Start Here: The Teacher In Me
I am a visual art teacher and artist based in Charleston, South Carolina. My teaching career began in 1998 with my first full-time position in Brookline, MA, where I taught visual art to students in grades 1–8, and I loved it. My husband’s job brought us to Charleston in 2003, and we’ve been here ever since.
Over the past 27 years, I’ve taught visual art to learners of all ages, elementary, middle, high school, college students, and senior citizens in both public and private schools. The last eight years have been a transformative journey into student-centered teaching through TAB, and the last four years have deepened that work as an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme teacher.
I earned my MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts in 2009 from Goddard College’s self-designed graduate program. My degree combines educational philosophy with interdisciplinary art practices.
I’m now at a point in my career where I want to give back, share what I’ve learned, and connect with fellow art nerds. It is my goal to keep the majority of this content free, so click the ‘Free’ button that Substack prompts you with.
I plan to post about once every few weeks. Thanks for following along!
“Creativity is something you are, not something you do.” -Rick Rubin
Through a series of letters, you will find:
Shared, free resources for teaching and making art
Ponderings on creativity
Teaching tips within a student-centered choice-based studio for kindergarten through sixth grade.
A look at what I am creating in my studio and what inspires me.
Classroom design that sets students up to explore their own “voice” as creators.
Scope & Sequence of when to introduce art skills and materials at various grades
Artists I am interested in and which ones I share with students (very few dead white dudes)
Advocating for the arts within schools with administrations, colleagues, and parents.
How I feel about art competitions (spoiler alert… I don’t like them)
Strategies for documenting children’s thinking
Information for parents: how to talk to your child about their art, setting up a mini-studio at home, and more.
A Little About Me
I grew up in Wheaton, Illinois, just outside Chicago, and I still proudly embrace my Midwestern roots with a love for cheese, beer, and sports. Growing up in the ‘80s instilled in me a tough, independent spirit and a deep appreciation for the outdoors. I often overestimate my physical abilities by diving into various outdoor adventures, which usually end up being quite humorous.
I married my high school sweetheart, and we’ve been happily together for decades. We have two amazing sons in their early 20s who are embarking on their adult lives, one as a pilot and the other as an aspiring police officer. It’s awesome to watch children become who they want to be.
We adopted a retired greyhound named Obi, who is an expert napper and has no interest in running. Living in the Lowcountry of Charleston, South Carolina, for the past 20 years has been a continual source of inspiration, thanks to the endless, breathtaking landscapes that surround me.
From Left to Right:
Corny picture of me on Book Character Day at school during the book fair in 2024. I was Goldbug from Richard Scarry’s Book “Cars and Trucks and Things That Go”. A book obsession of our boys when they were young. “Where is Goldbug??”
I played roller derby 2011-14! This picture is either a super cool move like “jumping the apex” or me about to fall on my face after getting hip checked through the air.
A classic example of overestimating my physical abilities. This is my husband and I in Wyoming, wanting some “adventure” only to go on a grueling 25-mile bike ride over rough rock trails, uphill, chased by bison with very little water and food while riding in jeans. 1994 stupidity or bravery?
