Art Class Curator

Today, I’m excited to try a brand new type of episode where I have art conversations with other people and talk about favorite pieces of art, personal connections to art, and what drew us to the world of art. For my first guest, I’ve brought on one of my best friends for the last 10+ years, organizer for all things at Art Class Curator and brilliant writer Madalyn Gregory. In this episode, she’s chosen to discuss Death and Life by Gustav Klimt, an artwork that stopped her in her tracks when she saw it in person in Vienna during one of our curator trips. 3:09​ – What it felt like for Madalyn seeing the artwork for the first time 6:13 – Describing what Gustav Klimt’s Death and Life looks like 9:34 – The many observations we had while interpreting Death and Life 15:04 – Possible meanings and symbolism behind the skin tone used 24:20 – The loneliness and personality of Death 30:44 – An important lesson for art teachers to realize about their students 32:45 – Why we connected with Death and Life and the messages i

Today’s a different kind of episode. I had an idea recently and wanted to experiment with something new... I went back to the Dallas Museum of Art to revisit Nauline Pierre’s exhibit. Why? I want to look at the same artwork again and again to see what new lessons I get out of it and how the artwork grows and changes as I grow and change. And I want you along for the ride to see what that looks like in practice. I’m not just recalling my experience but also giving you a true taste of it in the immediate aftermath. So in this episode, I’ve captured my fresh thoughts and perspectives on Pierre’s exhibit, from the comfort of my car outside the museum.  5:59 - Describing the next painting in the story of the falling woman, Power Within 9:14 - Why one particular angel in this artwork resonated with me so much 12:28 - Describing Pierre’s Hereafter, Ye Shall Be Changed and the storyline I see within it 14:49 - How this painting reflects my own life right now 19:01 - New insights gained, a couple of days later 23:52 -

Last week, Madalyn and I geeked out over Naudline Pierre’s art exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art. It blew us away so much that we ended up talking for an hour and a half about our experience there. In part two of our discussion, we wrap up our thoughts on Lest You Fall and move on to Pierre’s Hold On, Hold Tight featuring more angels, nude figures, and clashing colors. 1:20​ - The different energy vibes given off by the angels in Lest You Fall 5:10 - Why the Bible quote similar to the artwork’s title triggers me 10:43 - Describing Pierre’s Hold On, Hold Tight oil on canvas painting 14:03 - What the fetal position of the main character could symbolize 18:42 - The personal reason behind why Madalyn feels drawn to this work of art 21:27 - Possible interpretations for the depiction of two angels who seem a bit removed from the action 26:22 - Why this exhibit made me want to go home and paint afterward 31:14 - Being expansive, multiple, contradictory, and living in the fullness of possibility Mentioned in the Sh

Madalyn’s back on the podcast to discuss a favorite subject of ours: art! This time we talk about a Naudline Pierre artwork exhibit we just happened upon in Dallas recently. Our conversation ran well past the hour mark, so I’ve broken it up into two parts. In this part one episode, we discuss Pierre’s Lest You Fall oil on canvas painting and all the feelings and imagery it evoked within us. 5:46​ - Madalyn tries to describe what she saw when walking into the exhibit 8:53 - How Pierre’s work reminds me of a Baroque painting 13:29 - Discussing Pierre’s Lest You Fall, featuring a falling nude person 18:41 - My back-and-forth feelings on the winged creatures in the artwork 22:21 - The ability to see your identity reflected in art mediums 26:06 - Possible duality in the bird’s actions in the painting 31:31 - Life, faith, and the universal experience that draws us to these images 41:32 - Reflecting on what the figure could be falling towards and how that translates to life Mentioned in the Show: More Wonder, Please

Today’s episode features a great interview that really illustrates the power of art connection. I talk with Olivia Ollis, an art teacher of over 30 years living in rural North Carolina. Her experience over the last year has deepened her personal connection to works of art and helped her discover new things about herself in the process. She discusses her health obstacles recently and the museum program that’s helping her through it. 6:52 - Why Olivia wanted to teach art and how she got into the field 8:06 - A program at her local museum that’s helping Olivia through endometrial cancer 13:34 - Surprising things Olivia has learned about herself since starting the program 19:56 - How Olivia’s relationship with art will change going forward 21:30 - The wonderful ways in which art has helped Olivia through her healing process 23:11 - The most powerful artwork in Olivia’s life right now Transcript at https://artclasscurator.com/90-enhance-your-health-with-art/

I live for being in the same space with the artwork, visiting art museums and spending time in them with fellow enthusiasts. The Art Class Curator summer workshop where I get to do just that is probably my favorite thing every year. It lights up my soul and gives me the most energy and excitement for the work I do. This past summer’s workshop felt like the best ever, and I want to make it even better next year. So today, I’ve got Madalyn Gregory with me again to discuss our experiences there and tell you how you can join us on this fabulous ride in 2022. 1:37​ - The origins of the workshop 5:28 - Where the workshop will be held in the summer of 2022 8:31 - The new activity on the first day of the workshop this year that had everyone buzzing 14:27 - Art activities that stood out the most to us 20:04 - A magical art discovery we made on the second day of the workshop 26:05 - How we dialed in on personal art connection for the rest of the day 30:34 - Revealing some personal connections made from the experience 3

Are you really engaged with the artwork when you walk into an art museum? Or are you too busy thinking about what you know about the art and artist? Perhaps you’ve even noticed other people reciting facts and background on a piece of art to whomever they’ve brought along. When I was younger, I was that person. I’d be all about the artist’s life, the colors and brush strokes used, the behind-the-scenes story I knew, and on and on. We art teachers know a lot of stuff. We’ve taken art history classes and engage students in all sorts of ways. So when we go into a museum, we can fall into this way of engaging quite easily and automatically. In this episode, I talk about one of the most meaningful things for me when it comes to works of art, the emotional connection, and how knowing too much history can get in the way of it. 3:15​ -Why I decided to study art education instead of art history 8:39 - An excerpt from my essay about a Picasso painting that knocked me off my feet 11:03 - The magic that happened when I lo

I’ve noticed that the excitement and energy that comes with teaching wasn’t really there at the beginning of this school year. And if you’re one who struggles with anxiety or high-sensitivity, teaching these days is harder than ever. Today’s episode is a re-release for both new listeners and old ones who’ve forgotten or missed out on this one the first time around. It involves one of my favorite conversations and is highly relevant to the trauma and stress educators are facing in the world right now. In it, I interview two highly-sensitive teachers, Monica Wright and Amber Jordan, and we talk about how we handle our anxiety and sensitivity in the classroom. By the end of the show, I hope you find some nuggets of wisdom for your use or, at the very least, feel less lonely in your struggle. 2:59​ - Monica and Amber introduce themselves briefly 7:37 - What it’s been like for me as an introverted, socially anxious person 9:01 - What it really means to be a highly-sensitive person 10:02 - Amber’s #1 management too

When you’re a kid into art, it’s hard to imagine doing that and getting paid for it like a job. (We all know that old adage about starving artists). This is possibly even more true for those who like writing poetry. You don’t often hear about professional poets. Well, today’s an exception. My guest Glenis Redmond is an award-winning, professional poet, and teaching artist. In this episode, she talks about being drawn to poetry from an early age, her biggest inspiration for diving into a poetry career, and how she approaches teaching poetry in workshops and the classroom. I hope you love this conversation as much as I did! 2:49​ - How Glenis made the transition from counselor to professional poet artist 8:25 - The discipline of being an artist and how dialing in on your desire affects other people 10:16 - Why Glenis decided to start teaching poetry 14:22 - The intangible objective to working with teachers and students on poetry 16:23 - The keys to getting students to go deep and share their vulnerability throu

After graduate school, I worked at an art non-profit called Big Thought. While I was there, my podcast guest today Eric Booth was a consultant who went high up in the company straight out of college. He did a lot of staff development training and programs for the non-profit. This episode represents a full circle moment for me as I thrill at reconnecting with him! In it, he and I talk about his path as a teaching artist and the connection between art and spirituality, a topic we both care about tremendously. 3:16 - Eric talks about his transition from Broadway actor to teaching artist 6:36 - How the teaching artist field has changed and the effects of the pandemic on the industry 12:18 - Two ways to bring a teaching artist into your classroom 15:38 - Eric describes what a good teaching artist partnership looks like 21:03 - The single best sentence Eric ever wrote, the idea behind it, and the companion book it eventually created 24:51 - How I recently made my own art and spirituality connection 27:52 - Paying a

Over the last few months, I’ve really been exploring what really lights me up in my work. While helping teachers bring the joy of personal art connection to their students has been wonderful, I also know that I want to teach again and be in conversations about art rather than just helping others facilitate them. To that end, I’m offering a new program on November 8 that’s not just for teachers, it’s for anybody. As a precursor to this, I did an interview with a friend and colleague of mine, Lisa Carpenter, on her podcast called Full Frontal Living. I’ve known her for several years and after the interview, I realized that I really wanted to share this conversation with you too. So in this episode, Lisa interviews me about making personal connections with art as a tool for self care and healing. I also share a bit about the upcoming program, Art Connection Circle, and walk her through an interpretation exercise of Miquel Barceló’s art, Sopa d’Europa. 4:44​ - I discuss my deeply emotional connection with art 8:2

Some pieces of art just make you uncomfortable. Maybe it’s a movie or scene that hits too close to home, or a book about a particularly violent event (real or fictional) that makes you squirm... or a painting that brings up regrets or painful memories. For Madalyn Gregory and myself, Marcos Raya’s 2000 painting The Anguish of Being and the Nothingness of the Universe made us feel ill at ease. So of course we had to discuss it! I’m excited to welcome Madalyn back on the show to talk about art. In this episode, we describe and interpret Raya’s piece, making personal connections along the way that surprised even me. 1:14​ - A description of Raya’s self-portrait 6:13 - Our initial reactions to the artwork and the various connections we see in the details 10:30 - How the painting puts the mundane of day-to-day life in perspective 13:37 - How Raya’s work reflects the messiness and complexity of life and space 17:46 - Madalyn shares an interpersonal interpretation of the throat area’s depiction 19:44 - The contrast

I am so excited about today’s guest! Today, I talked to Mario Rossero, the Executive Director of the National Arts Education Association (NAEA). He had an exciting journey as an art teacher before joining the NAEA in January 2020, just before the world exploded. In this episode, we discuss his journey and experiences, but, most importantly, we discuss the direction of the NAEA and its priority as an organization.  02:08 - Mario talks about himself, his background, how he got into art education, his experience coordinating curriculum building for arts education, and teaching leadership through arts. 05:09 - Finding a role in art supervision and administration. 09:47 - Coordinating an arts program at the Central Office. 11:38 - Mario’s experience working in Chicago. 18:02 - Mario talks about his work with neighborhood art communities as the vice president for education at Kennedy Center. 20:55 -  How Mario got into the NAEA. 23:20 - The biggest challenge in art education. 27:55 - How strategy and welcoming deci

* This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases and will be awarded a small commission at no extra cost to you in the event of a sale. * Positive moments in the classroom don’t just spring up out of nowhere. A well-run classroom makes teaching and learning fun for you and your students... something Michael Linsin has spent years studying, practicing, and offering in his guides on his website.  Michael was one of my first interviews on the podcast. It’s among my favorites, and I want to share it again. So in this re-released episode, he offers his amazing tips and insights on best practices for effective classroom management planning and forming relationships with your students, with a special focus on art classrooms. 2:19​ - Michael’s #1 tip for being a fun and effective teacher 4:56 - What makes a good classroom management plan and why consequences really don’t matter 7:17 - The most effective way to teach your students the classroom rules 10:30 - How art teache

Guess who I have on as my guest today! Long-time listeners know that I love the Harry Potter and the Sacred Text podcast. One of the co-hosts, Vanessa Zoltan, has similar views about connecting with literature as I do with artwork. In this episode, she and I discuss her book Praying with Jane Eyre and how to use sacred text (or sacred art) as a tool to help you deal with some of life’s problems, do good in the world, and become a better person in the process. 2:24​ - Vanessa briefs us on her background in education and chaplaincy 4:46 - Vanessa explains why she loves Jane Eyre so much 8:15 - What it means for something to be sacred, according to Vanessa 10:22 - Exploring the idea of how treating text as sacred leads to treating your neighbor as sacred 16:35 - The gift Vanessa recently received while reading Jane Eyre that we can all heed 19:25 - A brief description of Vanessa’s book and why her chapter on destiny shook me so much 21:27 - How a recent controversy involving JK Rowling tested people’s capacity t

The percentage of U.S. students who graduate from high school has never been higher in our history. But have schools ever been structured, resourced, or intended to educate everybody’s child? During Jeffrey Benson’s time as a teacher, mentor, and administrator for over 40 years, he worked with neglected, abused, traumatized, and autistic students who struggled with mainstream education. He now focuses on helping schools be more successful with more students through a better understanding of how people learn. In this episode, he and I discuss social-emotional learning and how to use it to improve your lesson planning and boost your students’ engagement for greater success. 2:21​ - Jeffrey’s background and the unorthodox way his imagination helped him make lesson plans 7:18 - Exploring the meaningful question from Jeffrey’s webinar that I loved 11:26 - How Jeffrey defines social-emotional learning and its main characteristics 16:06 - So many examples of how Jeffrey would incorporate SEL into an art lesson 29:43

We sometimes talk about using art to make a difference. And while some may be cynical about that claim, my guest today isn’t one of them. Dani Coke has an incredible story to share about how her art went viral overnight, made a difference, and really changed her life, and she explains her artistic process. As you listen to her describe her journey, you’ll get chills at the power of her art, just like I did! 2:01​ - Dani briefly explains her history as a lover of art and creativity 5:56 - Dani reveals the events behind her art going viral on social media 11:45 - Dealing with the duality of personal, empowering success under awful circumstances 16:34 - COVID and Asian hate as an example of Dani’s process for creating art with a message 20:42 - How Dani manages to avoid dealing with people nitpicking her over semantics 25:07 - The teacher with an assumption about Dani that almost put her off the art path for good 30:01 - The chorus teacher who encouraged Dani on her creative journey 32:48 - Advice for teachers w

In the wake of the pandemic last year, I recorded a conference, Called to Art, that brought together educators from across the U.S. It was an amazing experience where I used real-world examples of myself to discuss what we learn from looking at art, how we can become emotionally connected to particular pieces of art, and why you should show more works of art to your students. It was all about discovering and rediscovering the emotional power of art, and I want to share that presentation with you in today’s show. 3:50​ - How I developed my deep connection to art 10:36 - Why I switched from art history to art education 14:02 - A question to think about as you listen to the rest of the episode 16:02 - What you get out of art when you really slow down and look at it 20:36 - Embracing uncertainty and answers within through artwork 23:47 - The surprising amount of emotional fluency of the average person 29:37 - An exercise to discover your emotional connections with art 36:25 - Examples of my powerful, personal con

The 20th anniversary of 9/11 is right around the corner. So many people, including your students, weren’t alive when it happened. That’s shocking when you think about it because of how it changed our world practically overnight and still influences current events. So in this episode, I want to use the 9/11 Memorial artwork as a case study for bringing past (and present) events into the classroom and using art to process, reflect, practice empathy, and better understand complex issues. 4:57​ - How the 9/11 monument lesson inspired one particularly creative junior high student 8:59 - How art serves as a way for students to experience history, past and present 13:12 - A description of the memorial, who created it, and what it feels like to view it in person 20:10 - One of the lesson activities provided for the monument and other activity ideas 23:01 - Various ways you can apply this lesson (and others available in the Library) to your classroom 26:01 - How incorporating lessons like this can help you in other wa

Imagine that you’ve never experienced a whole lot of grief before. Then something devastating happens to you and leads to something beautiful. It happened to my guest today, Beryl Young. I’ve known her for several years, ever since I first started Art Class Curator at a blogger conference. Before working with teachers and schools on photography curriculum, she taught kindergarteners and 1st graders for 10 years. Listen as she shares the powerful story of how she started her photography business and how it’s evolved. 2:54​ - The painful incident that triggered Beryl's transition from photography hobbyist to entrepreneur 9:29 - How Beryl taught herself photography and what inspired her to create her first class 13:21 - How the pandemic served as a huge catalyst for Beryl to shift her business 21:04 - An overview of Beryl’s approach to the teentography curriculum 26:16 - Why Beryl focuses on making photography as accessible as possible 31:37 - Beryl discusses her teentography and kidtography kits 36:01 - The pla