Philosophy of Fine Arts Education

For the last seven years I have been an adjunct instructor of a variety of studio arts while also pursuing my own artistic practice. I am always trying new methods and materials in my approach to creating artwork. I carry this exploration into my teaching as a way to keep the subject matter fresh and to encourage my students to be life long learners. This is because, as both an educator and artist, my philosophy centers around a foundations first approach. It is my belief that with each new artwork, whether it is a familiar subject and medium or something experimental, the first steps are the most important. They give structure to the rest of the work and can serve as an anchor to keep one on the right path during any endeavor.

My intent in every class is to use my foundation first approach to give students the tools they need to express themselves through their artwork while maintaining their own personal styles. I have learned over the years that each student is unique and they are driven by different means to different ends. Therefore, I choose to avoid a "one size fits all" approach and instead see myself as a mentor and coach. I enjoy learning what motivates my students and tailoring advice and instruction to fit their needs with each assignment. What might fit one student may not work for another and even an approach that worked for a given student one year might not work for them in the future as they mature. To address this, I utilize a variety of different pedagogical methods and work to better understand the needs of my students. I aim to create an environment of encouragement for my students where they feel comfortable bringing to their artwork the influences that make up their own individuality. That said, technical skill must accompany conceptual knowledge. Without technical ability, a student will have a hard time successfully expressing their ideas.

As a professor, I want to guide my students to seek out their passions and give them the support and confidence to pursue them. Each of my assignments feature a demonstration and are designed to build upon the last. This is done to remove variables and to make the subjects covered more manageable while still building a solid foundation since the techniques and skills aquired at the beginning of the semester will still be used in assignments at the end of the semester and beyond. Demonstration is crucial so that students can see the complete process of an assignment and have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussion before starting to work on their own. I will also often give students examples of other professional contemporary artists for them to look at that I feel will resonate with them. I aim to foster a collaborative environment and to create an open dialogue with my students about their work through one-on-one and group critiques. During these critiques, I engage in dialogue with all of the students and encourage constructive criticism to create a collaborative and supportive working environment.

Through openness, laughter, support, and conversation, I promote a climate where my students have the freedom to express themselves through their work. Whether I'm showing them an artist's website, going with them to an exhibition or artist lecture, or engaging with them in a critique, I feel responsible to demonstrate that learning happens in every part of our lives and shouldn't be relegated to the classroom. Through this, they can allow all of these elements to resonate with and become part of their own artistic development. The amalgamation of their interests and exposure to the art world at large helps to develop and shape their individual artistic style and journey.