Hello, fellow creatives! I am a passionate life-long learner who geeks out on all things art education. My passion for it was sparked in 2009 by my art teacher at a local community college. Go, teachers! Being a type-A research nerd, I began searching for resources and came across The Art of Education. I immediately became an avid reader of the AOE blog. Throughout my undergraduate, master’s, and professional teaching journeys, I found myself continually referring back to resources from the Art of Education. They were highly relatable in a time that there was so little relevant research and supports for art educators.
In college, I began teaching art. My first gigs were teaching special needs adult art courses while also teaching at a juvenile detention center. Both were possible thanks to art grants. Two years later, I graduated with my bachelor’s in Art Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and I scored my first art teacher position within their public school district. I was ecstatic and ready to change the world! But, my rose-colored glasses became quickly tarnished. My official first year of teaching was at five different schools, teaching kindergarten and 8th-grade art while acting as an arts integration specialist. Oh, and this was part-time, so I also kept my art teaching job at the juvenile center as well. To say it was a whirlwind is a vast understatement. I learned a ton! And, my car was basically a studio storage space.
Thankfully, the following year, I began teaching high school art full-time. It was in this position, that I held for seven years, that I flourished the most. My classroom was a studio, a home-away-from-home, and I loved seeing the positive impact that art education had on student’s lives. With time, I developed a strong pull to share and learn from my colleagues. I made it a priority to attend art education conferences, collaborate with colleagues, and analyze data from my classroom. But I knew I wanted to be a change agent on a larger scale. I knew I wanted to extend the positive rippling effects of art education beyond the four walls of my classroom. I told my colleagues for years that I wanted to teach teachers, and low and behold, in 2020, I saw a posting for an adjunct faculty position at the Art of Education University. I applied and ended up switching to solely teaching for AOEU.
At home, my husband and I prioritize family time with our two kiddos and our immediate families. We love hosting small gatherings with quality company. On my own, I enjoy DIY projects, hiking, reading, yoga, coffee, swimming, and laughing with friends. I’m a “simple things in life” kind of person who loves being home or soaking up time outside.
Professional Achievements:
Faculty Emoji Award for Curriculum and Assessment writing 2021
Committee Department Chair Active 2016–2020
Advanced Placement Art and Design Training 2018
Masters in Education Learning, Teaching & Curriculum (2017)
Academic Resource Development Committee Active 2016–2017
Presentation: Missouri Art Education Association (2017)
Hello, fellow creatives! I am a passionate life-long learner who geeks out on all things art education. My passion for it was sparked in 2009 by my art teacher at a local community college. Go, teachers! Being a type-A research nerd, I began searching for resources and came across The Art of Education. I immediately became an avid reader of the AOE blog. Throughout my undergraduate, master’s, and professional teaching journeys, I found myself continually referring back to resources from the Art of Education. They were highly relatable in a time that there was so little relevant research and supports for art educators.
In college, I began teaching art. My first gigs were teaching special needs adult art courses while also teaching at a juvenile detention center. Both were possible thanks to art grants. Two years later, I graduated with my bachelor’s in Art Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and I scored my first art teacher position within their public school district. I was ecstatic and ready to change the world! But, my rose-colored glasses became quickly tarnished. My official first year of teaching was at five different schools, teaching kindergarten and 8th-grade art while acting as an arts integration specialist. Oh, and this was part-time, so I also kept my art teaching job at the juvenile center as well. To say it was a whirlwind is a vast understatement. I learned a ton! And, my car was basically a studio storage space.
Thankfully, the following year, I began teaching high school art full-time. It was in this position, that I held for seven years, that I flourished the most. My classroom was a studio, a home-away-from-home, and I loved seeing the positive impact that art education had on student’s lives. With time, I developed a strong pull to share and learn from my colleagues. I made it a priority to attend art education conferences, collaborate with colleagues, and analyze data from my classroom. But I knew I wanted to be a change agent on a larger scale. I knew I wanted to extend the positive rippling effects of art education beyond the four walls of my classroom. I told my colleagues for years that I wanted to teach teachers, and low and behold, in 2020, I saw a posting for an adjunct faculty position at the Art of Education University. I applied and ended up switching to solely teaching for AOEU.
At home, my husband and I prioritize family time with our two kiddos and our immediate families. We love hosting small gatherings with quality company. On my own, I enjoy DIY projects, hiking, reading, yoga, coffee, swimming, and laughing with friends. I’m a “simple things in life” kind of person who loves being home or soaking up time outside.
Professional Achievements:
Faculty Emoji Award for Curriculum and Assessment writing 2021
Committee Department Chair Active 2016–2020
Advanced Placement Art and Design Training 2018
Masters in Education Learning, Teaching & Curriculum (2017)
Academic Resource Development Committee Active 2016–2017
Presentation: Missouri Art Education Association (2017)
Bachelor of Science Art Education (2012)