Visual Artist and Educator
As a Foundation Drawing instructor, my teaching philosophy centers on fostering technical skill development alongside personal exploration. I believe that the fundamentals of drawing—observational skills, perspective, proportion, and line quality—form a vital foundation for any artistic pursuit. In my classroom, students engage deeply with these principles through a structured approach, drawing from life and experimenting with various materials such as pencils, charcoal, and conte. This foundation allows students to develop confidence in their skills while cultivating a nuanced understanding of how these elements interact to create impactful art.
Drawing is also an expressive tool, and I emphasize exploration as students build on core skills. My goal is to guide students in balancing technical precision with personal voice, encouraging experimentation and creative risk-taking. I introduce exercises that blend realism with abstraction, challenging students to push boundaries and discover new approaches to visual storytelling. In doing so, students not only learn to master technique but also to see drawing as a means of self-expression and discovery.
Ultimately, my teaching philosophy is about equipping students with both the technical and creative skills they need to pursue their own artistic paths. In cultivating an open, supportive environment, I encourage students to develop confidence in their abilities and a lasting appreciation for the art of drawing.
Empowering Student Growth Through Personalized, Visual Feedback in Online Art Education
In my online Foundation Drawing course, I use a structured critique approach that’s tailored to meet the needs of first-year students who might be unfamiliar with receiving detailed feedback remotely. One of the key elements is the use of visual annotations directly on their work. For example, I overlay lines, grids, and highlights to show exactly where adjustments are needed, such as correcting perspective or refining proportions. This visual component makes it much easier for students to understand my feedback without the benefit of an in-person demonstration.I always aim for balanced feedback, starting with what the student did well to build their confidence. Then I follow up with specific, actionable suggestions for improvement, like deepening shadows for better depth or adjusting angles for more accurate representation. It’s not just about pointing out what needs fixing but giving them clear steps on how to tackle it. The goal is to make the critique constructive and educational, rather than just evaluative.What’s really helpful is that students can keep these annotated critiques as a reference for future projects. It’s like having a personalized guide they can revisit, which supports their ongoing learning and helps them track their progress. This method has been particularly effective in an online setting because it compensates for the lack of face-to-face interaction, ensuring that students still receive comprehensive, easy-to-follow feedback that they can put into practice right away.
Student Work
