STEAMed Magazine January 2017 | Page 23

What has been your biggest challenge in your work and how have you used it to move forward ?
Becoming a working artist after developing a permanent nerve damage in my arm was not something I thought was possible . Shifting my perspective about the kind of art I wanted to do and experiment with how else to get there were the key elements in moving forward .
What teachers were most influential to you and why ?
I ’ d say any teachers that encouraged exploration , gave knowledge but not answers . I have one random short story about my favorite teacher , my art teacher Mr . Phelan . I came into class one day and told him I was going to bring my car around to the back of art class and my classmates and I were going to cut the top of it off and spray paint it . He asked if my parents approved . I said they did . And he said , “ well get to it , you only have 45 minutes till class is over !”
How can teachers and educators help kids find their creative spark ?
Beyond the obvious advice I think the next level thing an educator could do to help a student find their spark is encourage them to find someone to explore the world with . Someone that is open , explorative , encouraging . Having someone to explore and talk to about your creative ideas can allow that creative spark to glow forever .
How do you find a way to turn the ordinary into extraordinary ?
Curiosity and creativity ! Creativity is really just about connecting things in a new and unusual way so when you do a lot of creating once in awhile something pretty cool will happen ! I do a lot of creating so I ’ ve been on the happy end of receiving some pretty cool happenings .
** As told to editor Susan Riley on December 15 , 2016 .
STEAMed Magazine
23
January 2017 Edition