Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy centers on students constructing their own visual language, understanding the nature and importance of their voice in relationship to the complex world outside of the classroom. As I reflect upon my academic career and how I construct knowledge and voice, it is clear my practice has been greatly influenced by an inter-tribal community, Indigenous cosmology, and alternative educational programs focused on family as well as individual student learning styles and experiences. These larger social formats of creating knowledge have been expanded in the communal learning space of art studios and labs and I favor teaching through example, verbal explanations of process, visual presentations of art historical examples, and hands on demonstrations. I learned the most through inter-tribal creation stories and epistemology that teach a holistic approach to learning and pedagogy as well as through course work aimed at imagining an emergence of postcoloniality. Much of my education happened outside of the classroom/studio and in Indigenous ceremony and talking circles. Growing up in these ways taught me the importance of visceral experiences that are led by example, which is stamped firm in my approach towards pedagogy. I do not claim to be beholden of any answers, my only aim is to empower others to critically develop thinking skills needed to make choices, visual and written, that share and express their ideas and individual social locations best. I want the students I work with to experience the process of expanding ideas, identities, and artistic expression through learning the imperative foundations rooted in visual art and design basics like: composition, drawing, grey scale, and color theory. My objective is for each person to have a stronger sense of themselves and what they want to say as innovative human beings in this world. I became a teacher naturally, in Indigenous communities apart of taking responsibility for your people is through leading by example. Some visceral learning methodologies I employ in the classroom include bringing in guest speakers, field trips to local art museums and galleries, shared drawing exercises, and interactive talking circles that function as critiques. These examples provide multiple modalities of learning and interaction for the students building relationships and a sense of trust and community in the classroom that I think strengthens the quality of art making, retention of processes learned, and the verbal aspect of sharing, expressing, and critical thinking.