teaching

Education, particularly higher education, is more than a linear measurement of one’s successful completion of a set of academic objectives. It is an indicator of a desire to improve oneself through a lifelong appreciation and study of intellectual, philosophical, societal, and practical issues.

I instruct my students in the technical and conceptual aspects of Drawing, Painting, 2-D and 3-D Foundations. I engage in progressive methodology by including 4-D elements throughout all subjects that I teach. I strive to instill within students a desire for lifelong learning; a desire that can be taken out of the classroom and integrated throughout one’s life. I take pride in creating a professional relationship with each student and encourage students to discover and develop their own interests with class projects. During class lectures, demonstrations, and critiques, I pose questions as a way of aiding students in realizing their own creative response. Stimulating empowered critical thinking and active discourse. Incorporating and fostering a student’s individuality is vital in demonstrating the depth of possibilities inherent in the study of fine art.

To inspire dialogue and foster creativity, I employ a variety of resources including those that are audile, visual, lingual, and tactile. With introductory courses, I spend ample time teaching the formal elements of art such as line, shape, value, and space as well as basic qualities of art such as balance, emphasis, unity, and repetition. With a clear understanding of fundamental art vocabulary, students have the confidence to explore more complicated nuanced creative expressions. The basic knowledge gained in Drawing, Painting, 2-D and 3-D Foundations also allows the student to participate in personal, technical, and conceptual endeavors. I sincerely believe that introducing students to the tools, concepts, and processes of fine art and lifelong learning, is vital for creating an open, tolerant, and diverse global society. It is with this philosophy that I practice teaching.

teaching philosophy