As a photographer, it is important for me to see the world as a complex piece of art. Because the world is driven by images from visual culture, it is essential to respond to such forms of communication with a well-honed, critical eye. This analysis is one of many fundamental skills I hope to imbue my students with. This will enable them to understand and articulate a complexity of artistic motivations and concepts.
I see teaching as a necessary mirror, which allows me to learn while allowing students to build fundamental aptitude. By continually discovering and interpreting together, my students and I can incorporate a real-world context in the creative process, including historical interpretations and modern production. With a degree in Art History to buttress my BFA in Studio Art, I try to introduce motivation in interdisciplinary involvement that can engage multiple mediums and a dialogue between different thought processes and critical theory. I am constantly grateful to be able to teach a subject matter that can be both hands-on, and intellectually conceptual.
Most importantly, I hope to guide students through understanding photographic methods and opportunities to further their creative learning. My goal is to have digital and analog photographic proficiency be appreciated by students in and out of the artistic field. I also wish to help the students analyze potential markets for their work, including submissions and exhibitions. Image production and printing abilities should be strengthened by artist literacy and entrepreneurship. I believe risk-taking and pushing students out of their ‘comfort zones’ enables them to maintain an open-minded creative process with successful results. As a teacher, I do not see myself as a fountain of knowledge, but rather an explorer and an advocate along a journey of curiosity, discipline, and enjoyment.