<Previous Teaching Artist - Next Teaching Artist > Meredith Essex
Primary Discipline: Visual Arts Areas of Specialty: Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture
Based in: Port Orchard Phone: 360-876-3274
Biography: Meredith Essex is a visual artist who has exhibited her art throughout the region for over 25 years. She has inspired many people to discover their creative selves and find confidence in making and teaching art. She has a long history as a teaching artist, teacher and teaching artist trainer, and mentor. For 10 years she has been lead visual artist for Arts Impact, an organization that trains teachers to teach the arts. She serves several organizations including the Washington State Arts Commission, ArtsEd Washington, and Port Townsend's P.T. Artscape. She has written art and art-infused curriculum materials for the Lake Washington, Tacoma, Enumclaw and South Kitsap school districts, as well as the Idaho Commission on the Arts, Tacoma Art Museum, Museum of Glass, and the Washington State History Museum. She also teaches Elementary Visual Art in the Masters in Education program at University of Puget Sound.
When asked about her approach as a Teaching Artist, Ms. Essex wrote this: "My goal as a teaching artist is to help my students discover their capacity to create art. I work to increase the students’ self confidence and neutralize previous negative perceptions by employing clear, well designed lesson plans that help children and adults reflect on their work and assess it within an identifiable learning continuum of art concepts, skills and techniques. In the classroom, I model the art making process and use developmentally appropriate, concise communication to present clear, attainable targets. I shepherd the process so that every child understands and is successful. Art is not created in a vacuum. It relates to many other fields, including, Math, Science, Writing, Reading and Social Studies. In addition, the creative process offers avenues for learning that can address the learning needs of every child. I believe that art education should be available for all children and for that reason, I am committed to working in public education."
Suitable for Grades: K-12 Curriculum Integration Possibilities: Reading, Writing, Math, Science, Social Studies, Other Arts Disciplines
Additional Interests/Experience:
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