In many ways, COVID and weather have combined to make teaching more challenging. On the other hand, it has forced many of us to sit at home, stuck inside due to school closures. If you have extra time on your hands, if you need to take a mental break from grading, or if you need some inspiration, we have you covered!
On alternating Monday afternoons, Sarah Krajewski hosts an IG Live on Instagram where she has candid chats with fellow art educators and visual artists. Whatever exciting guest she has on, she focuses on how we can bridge the art world with art education in new and relevant ways. You are guaranteed to walk away with tips, wisdom, and encouragement that you can direct back into your practice and classroom.
Life can be busy! If you missed some of our latest chats, here are five that you should go back and catch now.
1. Lauren Dillinger
On the Path to Becoming an Art Teacher
Lauren Dillinger is a current art education undergrad at the University of Wisconsin Stout where she is concentrating on painting. Get a glimpse into what it takes to become an art teacher today and how COVID has impacted her journey, training, and opportunities. Lauren motivates us to keep pushing forward with why she is pursuing this career. Throughout the chat, Sarah and Lauren discuss advice from veteran art teachers and celebrate small wins!
You can watch the IG Live here and get further first-year art teacher resources here. Follow Lauren on Instagram @ldillinger_art.
2. Ekow Nimako
Building Understanding Brick by Brick
Ekow Nimako is a LEGO sculptor who exhibits his work and leads workshops. Ekow’s creations are epic because they only use black bricks. His work and very limited color palette explore racial identity and what it means to be “unmistakably black.” Sarah and Ekow discuss creative constraints, art versus hobby building, and how to stretch our curriculums so that art can “stick to” and represent all students.
You can watch the IG Live here. Follow Ekow on Instagram @ekownimako.
3. Angelica Trimble Yanu
Between Two Worlds
Angelica Trimble Yanu pulls from her Oglála Lakȟóta Nation roots to compose her monotype prints and paper sculptures. Angelica explains how she fuses her traditional indigenous processes and materials with contemporary ones to achieve “integrity.” Join Sarah and Angelica as they dive into topics such as how to avoid cultural appropriation in the art room, the value of experimentation, and a “freeform” approach to artmaking.
You can watch the IG Live here. Follow Angelica on Instagram @angelicayanu.
4. Danny Bryant
Finding Joy and Humor in Art
Danny Bryant is an elementary art teacher who is passionate about “finding funny in the ugly” to boost morale. Danny discovered his love for creating and sharing hilarious videos during the pandemic. It created instant laughs with both his colleagues and his students! Pop into this archived episode for candid conversations on joy as a lifestyle, being able to laugh at yourself, daring to be different, and how the changing art landscape impacts our art classrooms.
You can watch the IG Live here and listen to the corresponding podcast here. Follow Danny on Instagram @virtual_art_adventures.
5. Joel Scholten
Going on an Art Room Tour
Joel Scholten is an art teacher who has a ton of innovative ideas for classroom management in the art room! It’s fascinating to see how other art teachers arrange and run their rooms. Join Sarah and Joel as they walk around his classroom, and Joel guides us through his daily routine and room setup. He also outlines his classroom management game called Art Stars and shares hacks like using paper scraps as disposable paint palettes. And for those of you on a cart, Joel also has tips for you too!
You can watch the IG Live here. Follow Joel on Instagram @scholtenart.
These are just five out of many, many more awesome chats over on Instagram. While it is so easy to scroll the archives for IG Lives to catch up on, it is even better to attend them when they are live, every other Monday at around 5 pm CT. Sarah and our special guests love to receive questions and comments in real-time for a truly interactive experience. Be sure to follow @theartofed so you don’t miss out on future IG Lives, freebies, giveaways, announcements, and more!
Who was your favorite recent guest on IG Live?
What art teacher friend can you share an IG Live chat with?
Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.
Article 
