By Design Summer 2026

n g i s e D y B

SUMMER 2026

A PUBLICATION OF THE NORTH CAROLINA ART EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

3 LETTER FROM LEADERSHIP 4 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 6 REGION, DIVISION & NATIONAL NEWS 15 ART COMES TOGETHER 16 WOMEN ARTISTS 19 ART, RESILIENCE AND RENEWAL

TABLE OF

Contents

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BEYOND DISPLAY BOARDS

SUBMISSIONS Please see ncaea.org for information regarding newsletter submissions or email the editor at bydesign@ncaea.org.

Fall 2026 Deadline September 1 Spring 2027 Deadline Jan 1 Summer 2027 Deadline May 1

About Us The North Carolina Art Education Association (NCAEA) is an active advocate for promoting visual arts education in K-12 public and private schools, higher education, museums, arts centers, and arts councils across the state. It is affiliated with the National Art Education Association.

OUR MISSION To promote and improve the quality of visual arts education in the state of North Carolina.

The North Carolina Art Education Association will focus on three broad categories to accomplish its goals: leadership, service, and advocacy.

ON THE COVER Hope

By Lori Ross Art Teacher Phoenix Academy, Greensboro, NC See page 8 for the story

www.ncaea.org

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Chynna Oaks PRESIDENT

Community & Connection In November of 2025, I began preparing for my Presidential term by inviting each board member to talk with me in one-on-one meetings I called “Chats with Chynna.” That was probably the best thing I’ve done and will do during my term. In these conversations, I gained truly invaluable insight into how our board members are feeling, their passion for our organization, and the kind of leadership our team desires.

In these Chats, board members and I discussed their observations about the needs they see across our state, regions, divisions, individual communities, and within their specific board positions. Just as importantly, I got to learn about the board members themselves, beyond their roles and responsibilities.

As these conversations unfolded, these two themes emerged again and again: 1. Building Community. NCAEA is you. It’s not just our board, it’s every art educator across our state. That means both members and non-members alike, veterans and BTs, from public school classrooms and beyond. Until all voices are represented and all stakeholders see themselves reflected in our organization, we cannot fully realize our potential as a community or as an organization built to support and empower art educators.

2. Building Connection. We realized that fostering meaningful connections requires more opportunities to come together beyond professional development and our annual conference. Our members are NOT numbers, email addresses, or dues payments. We are real people with unique personalities, strengths, experiences, and needs. Over the last few months, our board has spent considerable time discussing ways for us to connect, collaborate, and build relationships with one another. When we know each other beyond our professional roles, we strengthen not only our organization, but also the support system that sustains us as educators. I’m excited for you to see what we have in store.

As I reflect on those early conversations with our board members, I’m grateful for the honesty, passion, and vision they shared. The themes of community and connection were not isolated ideas and they continue to shape the conversations we have at board meetings, the programs we’re developing, the opportunities we create, and the decisions we make on behalf of our members. As a board, we are intentional about asking ourselves how each initiative can strengthen our community and create meaningful connections.

During our spring meeting, held on May 2 at Reynolda House in Winston-Salem, we spent time exploring exactly what that looks like in practice. Many of the ideas that emerged from our Community Mapping conversations will begin taking shape at this year’s conference, where community and connection move from themes on a page to experiences we share together. As our Conference Committee puts the finishing touches on registration details, now is the perfect time to begin making your plans to join us. We encourage you to reserve your hotel accommodations using the QR codes below and stay tuned for conference registration information soon. We look forward to welcoming you and continuing to build a stronger, more connected NCAEA together.

In your service,

Chynna

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r a d n Cale s t n e v E f o JULY

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JULY

JULY

ALL DAY

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Drip Announcements Due

Commitee Council Metting

Executive Board Metting

JULY

AUGUST

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7:30 PM

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National Leaderdership Conference

Drip Announcements Due

Virtual Board Meeting

SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER

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23 7:00 PM

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By Design and Drip Articles and Art due

Commitee Council Metting

Executive Booard Meeting

ALL DAY

ALL DAY

9:00-11:30 AM

7:30 PM

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REGION BLOGS

NORTH CAROLINA 5

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6 CLICK ON YOUR REGION TO SEE THE BLOG & UPDATES

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NORTHEAST Chair: Tiffany Zarinana Elect:

SOUTHEAST Chair: Lily Buckley Elect:

NORTH CENTRAL Chair: Hannah Hagler Elect:

SANDHILLS Chair: Allison Ellis Elect:

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PIEDMONT-TRIAD Chair: Lori Ross Elect:

SOUTHWEST Chair: Lindsay DeBlasio Elect:

NORTHWEST Chair: Kathryn Szelasek Elect:

WESTERN Chair: Elect:

REGION NEWS Region 5: By Lori Ross

Falling for Fabric: My Journey into Kinusaiga Like any new Region Coordinator, I was ecstatic to be part of the NCAEA board. Getting to talk about art, make art, collaborate with art educators, and share new ideas - sign me up!

When it came time to plan a workshop for my region, I was nervous—just like most of us are when trying something new. I wanted to offer something different, something outside the norm. What could I teach that art teachers might not already know?

Then I found Kinusaiga.

Kinusaiga is a Japanese fiber art technique that I describe as the art of scraps and tucking. It was definitely outside the box. In fact, it was so outside the box that researching it was a challenge! The more I learned, the more I fell in love with it. It felt like painting with fabric—using beautiful "unusable" textiles and scraps to create colorful images. The rich textures and hands-on nature of the process kept my ADHD brain completely engaged.

In May, art teachers from Region 5 came together to learn this intricate but incredibly rewarding technique. We had five hours to learn the basics, select fabrics and colors, and start tucking away at our designs. There was a lot to learn, but everyone jumped right in and embraced the process.

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To create a Kinusaiga piece, you only need a few supplies: 1-inch insulation foam board, double-sided adhesive, an X-Acto knife, a seam ripper, and plenty of fabric scraps. The magic happens when those scraps are carefully tucked into carved lines, transforming simple materials into vibrant works of art.

The workshop was such a success that I knew I wanted to share Kinusaiga with even more educators. That’s why I’m excited to be teaching it again during the pre-conference, this October. I hope you’ll join me as we explore this unique art form together. I can’t wait to introduce more art teachers to the wonderful world of Kinusaiga.

Region 7 : By Kathryn Szelazek

Exciting drawing workshop with artist Joseph Pearson On March 28, 2026, Region 7 held its Spring professional development session. We partnered with Michelle Harrell from NCMA and NCAEA’s museum division to bring our members an exciting drawing workshop with artist Joseph Pearson. The museum very graciously planned and provided all of the necessary materials for the event, including a live model, sketchbooks, pencils and swag. In addition, the event was held in the heart of Asheville at the YMI Cultural Center where Pearson’s work was currently on display.

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Pearson guided us through painless drawing techniques, making portrait drawing feel like a breeze. He taught us very simple steps to get the correct shapes and value within our drawings fairly quickly. We all had nearly complete drawings by the end of the day. I believe myself and other members in attendance can agree that Pearson’s workshop is a recommended must-have in your toolkit as a teacher. During the workshop, we were able to visit his exhibition, “How Can Art Make Someone Feel Seen”, upstairs which included portraits of people he took the time to get to know over time. Reading each of their stories was very powerful. There was also an interactive wall that prompted the question “when is a time that you felt seen?”. I watched as others provided responses to this deep question while I provided one myself. All in all, the workshop was a hit! It provided us with time to make art, network, and participate in fellowship.

In closing, we had NCAEA members Melisa Cadell, Katherine Greene, and myself in attendance along with other individuals from the surrounding community. If you are a region 7 member please join us in the Fall for our next professional development session, details to come soon.

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Region 4: By Allison Ellis

A Successful Professional Development Day Hosted by UNC-Pembroke On behalf of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP) and the North Carolina Art Education Association (NCAEA) Region 4, we were excited to have had another successful in-person professional day held on March 20, 2026. It was hosted at UNCP. It was a full day from 8:30 am – 3:00 pm of speakers, workshops, and socializing amongst Region 4 art educators. In all, we had approximately 90 attendees across all the counties of Region 4, including NCAEA members, nonmembers, and high school students. .

Our day began with a meet and greet that led into a whole group with keynote speaker, Catherine Holmes, a graduate from UNCP. Afterwards, all participants broke up into different sessions. They were able to attend two sessions in all. There were more than 18 workshops to choose from such as: accordion 3-D landscapes, Alma Thomas Inspired Work, relax with Neurographic Art, weaving on cardboard, piñatas, ceramic tile mosaic, and many more. These workshops were taught by current art education undergraduates, MAT students, and alumni.

NCAEA’s Region 4 has been collaborating with UNCP for the past years when providing a professional development day to our art educators. It is a great way to recruit new members and see old members that we only see once a year. We look forward to continue working alongside UNCP to provide these opportunities.

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Division News MUSEUM AND SUPERVISION DIVISION

MEET-UP AT NASHER MUSEUM OF ART BY: MICHELLE HARRELL, JULIA TANNER, AND LEIGHANN LITTLE

Two NCAEA divisions join forces for a fabulous day of making and discussing works of art.

This networking gathering is an outgrowth of the North Carolina Art Education Association (NCAEA) Museum education and Supervision and Administration divisions. We are trying to meet throughout the year, at different parts of the state, to come together and learn from one another and support art education in the state. The education team from the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University graciously hosted our group on Monday, March 30 with art making, lunch, and gallery discussions. Our next gathering will be at the Reynolda Museum of Art on May 12, for more information reach out to Admindivision@ncaea.org or Museum@ncaea.org .

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ELEMENTARY DIVISION

STAYING INSPIRED WHILE RECHARGING: HOW THIS ART EDUCATOR FILLS HER ART HEART AND PLANS PROJECTS DURING A BREAK

BY: TINA STEVENSON Have you ever thought about how teachers both relax and plan for their upcoming school years? Do English teachers read a lot of books over their break? Do PE teachers play on teams or coach over the summer? What about art teachers… Time away from the classroom need to have five things for me: reset, family, travel, art, and rest.

Oftentimes the reset of my home helps reset my mind. This often ranges from cleaning up the front porch and flower bed, repainting and styling a room in the house, or just those chores that I don’t have the energy for when we’re leading up to a break from the classroom. You know the ones - cleaning the baseboards, dusting, laundering rugs or table runners; the ones we do when our family or the Queen is coming for a stay. Reset can take as little or as much time as I allow it, but I always have to do it (even on 4 day weekends but I’m weird like that).

Rest for me simply means not setting an alarm. That 5:40 a.m. Katy Perry song about acting my age has no business waking me up over the summer. Family, travel, and art often go hand in hand for me during breaks; whether that is travelling to see family, a new place, or a familiar cozy repeat retreat. There are always opportunities to experience art and oftentimes create along the way.

Inspiration certainly strikes when travelling abroad, how can it not? Sitting in the L’Orangerie among Monet’s Water Lillies offers tranquility and reflection. Walking through Munich’s Frauenkirche and climbing the tower for vista views gives pause (to catch your breath) and marvel at the public art and historic architecture surrounding you. But do we stop and take advantage of the house museums, the arts council offerings, summer camps, make & take or DIY shoppes that abound in nearly every city or town we visit? These are fantastic ways to stay up on current relevant projects, connect with local art and artists, teach some kiddos that may or may not be in our classrooms in much smaller groups, and take advantage of family or community building while trying new things.

I like to teach summer camps and try new art processes that are appropriate for my student’s age ranges.(Plus, who isn’t looking for a side hustle income in this industry.) Getting to experiment with marbling paper and book binding has been this summer’s experience for me with grades 2-5 in groups of 9 or fewer. While I know this won’t be my reality come August it helps me grow as an art educator and “try it out” in a manageable sized group with zero out of pocket expense.

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When I travel home to Michigan to visit my elementary aged twin niece and nephew we always find a make & take or DIY project kit and take it to my brother or more often my mom’s house and get her involved too. It builds family time while also creating something tangible we can all keep to remember the experience. This past winter we visited an AR Workshop where the ladies operating the location had a grand time putting together a kit of wooden ornaments & signs, paint, stencils, sponge brushes, and small brushes for us to sit around the table, chat, laugh, and create together. My ornament hangs in my dining room year round to provide smiles.

If you’re looking for an experience more along the lines of inspiration and art history for full lesson scope and sequencing visit a house museum, an arts council, or state museum. Many establishments offer educator discounts and some are even free when you show your school ID (same for student IDs if you like to visit places with your families). Here in the Piedmont alone we can find a multitude of places to visit with full art lesson possibilities: Reynolda House & Gardens NC Museum of Art, Winston Salem Sawtooth School for Visual Arts Museum of Early Southern Decorative Art Diggs Gallery, WSSU Scales Fine Arts Center, WFU Workplace, 4th Floor, UNCSA If you’re savvy in planning your time to one of these locations, you’ll find on their websites open studio days/times as well as make & take offerings.

Other NC locations worth checking out (in no particular order they’re all wonderful!): TAG in High Point Alamance Arts in Graham Weatherspoon Art Museum, UNC Greensboro The Marshall Muse, Greensboro Ackland Art Museum, UNC Chapel Hill FRANK Gallery, Carrboro NC Pottery Center, Seagrove NC Museum of Art, Raleigh Mint Museum, Charlotte Nasher Museum of Art, Duke University Gregg Museum of Art & Design, NC State University Asheville Art Museum, Asheville And these are just some of my favorites off the top of my head! I’m sure there are locations near you get out there and experience some art, fill your art heart, make something, get inspired, and reset your teacher mind during your break.

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MIDDLE DIVISION

SUMMER REFLECTION BY: STACY FERGUSON

Ninety-five percent of my summer will be spent doing non school stuff. The other five percent will be spent reflecting on the past year and working out changes for the coming year. I established my self care routine after the pandemic. For me, self care extends into the classroom as well as my personal life. In the classroom, I reflect on areas that cause stress and consider what needs to change.

Once the stress points are identified, I create a strategy or make a change. Here are three strategies or changes I have made over the past few years for you to consider. At my school all teachers either have morning or afternoon duties. I cannot stand afternoon duty because I leave later than I plan due to going back into my room to finish setting up for the next day. I spoke to my administrators at the end of the school year explaining the issue I was having and offering a solution. Since that conversation, administration gives staff the choice of morning or afternoon duty. By advocating for myself, I was able to remove a stressful situation from my workday. This next strategy made huge changes in my stress level, setting boundaries.

For a large part of the school year I stick to my contract work hours, reserving the other days for special events, setting up art shows and the like. Setting and respecting this work/life boundary has allowed me to reduce stress in my life. This last change has the greatest impact on me as an artist. I am creative for me and not for my classroom or students. I make sure I find a group of creatives to join. Currently, I meet with a local plein air group one Saturday a month. It resembles Urban Sketching in format. We meet briefly to set the finish time, then we start painting. During the painting time people check out what others are doing, then we come together to share what we created. These changes help mitigate stress and fatigue that dominates when I am working with students.

Reflecting, advocating, setting boundaries, and creating art, for me, are the strategies I use to balance my work life and personal life as part of my self care routine. Forms of the strategies are used in trauma pedagogy for the classroom that I have adopted for myself. Spend a few minutes this summer reflecting on what causes you stress in your classroom. Once you identify the stress points you will be able to make beneficial changes when you are back at school. Have a great summer break.

EMERITUS DIVISION

EMERITUS SUPPORT FUND MAKES A DIFFERENCE BY: MARYLU FLOWERS-SCHOEN

Show your pride and help our cause by making a suggested charitable donation to the NCAEA Emeritus Support Fund. The 5"x5" magnets or decals allow for displaying almost anywhere... notecards with envelopes artistic correspondence. The latest design is a 4”x7” magnet. How about a magnet on metal cars, filing cabinets, white boards (a subtle type of advocacy to your administration); and decals everywhere non metallic? Artwork done by members of our own retirees... With funds we have helped states across the United States who have had disasters of wildfires, tornados, and floods. This is also a NCAEA member service if you know of a need right here in NC... We are accepting Venmo, cash, and check payments so message me your address and I give you info you need to make your donation. I then can mail you your merchandise usually at less than $1 per item. Marylu Flowers-Schoen planning@ncaea.org

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National News

NEW! Member-only Access NAEA's newest professional learning offering—Curated Collections—are available now, exclusively to NAEA Members! These organized collections offer art educators easy access to a wide range of topic-specific resources, best practices, and tools centered around key themes in art education.

Each collection is designed to provide practical, up-to-date resources that support members in their teaching. With Curated Collections, educators can easily access the resources they need to elevate their skills and enhance their teaching practic

NAEA's newest professional learning offering—Curated Collections—are available now, exclusively to NAEA Members! These organized collections offer art educators easy access to a wide range of topic-specific resources, best practices, and tools centered around key themes in art education.

Each collection is designed to provide practical, up-to-date resources that support members in their teaching. With Curated Collections, educators can easily access the resources they need to elevate their skills and enhance their teaching practice.

Explore curated collections

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HER HERE:‌‌ ART COMES TOGET N TAKES‌‌ A STUDENT’S VISIO CENTER STAGE

By: Lori Ross This year, the NCAEA Board made a special decision to create an opportunity for students across North Carolina to shine by showcasing their artwork through the annual conference logo design. Inspired by the conference theme, Art Comes Together Here, K–12 students were invited to submit original artwork that reflected what the theme meant to them.

At Phoenix Academy, students embraced the challenge with enthusiasm. As part of a mini-design project in art class, students brainstormed ideas and explored different ways to visually represent the theme. From these concepts, four student designs were selected as finalists by Phoenix Academy art teacher, Ms. Ross.

One of those students was Julius Bynum, who immediately jumped at the opportunity to share his artistic talents. Julius envisioned a design that celebrated the many ways art brings people together. His artwork combined a variety of artistic media and influences, including collage, colored pencil, sketch-style drawing, and even references to music.

Through his design, Julius sought to capture the creativity, connection, and collaboration that make the arts so powerful.

What made Julius’ submission especially remarkable was his dedication to the process.

Determined to bring his vision to life, he spent countless hours refining his design. He regularly used his lunch period to work on the piece, demonstrating a level of commitment and perseverance that extended far beyond the classroom.

Watching students engage in authentic artistic opportunities is one of the most rewarding parts of teaching. Projects like the NCAEA conference logo challenge allow students to see that their ideas matter and that their artwork can have an audience beyond the walls of the school. Julius’ journey serves as a reminder of what can happen when students are given the chance to create, take risks, and share their voices through art.

This year, Art Comes Together Here was more than a conference theme—it was a lived experience. Through opportunities like this, students, educators, and communities come together to celebrate creativity and the power of the arts.

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WOMEN ARTISTS IN THE VISUAL ARTS

By Susan Hess As an art educator, I strived to be inclusive of all artists when guiding students during my lessons. A lot of the artists cited as examples of styles of art are often men. In this article I would like to share about women artists who were and are at the forefront of artist movements, in the hopes that you may introduce these artists to your students alongside those we usually highlight. Many of these women artists are now known to have started certain art movements and influenced their male counterparts, who have been given the credit. A shout out to art historian Katy Hessel, who has a podcast called “Great Women Artists” and a book titled: The Story of Art Without Men. I have learned so much from listening to her podcast and reading her book, and have been inspired to share some of the women artists of which I’ve been introduced. One will recognize artists, such as Frida Kahlo and Georgia O’Keeffe, that have been included in some of the categories, while other artists may be new to you. The way I will approach this is to cite different styles and movements and list the name(s) that usually are associated with the style (if it is applicable). Following that I will share the women artists that are so very relevant to those categories. One can easily look up an art movement and see what women are associated with that genre, however, I thought this guide could serve as a quick reference. I encourage you to look into these incredible women artists and share them with students during your art guidance.

Rococo Art Artists that are usually associated with Rococo Art are Francois Boucher, Jean-Honore’ Fragonard and Jean-Antoine Watteau.

Women artists associated with this style: Rosalba Carriera and Elisabeth Louis Vigee Le Brun (who painted Marie Antionette).

Realism Art of the 1800’s Gustave Courbet, Jean-Francois Millet, Honore’ Daumier, Thomas Eakins.

Women Artists associated with this style: Rosa Bonheur (realist painter and also painter of animals), Lilly Martin Spencer, Elizabeth Jane Gardner Bouguereau, Cecilia Beaux, Marie Bashkitseff.

1800’s Quilts: Harriet Powers, Emma Civey Stahl Japanese Painting in the 1800’s Katsushika Hokusai, Keisai Eisen Woman Artist associated with this style: Katsushika Oi (her father was Katsushika Hokusai).

Pre-Raphaelites John Everette Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Holman Hunt Women Artists associated with this style: Elizabeth Siddal, Maire Spartali Stillman, Emily Mary Osborn and Evelyn de Morgan.

Symbolist Art Gustave Moreau, Edvard Munch, Gustave Klimt, Odilon Redon Women Artists associated with this style: Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh (her art directly influenced Gustave Klimt’s style of art), Agnes Pelton and Jane Atche’ Impressionism Claude Monet, Pierre-August Renoir, Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley Women Artists associated with this style: Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt, Marie Bracquemond, Camille Claudel Self-Portraits Vincent Van Gogh, Rembrandt Women Artists associated with this style: Frida Kahlo, Helene Schjerfbeck, Gwen John, Paula Modersohn-Becker, Florine Stettheimer, Georgette Chen, Pan Yuliang.

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Abstract Art Wassily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian, Kasimir Malevichi Woman Artist associated with this style: Hilma af Klint (considered the founder of abstract art.

Her work predates those of Kandinsky and Mondrian, among other abstract artists).

Expressionism: Edvard Munch, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Franz Marc, Egon Schiele, Wassily Kandinsky, Emile Nolde, Max Beckmann Women Artists associated with this style: Kathe Kollwitz, Gabriele Munter, Suzanne Valadon, Jacqueline Marval, Marie Laurencin, Amnita Sher-Gil Cubism Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque Women Artists associated with this style: Sonia Delaunay (Considered the founder of Cubism), Natalia Goncharova (Cubism with Futurism).

Constructiivism Nauma Gabo, Antoine Pevsner Woman Artist associated with this style: Valentina Kulageha Dadaism: Marcel Duchamp, Hans Arp Tristan Tzara, Kurt Schwitters Women Artists associated with this style: Hannah Hoch, Sophie Taeuber Arp, Baroness Elsa von Freytag-Loringhaven (first to use ready made objects before Duchamp used them).

Bauhaus Marcel Breuer, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee Women Artists associated with this style: Anni Albers, Gertrud Arndt, Marianne Brandt Surrealism Georgio de Chirico, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Max Ernst, Rene Magritte, Yves Tanguy, Man Ray Women Artists associated with this style: Dora Maar, Lee Miller, Meret Oppenheim, Eileen Agar, Leonor Fini, Leonora Carrington, Frida Kahlo, Dorothea Tanning, Gertrude Abercrombie, Tarsila do Amaral, Tina Modotti.

Harlem Renaissance Jacob Lawrence, Aaron Douglas, James Van Der Zee, William H. Johnson Women Artists associated with this style: Augusta Savage, Selba Burke, Lois Mailou Jones, Elizabeth Catlett.

20th C. Landscape Grant Wood, Andrew Wyeth, Arthur Dove, John Marin, Paul Nash, The Group of Seven, Fairfield Porter Women Artists associated with this style: Georgia O'Keeffe, Emily Carr, Agnes Pelton Documentary Photography Walker Evans, Jamal Shabazz Women Artists associated with this style: Dorothea Lange, Lee Miller Outsider Art Howard Finster, Bill Traylor, Clyde Jones, Vollis Simpson Women Artists associated with this style: Gertrude Morgan, Minnie Evans, Clementine Hunter Abstract Expressionism Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline

Women Artists associated with this style: Janet Sofel (one of the pioneers of abstract expressionism, her drip paintings influenced Jackson Pollock), Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, (created portraits using action gestures and inspired her husband’s style), Grace Hartigan, Joan Mitchell, Helen Frankenthaler and Louise Nevelson.

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Black Mountain College Josef Albers, John Cage, Robert Rauschenberg Willem de Kooning, Buckminster Fuller, Robert Motherwell, Jacob Lawrence, Cy Twombly, Franz Kline Women Artists associated with this school: Anni Albers, Gwendolyn Knight, Elaine deKooning, and Ruth Asawa.

Performance Art Joseph Beuys Women Artists associated with this style: Atsuko Tanaka, Yoko Ono (pioneer of this style), Marina Abramovic.

Photography Ansel Adams, Alfred Stieglitz, Man Ray, Richard Avedon Women Artists associated with this style: Dorothea Lange, Felicia Ansah Abban, Ishiuchi Miyako, Diane Arbus, Carrie Mae Weems, Lee Miller Pop Art Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, James Rosenquist Romero Britto, Robert Indiana, Wayne Thiebaud, Robert Rauschenberg, Richard Hamilton, Jasper Johns, Jim Dine, Larry Rivers Women Artists associated with this style: Marisol Escobar, Martha Rosler, Beatriz Gonzalez, Pauline Boty, Sister Corita Kent.

Black Art Movement (Civil Rights Era) Jacob Lawrence, Romare Bearden, Charles White Women Artists associated with this style: Emma Amos, Betye Saar, Elizabeth Catlett, Faith Ringgold, Barbara Jones-Hogu, Carolyn Lawrence, Ming smith.

Minimalism Donald Judd, Dan Flavin, Robert Morris, Sol LeWitt, Frank Stella, Ellsworth Kelly Women Artists associated with this style: Agnes Martin, Yayoi Kusama, Bridget Riley, Alma Thomas, Carmen Herrera, Etel Adnan.

Woven Art Lenore Tawney, Sheila Hicks, Olga de Amaral, Anni Albers, Cecilia Vicuna, Mrinalini Mukherjee, Judith Scott Quilting Zak Foster, Mathew Boudreaux Women Artists associated with this style: Bisa Butler, Faith Ringgold, Gee’s Bend Quilters, Rosie Lee Tompkins.

Feminist Art/Political Art Bansky, Keith Haring, Dread Scott Women Artists associated with this style: Judy Chicago, Miriam Shapiro, Luchita Hurtado, Kara Walker, Linda Nochlin, Alice Neel, Sylvia Sleigh, Jenny Holzer, The Guerilla Girls, Cindy Sherman, Carrie Mae Weems, Nan Goldin, Lorraine O’Grady, Barbara Kruger, Emily ame Kngwarreye, Zoe Leonard, Catherine Opie Contemporary Figurative Artists Kehinde Wiley, Lucien Freud, Fernando Botero Women Artists associated with this style: Alice Neel, Amy Sherald, Mickalene Thomas, Deborah Roberts, Beverly McIver, Njideka Akunyili, Lisa Brice, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Toyin Ojih Odutola, Maria Berrio, Chantal Joffe, Celia Paul, Jennifer Packer, Tracy Emin, Zanele Muholi.

One can delve deeper into these lists and add more names and art movements/styles, but for now I hope this helps to inspire one to pull more women artists into lessons. Let's celebrate these artists!

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ART, RESILIENCE, AND RENEWAL: Madison County Students Lead the Way

By Sara Sagar Galleries glowed, lit up by original K-12 student artworks at the Grand Opening of the newly remodeled/renovated Madison County Arts Council on May 1, 2026. In collaboration with Madison County Public Schools, kids’ art from all over Madison County filled every corner of the transformed space. The combined Annual Student Art and Youth Art Month Exhibits were the first to celebrate brand new gallery walls and floors, with light streaming in through tall clear mezzanine windows. More than an art show, the exhibition stood as a testament to the resilience, creativity, and collective spirit of a community still recovering from one of the most devastating natural disasters in its history. .

A Community Changed by Hurricane Helene On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene brought catastrophic flooding to Marshall and surrounding communities. Despite extensive flood-preparation efforts, residents

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watched as the French Broad River rose more than thirteen feet above flood stage.

Buildings were swept away or destroyed.

Homes, businesses, nonprofit organizations, studios, and treasured personal possessions disappeared beneath the water. Lives were lost, and when the floodwaters finally receded, they left behind mud, debris, and unimaginable grief.

As flood waters diminished, the Marshall community - artists, craftsmen, musicians, designers, restauranteurs, entrepreneurs, builders, educators, managers, administrators and amazingly hard workers, a community of creative innovative spirits grabbed shovels, boots and gloves and sprang into action. Others across the county joined them in trickles and waves, finding a place their efforts could be used. Neighbors helped neighbors clear mud, salvage belongings, distribute supplies, and rebuild.

Children witnessed firsthand what community service looks like in action. The response reflected the larger story unfolding across Western North Carolina one marked by generosity, courage, and perseverance.

Artists’ eyes help shape the way we all see the world. As James Bennett observed in his 2026 Arts Day Address, “Arts can integrate society uniquely, without assimilation.

Art allows people to retain differences while being drawn together.” In Madison County, that truth became increasingly evident during the months following the storm.

Madison County Schools were closed nearly a month after Hurricane Helene. No schools were destroyed by flood waters. All schools had access to water and power within that time frame, and major bus routes were cleared and restored, but the emotional impact lingered. Every resident had been affected in some way, and students returned to classrooms carrying experiences of loss, grief, and uncertainty. Life had changed and no one was exempt.

For many people, both young and old, artmaking became an essential tool for processing those experiences.

Drawing, painting, sculpting, journaling, and collaborative projects offered accessible outlets for reflection and healing. Under the guidance of their art teachers, students explored personal narratives, allowing those to flow into larger community-centered works. The classroom became a place where difficult conversations could occur naturally through creative expression.

Many of the artworks featured in the May 2026 exhibition emerged directly from that process.

Madison Rising: A Collaborative Vision One of the exhibition’s centerpiece projects was Madison Rising, a four-panel collaborative mural created by students from Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, Woodson Branch Nature School, Madison County High School, and Madison Early College. Originally displayed in Marshall’s temporary Welcome Center, which served as a community information hub during recovery efforts, the panels later became a featured installation in the student exhibition.

Each panel reflects a different aspect of the community’s journey: *We Stick Together: WNC Strong expresses gratitude, faith, and appreciation for the assistance received from across the region.

*Hurricane Helene confronts the devastation directly, depicting flood destruction and incorporating 108 skeletal figures in the river to represent lives lost during the storm.

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*Madison Rising portrays the sun rising above the Madison County Courthouse, symbolizing hope and Marshall’s ongoing revival, complete with the restored bridge spanning the French Broad River.

*Be the Light features candles burning brightly, offering a visual reminder that hope persists even in the darkest circumstances.

One student recalled: “I helped deliver food to people during the hurricane and I saw what others did with a helicopter to get to where cars couldn’t.”

Another reflected on the artistic process itself: “I used a sharp blade to cut along the seams of my lines. As the blade cuts, you can sense the true ongoing pain this incident has really caused in this region.”

Together, the panels document both hardship and recovery, transforming collective experience into a shared visual narrative.

Students Give Voice to Experience Another powerful exhibition piece, Memories of Helene, featured cut-paper silhouette vignettes created by high school students.

Accompanied by artist statements, the work reveals the depth of reflection and emotional insight students brought to the project.

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A third student described volunteering through church disaster-relief efforts: “There’s a lady I helped get supplies to. After they were loaded in her car, the woman gave me a hug and began to cry. You could see and feel that the storm was over, but ‘normal’ wouldn’t come back any time soon.

The damage didn’t just disappear.”

These statements illustrate how art education creates opportunities for students not only to develop technical skills but also to make meaning from lived experiences.

The Importance of Space The timing of the Arts Council’s renovation proved unexpectedly significant. What might be called a “happy accident” became an invaluable community experience. Just as students were creating meaningful work that deserved public exhibition, the Arts Council’s completed galleries were ready to welcome visitors and showcase their voices.

The result was more than an exhibition.

Families, educators, artists, and community members gathered to view works that reflected their shared history. Student artwork served as a catalyst for conversation across generations, inviting reflection, understanding, and celebration.

The exhibition demonstrated the unique role arts education can play during times of recovery. Through creativity, students documented events, expressed emotions, honored community experiences, and imagined a hopeful future

A Collective Effort The success of the exhibition reflects the dedication of many educators and community leaders. Special thanks go to Kerstin Davis, Madison High School art instructor; Brandon Johnson, Executive Director of the Madison County Arts Council; and Erich Hubner, Program Director of the Madison County Arts Council, for their contributions and support. Recognition is also due to Rachel Kurley of AshevilleBuncombe Technical Community College; Madison County Public Schools art educators Mandy Sheehan, Belinda Davis, and Marques Norman; and Tucker Hibbits of Woodson Branch Nature School. Their daily commitment to nurturing student creativity made this exhibition—and the healing it fostered—possible.

In Madison County, art became more than an academic subject after Hurricane Helene. It became a means of connection, remembrance, recovery, and hope. Through their work, students showed that creativity does more than document a community’s story—it helps write the next chapter.

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Beyond Display Boards:‌

How Student Leadership Transformed Our Art Show

Reimagining the school art show through ownership, interaction, and community engagement By: Pooja M Nair, @jtw.artroom; poojam.nair@cms.k12.nc.us More than an hour before the doors opened, the gym was already transformed. Artwork lined the walls, interactive stations were prepared, labels were mounted, and the jazz band rehearsed quietly in the background. Student docents reviewed their talking points while booth managers checked supplies and signage. The room carried the nervous energy that comes before any large event, but this time, students were leading it.

This year marked my fourth year organizing our annual art show, and over time, the event has gradually

evolved from a teacher-directed exhibition into a student-led arts experience. Each year, I have intentionally shifted more responsibility and decisionmaking into students’ hands.

As a choice-based/TAB teacher, I regularly ask students to make artistic decisions, solve problems independently, and develop their own creative voices.

Eventually, I began asking myself: If students are trusted to lead their artistic process, why shouldn’t they also help lead how their work is presented to the community?

That question became the foundation for the direction our art show has taken.

Moving Beyond the Traditional Art Show Traditional school art shows often focus primarily on displaying finished work. While there is tremendous value in celebrating student artwork, I wanted our event to feel more interactive and community-centered. I wanted families to experience the collaboration, experimentation, and joy that happen inside the art room every day.

Instead of simply walking through rows of artwork, guests participated in activities, spoke with student artists, completed scavenger hunts, and interacted directly with student leaders throughout the evening. The result felt less like a hallway display and more like a living creative community.

Building a Student Leadership Structure One of the most impactful decisions was creating a student leadership system. Rather than assigning a few general helper roles, students were organized into teams with clear responsibilities.

Students managed: interactive booths scavenger hunts silent auction coordination hospitality and refreshments photography and slideshow presentation greeters and docents

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Managers supervised smaller student teams and helped troubleshoot issues throughout the evening. In the weeks leading up to the show, students participated in planning meetings, reviewed expectations, and helped organize setup and cleanup systems.

Watching students rise to authentic responsibility became one of the most rewarding parts of the experience.

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Letting Go of Perfection Like any large event, the process came with challenges: coordinating labels, organizing artwork, balancing event preparation with daily teaching, and managing dozens of moving parts. One of the hardest lessons for me as a teacher was learning to step back and allow students to navigate real responsibility.

A truly student-led experience requires giving up some control and accepting that students may solve problems differently than we would ourselves.

Ironically, those moments often became the most meaningful learning experiences. Students learned communication, collaboration, adaptability, and leadership skills that extended far beyond the art room. Many students who are typically quiet in class emerged as confident leaders during the event.

Interactive Experiences That Increased Engagement A major goal of the show was creating opportunities for guests to actively participate rather than passively observe. Students helped design and run interactive experiences including: an Art Chopped Challenge blind contour portrait “Face-Offs” a character design contest henna and body art stations scavenger hunts gratitude and message-to-artist stations These experiences transformed the atmosphere of the evening. Families stayed longer, younger siblings became engaged, and conversations about art became more accessible and personal. Students were no longer simply displaying work, they were facilitating experiences and building connections with the community.

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Starting Small For educators interested in creating more student-led art shows, my biggest advice is to start small and gradually increase student ownership each year. The shift does not need to happen all at once. Begin by creating leadership roles, allowing students to help manage parts of the setup, or incorporating one interactive experience into the event. Over time, students become more confident, capable, and invested when they are trusted with authentic responsibility. This year’s art show reminded me that the most memorable part of the evening was not simply the artwork on display boards. It was watching students confidently lead, collaborate, problem-solve, and celebrate the creative community they had helped build together.

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It’s time to start creating and saving for the 2026 Silent Auction Click here for form

Bring artwork donations to our conference in New Bern or email Sara Sagar at scholarship@ncaea.org to submit by mail.

All proceeds go to the Bobbi Bowman Scholarship Fund

Board Members SECRETARY Sarah Brown-Schumacher secretary@ncaea.org TREASURER Vacant treasurer@ncaea.org ADVOCACY Lee Haywood advocacy@ncaea.org ED&I Vacant Position edi@ncaea.org MEMBER AT LARGE 1 Pooja Nair memberatlarge1@ncaea.org MEMBER AT LARGE 2 Jamielle Orrell memberatlarge2@ncaea.org MEMBER AT LARGE 3 Shila Alexander memberatlarge2@ncaea.org ELEMENTARY Kristina Stevenson elementarydivision@ncaea.org MIDDLE Stacy Ferguson middledivision@ncaea.org SECONDARY Lauren Mann secondarydivision@ncaea.org MUSEUM Michelle Harrell & Julia Hood museum@ncaea.org HIGHER ED Emily Howard highereducation@ncaea.org SUPERVISION LeighAnn Little admindivision@ncaea.org RETIRED/EMERITUS Danny Hartman retireddivision@ncaea.org PRE-SERVICE Bella Estrada preservicepresident@ncaea.org

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PRESIDENT Chynna Oaks president@ncaea.org NEW! Member-only Access NAEA's newest professional learning offering—Curated Collections—are available now, exclusively to NAEA Members! These organized collections offer art educators easy access to a wide range of topic-specific resources, best practices, and tools centered around key themes in art education.

Each collection is designed to provide practical, up-to-date resources that support members in their teaching. With Curated Collections, educators can easily access the resources they need to elevate their skills and enhance their teaching practice.

PRESIDENT ELECT Caitlyn Bachman presidentelect@ncaea.org

REGION 1 Tiffany Zarinana region1coordinator @ncaea.org REGION 2 Lily Buckley region2coordinator @ncaea.org REGION 3 Hannah Hagler region3coordinator @ncaea.org REGION 4 Allison Ellis region4coordinator @ncaea.org REGION 5 Lori Ross region5coordinator @ncaea.org REGION 6 Lindsay DeBlasio region6coordinator @ncaea.org REGION 7 Kathryn Szelazek region7coordinator @ncaea.org REGION 8 vacant region8coordinator @ncaea.org

EDITOR Frann Paige bydesign@ncaea.org AWARDS Penny Freeland awards@ncaea.org WEBMASTER Jodi Aker webmaster@ncaea.org SOCIAL MEDIA Amanda Gordon socialmedia@ncaea.org SCHOLARSHIP Sara Sagar scholarship@ncaea.org YOUTH ART MONTH Jana Farris yam@ncaea.org HISTORIAN MaryLu Flowers-Schoen planning@ncaea.org ADAPTIVE ARTS vacant adaptivearts@ncaea.org INDEPENDENTSCHOOLSElizabeth McCleod independentschools@ncaea.org NAHS Vacant Position nahs@ncaea.org NJAHS Vacant Position njahs@ncaea.org PRESERVICE SPONSOR Robbie Quinn preservice@ncaea.org GENERAL ASSEMBLY Amanda Aguayo generalassemblyart@ncaea.org DPI REPRESENTATIVE Laura Stauderman DPIrep@ncaea.org DISTINGUISHED FELLOWS Rebecca Dow fellows@ncaea.org

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! u o y k n Tha

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