Making Subject Matter Comprehensible
One of my greatest strength as an art educator is my ability to effectively articulate and model specific skills in drawing and painting. My own artwork is primarily realistic, with a focus on drawing and painting from observation. My areas of expertise include plein air painting, photorealistic painting, and figure drawing. My confidence in rendering from live observation helps me communicate critical skills and techniques to help my students create realistic, detailed and formally successful works of art.
In my classes, students will improve their skills in a variety of mediums, while completing relevant projects that relate to art history and art criticism. In my drawing classes, students develop the ability to draw from careful observation using the right hemisphere of the brain, which controls spacial perception, hand eye coordination and attention to detail. Assignments that help students develop these abilities include negative space, contour and upside-down drawings. Students go on to learn shading, portraiture, trompe l’oeil still life, perspective, and gesture drawing techniques. They learn about famous artists whose work relates to the drawing we create, such as Andy Warhol and Chuck Close.
In my classes, students will improve their skills in a variety of mediums, while completing relevant projects that relate to art history and art criticism. In my drawing classes, students develop the ability to draw from careful observation using the right hemisphere of the brain, which controls spacial perception, hand eye coordination and attention to detail. Assignments that help students develop these abilities include negative space, contour and upside-down drawings. Students go on to learn shading, portraiture, trompe l’oeil still life, perspective, and gesture drawing techniques. They learn about famous artists whose work relates to the drawing we create, such as Andy Warhol and Chuck Close.
In my painting classes, students work with a variety of mediums, including watercolors, acrylics, oils paints, and mixed media collage. Students learn about color theory and painting techniques through projects that relate to historical and contemporary artists and art movements. Projects I taught during my student teaching include monochromatic contour portraits, two-panel diptychs that include layered iconic imagery and reference Pop and Neo-pop artists, larger-than-life photorealistic mouth portraits, copies of paintings by famous artists, and watercolor paintings with environmental themes for submission to the Santa Barbara Channel Keeper Contest. Students in advanced and AP painting classes work individually with me to develop a unique body of work that demonstrates their technical abilities while expressing their creative vision.
My courses incorporate literacy in art, as students study advanced concepts of art history and art criticism and apply these theories to the projects we create. Students practice speaking and writing about their artwork through various group activities, informal writing practices including journaling and quickwrites, and formal assignments such as personal artist statements.
In all assignments in my drawing and painting classes, students are given some element of choice, whether it is what subject to depict, how to arrange objects in a composition, or what medium to use. I believe that giving students creative freedom within structured projects encourages them to develop a sense of autonomy and ownership of their artwork. I have found that giving students choice increases motivation in the art-making process, while allowing me to differentiate assignments for students with different needs.
My courses incorporate literacy in art, as students study advanced concepts of art history and art criticism and apply these theories to the projects we create. Students practice speaking and writing about their artwork through various group activities, informal writing practices including journaling and quickwrites, and formal assignments such as personal artist statements.
In all assignments in my drawing and painting classes, students are given some element of choice, whether it is what subject to depict, how to arrange objects in a composition, or what medium to use. I believe that giving students creative freedom within structured projects encourages them to develop a sense of autonomy and ownership of their artwork. I have found that giving students choice increases motivation in the art-making process, while allowing me to differentiate assignments for students with different needs.
Click on the links below to view sample lesson plans from my student teaching classes.
Freehand Drawing Lesson Plan: Observational PortraitsFreehand Drawing Lesson Plan: Acting out Art Elements and PrinciplesPainting I&II Lesson Plan: Channel Keeper Contest
Freehand Drawing Lesson Plan: Observational PortraitsFreehand Drawing Lesson Plan: Acting out Art Elements and PrinciplesPainting I&II Lesson Plan: Channel Keeper Contest