Paper Craft: Create a Cactus (Ages 9-14)

Hi there, Outschoolers! I teach a variety of artistic and design principles to help build a foundation of skills and techniques students can apply to their creative projects. I grew up surrounded by a large family of artists, engineers, and outdoorsmen who all lent a hand in my artistic development by teaching me a multitude of skills, mediums and tools to create with. I started studying the arts as a youngster with family, at my local park districts, after-school classes, with tutors, and a lot of self-directed learning. I continued with a formal education in art and design, earning a BFA in Interactive Design. The classes I teach include drawing fundamentals, paper art/crafts, watercolor painting, illustration with paint markers, repetitive patterns and finding artistic inspiration. 

Teaching is my primary focus and has been for the past 3+ years. Marketing, Art Direction, UI/UX/Screen design, and Branding was my primary professional career for the past 16+ years working with a diverse group of clients; fortune 500 companies, lead agencies, grassroots businesses and start-ups of all rounds. However, ultimately my mind & heart always pull me back to my foundation, using my hands and visually capturing the subjects that pull at my attention all around me. I scan my handmade art digitally and use my design experience to create a composite file to make prints, clothing, tapestries, and a multitude of fun household items. The options are limitless!

I’ve had the privilege of working with children, teens and adults of all ages, both individually and in group formats, in-person as well as remotely. To me, creating art is about courageously sharing our own perspective and learning to appreciate the uniqueness of your own vision. It's easy to be critical about hands, pencils or styluses being unable to mimic exactly what we see with our eyes or what we picture in our minds. This is something we all struggle with as artists and I believe in creating a caring environment where everyone’s contribution is valued and ideally shared with a joyful sense of accomplishment.  

Much of my inspiration comes from venturing out on nature paths and bringing my sketch pad or camera to take snaps of the plants, birds and insects I meet along the way. Fashion and design are also a big inspiration and I often use my illustrations to create pattern designs for fabric and other objects. I appreciate and encourage student contributions in the form of sharing their creative inspirations. It’s important for all of us to broaden our awareness and experience what inspires others around us and hopefully learn something new from each other along the way.