From the Conversations with Artists series [4]
An art teacher is an educator who specializes in teaching visual arts (like drawing, painting, sculpture, digital art) to students, fostering creativity, technical skills, art history knowledge, and self-expression through structured lessons and guidance, typically in schools, colleges, or community centers – Google
Career
- What was your line of profession before becoming an art teacher?
I worked as an Editor and Researcher for an image library in London. I then moved on to becoming an Art Director working with photographers mainly directing photo shoots for image libraries.
- What got you into said profession?
I love the creative process, got a BA(Hons)Fine Art at college and then began to specialise more in Photography, I moved back to London and began working with photographers for an image library down here.
- What led you into later becoming an art teacher?
I moved up to Birmingham and found that, at the time, there were not many opportunities in my line of work and so I began my teacher training. I had been in the creative industry since completing my BA so didn’t get into teaching until later in life, because of this I hope that I was able to bring a wealth of creative knowledge and experience into my teaching.
- Why do you think art is an important subject?
Not just art – the creative process and creative thinking is essential. No other subject gives students such a broad learning experience and allows them to challenge themselves.
Our ability to create beautiful things, to experience and feel, to be artistic and creative, are fundamental elements of human existence.
Art at school begins a journey of exploration and independence. Art allows us to question and to understand, it allows us to empathise and to react. Art is historical and contemporary, it poses questions and allows us to develop a deeper understanding of existence. It is ugly, it is beautiful, it can make us laugh and it can make us cry. It is expressive, diverse and inclusive – it helps to develop tolerance and an understanding of human nature…..
…….Or it can just be. Simple.
Opinions/Influences/Interpretations
- Do you have any favourite artists + periods in art history?
Photographer Martin Parr (who unfortunately passed away very recently).
I love editorial photography as it is such a great way to document life.
Frida Kahlo’s work is intensely personal. (Big TATE Modern exhibition this summer!)
Kehinde Whiley
Shepard Fairey
But the joy in art is that my choices change continuously depending on moods.
- Do you think the “art world” has become more or less accessible in modern time ?
Difficult because it depends on what you mean by “art world”.
Artwork has become more accessible to many due to the development of the internet and Socials – images of artwork are now shared and circulated much more, so are more accessible to all. This is great. However, “Fine Art” has never really been accessible to all – there is an ‘elite’ ‘educated’ group of individuals that consider the artworld to be theirs. I think the elitism within the art world has been lessened by the internet but it is definitely still there.
Galleries and museums have been pushing up entry fees for exhibitions hugely over the last few years and these high prices definitely put some one-to-one experiences out of reach of most of us but art exhibitions and museum entries are mostly free for under 16’s in the UK so the best time to go and experience a gallery or museum is whilst you are at school. Accessibility is also linked strongly to political policies and it depends on political parties as to how much funding ‘the arts’ gets. I do not think it matters really about private collections – they will always exist and some work will just not be accessible to all in its purest form. However, the Government can strongly influence how the public access the arts through funding, grants, etc. (or lack of them!)
- What do you think about the concept of having a private collection for art instead of them going to galleries/museums? For instance, Warhol’s Shot Sage Blue Marilyn being sold for $195 million to an unnamed billionaire back in 2022
The ‘Art World’ – Galleries, collectors, art critics etc. is and has always been about money. It is far detached from ‘reality’ and is very different to how most of us see and absorb art. It is about buying and selling, about property and wealth. Art is a commodity. The irony is that Warhol said he created his pop art pieces so that the public could ‘enjoy the experience of mass produced work’. However, even in his lifetime he was selling his work for hundreds of thousands of dollars to private buyers and collectors.
Access to galleries/museums is essential. The experience of seeing real artwork face to face, rather than on a screen or smartphone cannot be matched. The difficulty is that with social media and our digital world dominating how we see art, original ‘work’ is becoming more and more difficult and expensive to go and see ‘live’. Most students’ interaction and experience of ‘art’ is through a small digital screen. The awe and wonder of seeing real work is lost. However, the internet then becomes the largest gallery in the world.
- In a single sentence, could you answer – Is Art Inherently Political?
No – it doesn’t have to be.
- What do you think makes amazing art?
The ability to challenge the viewer and make them think.
Reflections
- What type of qualities do you think an art teacher should have?
Simply to love the creative process and the desire to pass that love and joy onto others.
It is a tool to help us all open our eyes – and in all forms it allows creativity and tolerance and needs to be inspirational.
The Artist ‘Rob and Roberta Smith’ says it all…..
- What do you think of the increased usage of AI in art and academia – can AI ever really be a friend to us?
AI is exactly the same as the internet – you get out of it what you put in. People need to be trained to be able to interact with AI in a way that benefits. Misuse is my biggest concern. AI is here to stay and will change the way that we see the world – it is all about education. As a media teacher I want my students to challenge all that they see, hear and do. Art allows us to question views and encourages empathy. AI is a tool, a ‘means to an end’ but needs to be utilised considerately. I would question whether AI could ever be truly creative because it pulls on what already exists. However, it’s a great time saving tool to support development and research.
- Recently, there’s been a lot of discourse about the status of modern/expressive art – pieces that may seem overly simple or lacking in meaning in comparison to a baroque or renaissance work – with more people claiming it’s not “real” art and that “they could easily do that themselves”- what do you say in response to that view?
That is what art is about – everyone has an opinion!
The more we talk about art, the more powerful it becomes.
- If there’s one piece of advice you would give to a budding artist, what would it be?
Clean your brushes and sharpen your pencils!! 😀
Spyder 