I have never considered myself a real artist. I do my work with confidence and with passion, but I tend to steer clear of the labels and terms. Because of my appreciation for all mediums and classifications of art, and my experience with students of many ages, I would consider myself fit for the art education field. Working with younger people has always been an interest of mine. The experience I have had with kindergarteners, middle schoolers, and high schoolers, has taught me that there are different levels of development and creativity, but that art is a critical subject for academic achievement.

I have noticed while working with children that the stages of artistic development are more advanced at the high school level. Students start to recognize their talents and interests and begin to take art more seriously. I can fittingly relate. I never realized I had such a strong passion for art until my sophomore year of high school, and could not imagine doing anything different. I tried every medium that was available. I worked on my own time and took extra electives. I bonded with my advanced teachers, and started to notice the ways they instructed me were some of the reasons why I continued to study art. They saw potential in my work, and gave me constructive advice. Practice with each medium has made it easy to decide that I want to teach general and advanced art to high school students. I want to show my students that there is a wide variety of art-making options, and how to use them, just as my teachers had done.

I believe that exposure to art is critical for the growing adolescent mind. Not only does art increase ones appreciation for aesthetics, but also it enhances creativity and potential for personal reflection. As a future educator, I hope to ensure students get a well-rounded, sophisticated education about art, its history, and its creation.