Kick off the NOW Conference with an evening of artmaking, community, games, and prizes!
A full day of engaging learning from our keynote speaker and presenters.
Learn at your own pace, on your own time, with topics that are most relevant for you and your classroom.
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January 31 • 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Central Time
Games, Prizes, and Giveaways with Your Art Teacher Community!
Choice of Artmaking Breakout Rooms
Sponsored by
Hosted by: Ruth Byrne
Friedrich Froebel was a pioneer in early childhood education in the 1840s. Join Ruth to learn more about his fascinating child-centric approach to teaching and create an artwork that explores his ideas. With a focus on shape, pattern, creativity, and fine motor skills, this activity will be a hit to bring back to your classroom!
Hosted by: Andrea Slusarski
Do you want to make more art but need help figuring out where to start? Enter creativity prompts! Join Andrea to learn how to reinvigorate your practice with simple drawing and painting materials. Then, encourage your students to do the same!
10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Central Time
Note: Presentations and times are subject to change
Joel Scholten — Creating a Dream Drawing
Alicia Ferrell — Innovative Strategies for Leveling Up Your Lessons
Don Masse — Powerful Advocacy Ideas for Your Art Program
Elementary
Ruth Byrne — Using Johari Windows to Analyze Artwork and Prompt Inventive Artmaking
Catie Nasser — Creating Analog Vintage Video Games
Yvonne Lopez Taylor — Developing Literacy in the Art Classroom
Secondary
Melinda Moen & Wendy Kubiak — Creating Reduction Prints: A Step-by-Step Guide
Janell Matas — Moving Students Beyond the Sketch: Critical Thinking and Planning for All Media
Janet Taylor — Bringing Student Voice Into Every Step of the Process
Roundtable — Developing Creative Confidence in Ourselves and Our Students
Chris Hodge — The Importance of Boredom in The Art Room
Jen Leban & Todd Leban — How Artificial Intelligence is Affecting Art Education
Carrie Mae Weems — Telling Stories with the Power of Art
Jenn Russell — Creating a More Welcoming Classroom Culture
Abby Houston — How to Develop a Thriving Sketchbook Practice
Kyle Wood — Quick Wins: 6 Easy and Impactful Lessons for Every Classroom
Lindsey Bailey — Incorporating Technology to Enhance Hands-On Artmaking
Access all presentations and resources on-demand for a year with the NOW After Pass.
Conference Kickoff
Our 2025 Winter NOW Kickoff will have two different artmaking opportunities—one for elementary teachers, and another for secondary! Whether you want to do some drawing, some painting, or a little of each, these open-ended lessons give you a chance to create for yourself and discover some new ideas for your classroom.
The Main Event
In the Main Event, we will have two more chances to create. Joel Scholten will start the day with a Dream Drawings lesson from AOEU’s FLEX Curriculum. You can gather your watercolor and drawing materials and be ready to work as you listen and learn from presenters throughout the day. In the afternoon, presenters will share artmaking prompts and ideas for your sketchbook that can keep your creativity flourishing all day!
The NOW Conference is hosted using Zoom. Use the links at the top of the page to join using any desktop web browser and a good wi-fi connection. If you are joining the conference from a mobile device, you must download and join through the Zoom mobile app.
