My teaching philosophy focuses around positive encouragement, independence, and individuality. I always tell my students that in art there are no "wrong" answers, just different ones, because artists, all have our own ideas and methods about making and creating. As a teacher I view myself as a resource and guide for students, to help them tap into their own special creative space. I strongly encourage independence and individuality so that students gain confidence to pursue their own creative endeavors outside of the classroom environment.
I use much of this philosophy with in my own art. I have resources to work from and with, but my challenge is how can I create or recreate it in my "own" way. The medium I prefer is paint because I can manipulate it in so many ways and it is so forgiving. I lean towards landscape and portraiture for subject matter because of the complexity of emotion and beauty I find in each.
My love for art started as early as elementary school and my passion for the visual arts has continued to grown ever since. My passion and love for teaching started when I was in high school with my own art teacher whom I adored because of her love for teaching and passion for art.
While attending Ohio Wesleyan University I was a dual major in psychology and visual art. I had a thirst to try to figure out how the human mind interacts with our visual world. How could I recreate what our minds see on canvas? I then discovered the computer and pursed a career in graphic design. Although, a major part of me was missing teaching. I then went to the University of Maryland to obtain my M. Ed. in visual arts. Since then I have been teaching for 10 years in the public schools. When I am not teaching I have been involved in mural based projects and private lessons.