The Early Years I remember from an early age always having my hands dirty, playing with not only art supplies but anything I could get my hands on to create. I was always drawing or making something, even if it was with food or dirt.
My parents were and still are very supportive of art, which has profoundly influenced me as an artist and art educator. Growing up my brother and I were always provided with art supplies and ample time and opportunities to try different things and really play with creating art. My mother was an artist and art teacher so she waas always creating something and teaching us. My father, even though a banker, also had a huge influence on my artistic development. He is a handy man who can never stop building or making something.
Paint, age 2, created at home
Pastels, age 5, created at home
Without this environment I truly believe I would not be in the same place I am now. This shows how our environment, experiences, and people have a great impact on our artistic development. Even further as stated by Smith (1980), not only does our environment impact artistic development but also culture and socioeconomic status. Different cultures place importance on different skills or things they deem important. A child growing up in an environment where the arts are cherished and the child has a lot of artistic experiences would be at a much different place developmentally than a
Art at School
child who is not provided with the materials or experiences.
Thankfully I had great experiences at home when it comes to creating and exploring art. Unfortunately, I did not have as great experiences when it came to art in school.
Colored pencil, 3rd grade, created at school A big influence at school I do think is ones peers. Wilson and Wilson (1981) state, “even the youngest draftsmen are profoundly influenced by each other and by graphic images from the culture� (p. 5). The people around us influence our th
Halloween art, paint, 5 grade, created at artistic development as we look at each other’s work. Also the school images we are exposed to whether nd at school or in society.
Colored pencil and paint, 2 grade, created at school My teacher wanted me to reproduce the same thing Oneher teacher whoand didmy have a positivebut impact as example classmates I hadwas at my second
grade teacher. Shethe pushed each student least been taught beginning concept in of his or her own direction they were in exploring. She left perspectiveand andwhat creating depthinterested at home. My it open and school fun and provided any materials elementary years were all cookie cutterwe wanted to create work Having these choices and opportunities lessonsthe where wewith. focused on reproducing and to createart. without being told this is what you need to make I holiday think has definitely made me a more self-motivated artist who wants to explore my own ideas and experiment
Paint, 2nd grade, created at school
Influences
After high school I attended Appalachian State University and decided to pursue studio art. This experience and the people and professors had such a drastic impact on my artistic development and who I am as an artist today. My work quickly jumped away from representation and technical drawings as the professors pushed for conceptual work. One professor in particular really pushed me to explore the things important in my life and use this as inspiration.
Paint, age 4, created at home
Going to college in the Blue Ridge Mountains I became even more consumed with being out in nature. I was part of a lot of organizations dealing with mountain top removal coal mining, deforestation, river Colored pencil, age 6, created at home
pollution, and sustainability. I have been a raft guide for the past nine years and spend the majority of my free time outside hiking, biking, running, kayaking, climbing, etc. While looking through my childhood artworks I saw this reoccurring theme of drawing things outside or part or nature. This theme has evolved into different things throughout the years but is still a prominent part of my work.
Continuing Influence I became interested in figurative work while in college and it is still the direction of my work now. I did a studio internship with an artist Melisa Cadell who pushed my ceramic work in new directions. I spent a summer working in her studio learning how she approaches the figure in clay. This had the biggest impact on my artistic development later on and was an invaluable experience for me as an artist. Even with the figure I have been able to tie in this theme of nature. I currently work mostly in ceramics but create surface “At Rest�, Nth Gallery, Boone, NC. Ceramic, wood, and metal.
textures with inspiration from nature, add natural elements like wood into the figures, play with ideas of deterioration and erosion, and often place the figures in natural outdoor settings.
“Extension”, Catherine Smith Gallery, Boone, NC. Ceramic and wood.
“Natural”. Appalachian State University, Boone, NC. Ceramic and wood.
References Burton, J.M. (2009). Creative intelligence, creative practice: Lowenfeld redux. Studies in Art Education, 50(4), 323-337. Smith, N. (1980). Development of creativity in American education: A critique. High School Journal, 63(8), 48-52. Wilson, B., & Wilson, M. (1981). The use and uselessness of developmental stages. Art Education, 34(5), 4-5.