My philosophy



Grant Wood
My Teaching Philosophy
I began my career as an art teacher over 20 years ago. Here are some things that I believe in.

Everyone can create.
Art is work, not magic. But it can be magical.
Art is seeing, feeling, pondering, understanding the ideas of another.
It's that thing that connects us to other people throughout time and across the globe, and also to the classmates you share a table with this afternoon.
Don't feel bad when a piece of art doesn't mean something to you, but really take it in when it does.
Everyone needs art - some just don't really know what it is yet, and that's why we must have it in schools.
Art can be fast, slow, funny, sad. It can be weird. It can be pretty. It can be smart.
                                                                               
                                                                                             Vincent Van Gogh
Creativity is most effective within a format or boundary, so we approach our art projects as problem solving experiences.

Creation is the highest level of learning - art is the thread that links all the academic subjects to our own personal lives. Art enhances other subjects and at the same time stands alone as a unique and irreplaceable learning experience.
In my class, academic subjects are constantly being reinforced, because Art is (and has always been) in everything - in writing, science, math, technology, history, life!


Students will make their own creative choices in art class as they are guided with an instructional focus on elements, history and technique. There are many options for them to use their personal voice through design choices, subject matter selection, and use of media as we all work on a common goal.

Pablo Picasso




Picasso said it best - "Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life."





            
Andy Warhol

Charley Harper
Claude Monet
Henri Matisse




        
Henri Matisse

Henri Rousseau


Katsushika Hokusai


Alexander Calder






Paul Klee