Art Teacher Artists

Often students are in awe when I produce an image before their eyes. Some students respond to the others, “Duh! She’s the art teacher. Of course, she can do that.” Resulting in me stating the word practice. Everything takes practice. Last year, I asked students what they were good at doing. Because they are good at gymnastics, soccer, football, dance, karate, and the list continues. In my response back is, “I am definitely not good at those things because I did not practice them, nor would I want to, because I would be sure to break something.”

So what am I getting at?

I am getting at that the idea we all find something we enjoy. As a result, we practice it and we get better. Over the years, I have become a better teacher because I have practiced. But as an artist, I too practice.

Art show for teachers…

Surprisingly, the local art center had offered a showing of the public school art teachers’ artwork in the last two years. And of course, I jumped to include a work of art. It brings me back to my early years as an artist, before becoming an art teacher. Just to remember that people actually bought my artwork and now it is somewhere in their home or collection somewhere. Particularly the varied pieces that were sold. These include:

• two monoprints from two different shows
• two bronze sculptures from two different shows
• a drawing from a college show

Consequently, life had stepped in the way of that

path, but maybe it was God.

Anyway…

The local art center had a reception for three different shows which included the art teachers were included. As mentioned above, there is more than one way to make art. Each art teacher that contributed had something different. However, my work of art stood apart. Maybe because I knew it was mine, but no it was something else. I guess it is not as traditional as landscapes, still life, and collage with hidden meanings. It is more illustrative and make-believe. Yet my work tells a story like the character(s) are on a stage. This is something I developed in college. Once again, I am going to define it as my style.

It is nice to be recognized for something more? After all, each of us is more than our daily job that pays the bills.