Educational Background
BA in Fine Arts, Emphasis Art Education. San Francisco State University
MA in Education, Special Interest Art Education. San Francisco State University
Personal Information
I enjoy gardening (veggies and flowers), cooking for friends and my family, films, exercise (yoga & swimming), visiting different natural mineral springs, opera, art of all kinds, and making things! Leaving the country and experiencing other environments is extremely important to me. This year I am focused on creating new work for public show. Some of the things I am working on include: a series of ‘paintings that drip’, a series of vodou inspired ‘flags’ in mixed media and fabric as well as exploring a new passion for tempered glass mosaic. I teach private art lessons outside of River School to adults and young people and will teach a winter classes at Petaluma Arts Council.Arts Experience & Background
As an artist, I practice concept based art making (similar to how art is taught at River School). I use the materials and mediums needed, to support the concept or idea that I am working with. Mostly I am a sculptor and use a variety of materials: mixed media assemblage, large scale metal and fabrication, sound and video installation but recently I have begun a series of paintings. I have collaborated on various large scale projects that combine art, service and community. Engaging my desire to travel I’ve taught visual arts in El Salvador and have traveled to Cuba for ‘Fiesta del Fuego’ (a music and arts event in Santiago) on an arts educator visa. I am also an active member of NAEA and try to research and publish on art education as often as I can. Before teaching I spent some years working in the film industry as assistant to the producer of The Festival of Animation and as a filmmaker. In the more recent past I’ve attended Sundance Film Festival on several occasions (where my own short film screened) and the Cannes Film Festival as a representative of the Festival of Animation.Subjects Taught
I have taught Visual Arts and Art Integration throughout the grades for nine years. I work with other teachers at River to design Art Integration projects. Our arts program is concept based which means that the focus of the work comes from “big ideas”, the mediums and techniques are taught in support of the concepts.
Began Teaching at River School
I have been with River as the art teacher, since 2002.
Taught Before
2005: “Art and Community” in El Salvador .
2001: Art Integration for teachers at University of Phoenix .
2001: Art Teacher, Beacon School , Oakland , CA
2001: Video Production and Art ages 9-12. Osher Marin Jewish Community Center, Marin , CA
2001 Arts and Social Change IAC 380 with Trevelyn Cox. SFSU
1999 Artists in the Community FA 640 with Francisco Perez. SFSU
1999: Music video production workshop for youth ages 8-18. Co Teacher, Bay Area Discovery Museum , Sausalito , CA
1999: Media Literacy documentary video project with youth
What is important to you in education?
What is important to me about art education changes as the world we live in shifts and changes. Over the past years it has been important to me to contribute to the greater understanding of art education and the impact it has on learning in all subject areas. In our visual, media driven, globalized world where images, symbols and metaphors dominate, I find it imperative to provide students with the visual language of art. I have been working on publication and research quite a bit lately. With my students, it is extremely important to me to support them in “being who they are”. We create a studio environment where all of us can work and express freely. We practice the 4-R’s in the studio as we learn to investigate ideas, mediums and techniques. I share with my students that art is a life long practice and observation. When in doubt-wait-and make something!
What Defines the River School to you?
I think River School is all of us practicing how to live well together! Practicing the R’s together, being graceful together, making mistakes together and accepting and supporting each other. River has been a family to me over the years in many ways.