(no subject)
A lot of great has been happeining in my life lately. I'm working my way into being more completely immersed in art. My career is lifting off and it's pretty thrilling. Now I only have one job that doesn't have to do with art (Hillel of course! But I like it there so I won't leave- also I need the money to be honest.)
Access arts, where I teach community classes in ceramics, has been asking me to get more and more involved. I love this because it is a fantastic atmosphere there with a lot of creative people. I was helping them out this weekend at the Columbia festival of the arts. It's funny because last year at that festival, I was visiting the Access Arts booth, trying to find an art job after graduation. Now here I am working at that same booth . . . it was a really fulfilling feeling.
I also just got hired at a new art job- I will be teaching art to kids ages 12-17 at . . get ready . . the Boone County Juvenile Justice Center. Yes, it's juvie. I'm gonna be the juvie art teacher- which in reality, there's not a lot cooler than this job and I'll tell you why. 1) No curriculum: I get to make it all up myself! No testing standards to make sure the kids meet, no pressure from the administrators. I run the show and I am uniquely responsible for making them a balanced art program. 2) No parental drama! Need I say more. 3) I'm pretty much the whole art department: I pick out what supplies to order and get to use the annual art budget to pick out whatever I think is important for the class to have. 4) The existing studio is heavily skewed to guess what media? Ceramics! 5) It pays teacher's wage (stupidly good compared to what I've been making!) it is a steady schedule, and I get 5 non-negotiable weeks off a year plus 1 or 2 weeks of off time that I get to pick out. 6) They are ok with me using the studio space on my own time.
Seriously! I can't believe my luck . . . AND this is relevant to my career. I've been training for a week or so and so far I like the kids and they seem to like me . . in reality, they are actually very obedient- this is because I only get kids that are selected specially to come to art- it is a reward for good behavior. They know if they are problematic out in the art building that they can loose that privilege very easily- so they are very careful not to get in trouble.
Mary, the current art teacher, was who got me the interview. We were talking about the meaning of the program and she likes to think of it as giving the kids a chance to focus on their own, unique project that they created and to take pride in finishing it. I see it as a time where they can stop thinking about their situation and be free of all that, and be proud of themselves and their efforts in something positive for awhile. I really hate the atmosphere in the jail where I come to pick them up, but I love the environment in the art room. They get really focused on their work and kind of loosen up a bit. We talk about fun stuff like movies and our favorite fast foods. This job is awesome and I feel totally excited to have gotten it.
Access arts, where I teach community classes in ceramics, has been asking me to get more and more involved. I love this because it is a fantastic atmosphere there with a lot of creative people. I was helping them out this weekend at the Columbia festival of the arts. It's funny because last year at that festival, I was visiting the Access Arts booth, trying to find an art job after graduation. Now here I am working at that same booth . . . it was a really fulfilling feeling.
I also just got hired at a new art job- I will be teaching art to kids ages 12-17 at . . get ready . . the Boone County Juvenile Justice Center. Yes, it's juvie. I'm gonna be the juvie art teacher- which in reality, there's not a lot cooler than this job and I'll tell you why. 1) No curriculum: I get to make it all up myself! No testing standards to make sure the kids meet, no pressure from the administrators. I run the show and I am uniquely responsible for making them a balanced art program. 2) No parental drama! Need I say more. 3) I'm pretty much the whole art department: I pick out what supplies to order and get to use the annual art budget to pick out whatever I think is important for the class to have. 4) The existing studio is heavily skewed to guess what media? Ceramics! 5) It pays teacher's wage (stupidly good compared to what I've been making!) it is a steady schedule, and I get 5 non-negotiable weeks off a year plus 1 or 2 weeks of off time that I get to pick out. 6) They are ok with me using the studio space on my own time.
Seriously! I can't believe my luck . . . AND this is relevant to my career. I've been training for a week or so and so far I like the kids and they seem to like me . . in reality, they are actually very obedient- this is because I only get kids that are selected specially to come to art- it is a reward for good behavior. They know if they are problematic out in the art building that they can loose that privilege very easily- so they are very careful not to get in trouble.
Mary, the current art teacher, was who got me the interview. We were talking about the meaning of the program and she likes to think of it as giving the kids a chance to focus on their own, unique project that they created and to take pride in finishing it. I see it as a time where they can stop thinking about their situation and be free of all that, and be proud of themselves and their efforts in something positive for awhile. I really hate the atmosphere in the jail where I come to pick them up, but I love the environment in the art room. They get really focused on their work and kind of loosen up a bit. We talk about fun stuff like movies and our favorite fast foods. This job is awesome and I feel totally excited to have gotten it.