Arts Education Portfolio
As a working illustrator, I am passionate about drawing skills including line-work; concepting and connecting; planning and design; visual communication; and the depth of the process that leads to creating an artwork. As an educator, I bring those passions and enthusiasm for the creative process into the classroom. While my passion is illustration, I teach a wide variety of art forms.
My primary goal for my students is to help them think like an artist, no matter what they go on to accomplish in their lives.
Blacklight Student Art Galleries
Under the Sea: 2026 SY
Out of this World: 2025 SY
Each year, students get to display their work for a school-wide art show. Featured across two evenings split between K-2 & 3-5. For the '25 school year I hosted our school's first blacklight art show. The '25 school year theme was an 'Outer Space' theme. The '26 school year was 'Under the Sea' themed. All 430+ students had at least one artwork in the show.
Student Work Displays
I regularly display student artwork in various locations around the school. This includes bulletin boards, 3D displays, district-wide art displays, parent-shows, and more.
Student Project & Lesson Example
Grades 3-5
Student lessons always begin with lesson planning and unit planning written by myself and utilizing a variety of resources. I try to be very thoughtful in backwards planning and creating scaffolding for a variety of student learning.
The lessons are typically structured as so:
-A warm-up designed to help students learn, practice, and use vocabulary; reflect personally and through group discussions about the artwork; and draw a focus to visual communication and storytelling.
-Lesson slides for each week of lesson building and built in studio days.
-Classroom gallery walks and display preparation.
Examples shown: Overview Lesson Plan for Unit, Student Warm-Up, Unit Slides, Final Artwork Display
This particular unit lesson tied to an IB (International Baccalaureate) Unit on bodies of water and pollution the 5th grade was studying. I had students begin with an understanding a current world issue revolving around all bodies of water: pollution. Students were then tasked with researching and choosing a body of water to focus their study on. We then explored the history of Ming vases as an art form as well as the symbolism of dragons in ancient art history and their frequent connections to water. Students were then challenged to turn a dragon into the shape of their chosen body of water as part of their design on their Ming Vase creation. When their final artwork was completed, students wrote an artist statement revolving around their research about bodies of water and preservation.
Student Project & Lesson Example
Grades K-2
With K-2, the lessons are differentiated for their ages. Typically, the lessons are structured as so:
-A warm-up/introduction featuring a video or book reading that revolves around concepts we will be discussing or practicing with. This is used as an introduction to vocabulary; a chance for students to reflect personally and through group discussions about the artwork and story; and draw a focus to visual communication.
-Lesson slides for each week of lesson building and built in studio days.
-Classroom gallery walks and display preparation when artwork is completed.
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Additional Certifications and Experience
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CAWS (California Association of IB World Schools) IB Conference, PYP The Role of The Arts, Category 3
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IBA Blended Workshop, Making the PYP Happen: Implementing Agency - Category 1
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ISU Additional Education Graduate Credits
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Art of Education PD Certificates, Various Classes