JESSICA F.

Experience Summary

I served as a Teaching Associate at Cal State Fullerton from 2009-2010. During that time I gained valuable skills leading undergraduate students in courses of Painting and Life Drawing. During my teaching term there I successfully wrote the curriculum for every course, including foundational technical methods with modern concepts, with a variety of media. In my Life Drawing classes, students were taught core traditional methods, ranging from Anatomy, 8-head-high figure measurement to Composition and light and shadow shapes. My classes included elements that created a well-rounded educational experience. My students ranged from Advanced Art students to Beginning non-art majors. My classes included organized field trips, gallery and museum visits. I encouraged my students to explore their city and their arts community. I believe it is imperative while teaching to encourage and help each student develop their own voice artistically, through one-on-one attention, group critiques, and course assignments that help strengthen their individual vocabulary as an artist.

Teaching Style

My focus is for my students to acquire a sound understanding of the fundamentals of drawing and painting and to become grounded in their unique abilities and concepts. I want students to gain proficiency in traditional techniques and contemporary concepts and to become confident in their unique styles. While being exposed to art from the past and present, my hope is to stir a passion that will propel their careers and inspire them for years. A constant in my teaching is one-on-one instruction. Class demonstrations and lectures are essential: however, I find my greatest impact is an emphasis on individual instruction with each student. In the diverse classroom dynamics of Cal State Fullerton, each student has a distinct story-with art majors, non-art majors, and varied genders, races and ages. Some students have had years of art education or practice, many are novice artists. The professors that impacted my life were hardworking, kind, knowledgeable, and honest. Those who asked questions and were interested in me as a student, artist and individual, became my mentors. When writing my curriculum for my courses and when communicating with students, my hope is to execute aspects that encouraged and inspired me as a student. Consequently, I acknowledge my duty as a teacher, is to get to know each student’s strengths and their weaknesses. Having a sense of humor helps break the ice and establish trust in student and teacher interactions. When creating coursework, I endeavor to balance fun and unique assignments with traditional approaches. That includes taking classes to the zoo to sketch animals, and having students dress up on Halloween to paint each other’s portraits. Students get excited about the freedom found in creating art and that enhances camaraderie between students. In critiquing students, I highlight their successes and strengths, and identify ways to improve. The professors I have respected and challenged me were honest and transparent in their opinions, yet were diligent to express approval that kept me enlivened and focused. During group critiques I want the entire class to participate. I make it known that their grade is partly based upon their involvement, and I usually start the critiques talking about the work and guiding the students to observe and analyze art technically and conceptually. Sometimes it means calling on individual students or asking students position themselves in front of the room so that no one is hiding in the back. I emphasize throughout my courses that there are no wrong answers just different opinions. The more students involve themselves in the process, the more confident they become in their ideas and styles, and the more they learn from one another. A flourishing relationship with artistic peers is an invaluable asset to have in the art world, as well. My travel and study have greatly influenced my practice. Having the privilege to experience different cultures and varying people has broadened my vision in creating art. I am also an extreme advocate of students exploring this world, to gain artistic knowledge. To enhance their senses; to explore and see color, light and sounds in a new place, is very exhilarating. It can be life-changing for an artist, and has definitely been for me. My own artistic practice is foundational techniques such as figurative anatomy and color theory mixed with contemporary concepts through symbols, and surrealism. My art informs my courses in that I teach historical art traditions such as chiaroscuro and composition. Along with the study of modern artist and their practices. I weigh heavily on the strengths of images and color, which is a strong contemporary idea from street art to pop surrealism. I believe to create a great piece of art there must be a balance of technical skill and firm concepts. Time and thought must be executed, and is mandatory in my student’s work. I know that this expectation will carry on, because they have seen the positive outcome and the pride in creating consequential art. To be able to help students in their growth, to stoke the fire of their artistic passion, and to help them discover their definitive style is immensely rewarding. I will always love creating art, reading about art, analyzing and discussing art. It is what I was made to do; it is my passion and, yet, I find my greatest satisfaction in teaching art. I feel like I am making a difference and changing lives as I explore with each student their hidden talents and sole artistic declaration through art.

All Subjects I Tutor

• Creative Arts

• Drawing

• Painting