Proposed school program:
For the school program, I would like to use these photographs to inspire paintings and sculptures of animals that are connected to New Hampshire folklore with elementary and middle school students. We would also study locally threatened and endangered animals. A slide presentation of contemporary and historic artist’s work would be given to inform the student’s work, images from past student work will also be included. I would like to partner with a Rey Center naturalist to also complete a walk in the woods where students can have the opportunity to learn animal tracking, plant and tree identification and to observe behavior of local species in the wild. It is important to me to develop specific curriculum that aligns with the communities that I teach in, so I would take the time to have conversations with the Rey Center staff in advance to best align with the center’s interests.
I have taught children in K-8 for over ten years and have experience developing interdisciplinary art projects that incorporate social studies, science, myths and environmental concerns. From 2009-2013 I worked in Charlestown, MA at the Warren-Prescott School, part of the Boston Public School network. In this position, I taught 500+ students each year with 21 classes meeting per week, including 4 autistic classes. In addition to public school experience, I have taught for a number of years at art organizations such as Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Cornell University, the Eliot School of Fine and Applied Arts, the Linnaean Community School Program, and the Hitchcock Center for the Environment.
As a part of my teaching practice, I have found that the process of exhibiting student work to be beneficial to their confidence and value in the art making process. While at the Rey Center, I would like to show the student work and invite in their families, friends and the local community to view their creations. At the Warren-Prescott School, I organized an annual art show at a local artist’s group, which was a wonderful community event that celebrated young people’s creativity and connected a diverse audience. I would conclude the residency at the Rey Center with a similar community event that showcased student work alongside paintings of my own.