seifter and funded by The National Science Foundation. Arts-based strategies were used to imagine and design products and programs to address the civic problems of water conservation, transportation and nutrition. Some of the products and programs actually went to market. I learned much from this training that enhances my teaching and that I share with my students.

I enjoy being outdoors, snow skiing and boarding, water skiing and wakeboarding, running, fitness and nutrition. I have a husband, a son, two dogs and a big extended family with whom I love to spend time. The most important thing about me, though, is that I love teaching Art to students at Clairemont High School!! I have the best job in the world because I get to do something I love and share it with amazing young people!

I look forward to working with you this semester. Please contact me if you have questions, would like support, or should need to communicate with me for any reason. My email address is lberlin@sandi.net. My classroom telephone number is (619) 605-2600.