Whether students are encountering art for the first time or refining an advanced practice, my classroom is a space where they are invited to take creative risks, ask questions, and build confidence in both skill and concept. I encourage students at every level to engage with intentionality and rigor, developing their technical abilities alongside their capacity for observation, curiosity, and reflection. My teaching emphasizes strong visual literacy, craftsmanship, and critical thinking. I introduce students to the fundamental principles of line, value, form, and composition through structured exercises that strengthen perceptual and technical foundations. As students advance, I challenge them to build on those fundamentals through experimentation, abstraction, and interdisciplinary processes that expand their understanding of what artmaking can be. Assignments often move between analog and digital to demonstrate how traditional and contemporary methods can inform one another. Demonstrations and critiques are essential; I model and explain processes, then create space for dialogue and reflection. As someone who was quiet and shy throughout grade school and took time to grow into my own confidence, I understand that not all students feel immediately comfortable in creative or academic environments. Some struggle to speak up in critiques, make friends, or feel like they belong in a studio space. I have worked to make belonging a lived and visible value in my teaching and mentorship. Each time a student walks into the studio, I make a point to check in with a smile—to ask how they’re doing, what they’re working on, and whether they need support. These consistent gestures of care help students feel seen and connected. I reach out to more introverted students with gentle, affirming dialogue and individualized feedback. I also put careful thought into my pairings for group projects and collaborations, intentionally matching students who might help one another succeed. My hope is that each student finds at least one person in the classroom they can connect with and rely on—a peer who helps them feel less isolated and more capable. For more advanced students, I make a point to try to get them involved in the local artistic community–I encourage attendance at local gallery and museum openings, sharing opportunities and interesting events when they pop up, offering extra credit opportunities with proof of participation: it only takes attendance at a few openings before their faces become familiar to more established and chatty members of the community! I lead with empathy and enthusiasm but hold high expectations. I believe kindness and accountability are intertwined. I teach students to show up, to own their choices, and to understand that deadlines, responsibilities, and follow-through matter as much as artistic ability, especially for students who intend to pursue a career in the arts. My goal is to help students develop not just as artists but as people—individuals who can advocate for themselves and others, navigate life with resilience, and move through the world with empathy and curiosity.