My passion is working with students to help them explore and discover their unique and creative abilities through visual art explorations. Through the exploration of art they develop new perspectives regarding not only art, but they also discover things about themselves- new talents, interests, ideas and passions. Our focus in all classes will be on the creative process. We will make relevant connections between art and the real world to ensure students take away meaningful life-long skills that improve their life and enhance their future careers. Visual media is pervasive in our culture and students need the skills to interpret and navigate through that information- games, video, TV, social media, graphic designs of all forms, clothing, architecture…
My hope is to facilitate a welcoming learning environment that will enable students to achieve success and enjoyment in learning through visual media, inspired by the past and present. I facilitate choice-based art classes that allow students options that will personalize their learning, encourage them to pursue topics they are curious and passionate about and to optimize their motivation and enjoyment for learning and creating.
I am currently employed by Baltimore County Public Schools and currently teach an E-learning course- Fundamentals of Art, and teach 3 sections of Intermediate Art and 3 sections of Photo Studio GT for the awesome students at Chesapeake High School. Chesapeake High is a “one to one” lighthouse school- which means every student has a digital device provided by the county. This is a very innovative environment to work in and I am excited to work with teens in helping them navigate their own learning using both traditional methods infused with technology. My career as an art instructor began about 25 years ago however I have been full time for the last 16 years with Baltimore County Public Schools and have taught at every level.
My childhood dream was to be an artist and a happy person enriched by sharing a life with friends and family. I remember back as far as kindergarten- my favorite station was the paint station. More inspiration followed when in first grade my mom signed me up for an art class and I still remember some of my paintings- a boat scene and a flower composition that my instructors made a big deal over thus furthering my love of creating. A few years later, I recall being in 4th or 5th grade and I had the opportunity to work with some 1st graders as a tutor and the exhilarating sense of purpose and satisfaction from this experience made a very strong impression on me and was probably my first calling to the teaching profession.
Outside of teaching, I am currently married to my husband Mark since 1985 and together we have raised 3 sons and a daughter. We have two beautiful grandchildren Luke, who is 4and Violet who is 2. I love cooking and feeding my family and friends and spend most Sundays doing this. My children are my greatest treasures in life and what makes me feel most accomplished and happy. I have lived in Baltimore my entire life but love to travel in the summer. Long walks in natural outdoor settings searching for awesome new sites or perspectives with my camera viewfinder is how I rejuvenate myself and discover grace and blessings in life. I continue to make my own art, whenever possible and love to take on new learning adventures.
Teaching Experience
18 years with Baltimore County Public Schools as an art educator 2 years- traditional high school 4 years- high school (e-learning program) 14 years - middle school 1 year- elementary
Education
Bachelor of Science Degrees in Fine Art with a concentration in Painting- Towson University Teaching Certification Program- Towson University Masters Degree in Instructional Technology- John Hopkins University Post Grad work- TAB institute- Mass Art Summer Teacher Institute- Maryland Institute College of Art