Gloria Gonzáles García
Primary Discipline: Visual Arts Areas of Specialty: Drawing, Painting, Printmaking Additional Disciplines/Specialties: Literary Arts, Poetry
Based in: Yakima
Biography: Gloria Gonzáles García is a visual artist, art educator and arts advocate. She earned a BA from The Evergreen State College where she studied printmaking, digital imaging and art education. She also attended Otis Art Institute of Parson’s School of Design, majoring in Communication Design. Gonzáles García works primarily in portraiture and figurative art; her prints have been included in national exhibitions and selected for public art collections. In 2001 she received an Artist Trust GAP Award for her "Lost Children" Series of prints. Gonzáles García has served as a teaching artist in public schools (including gifted and alternative programs); in art and community organizations; and in county and state juvenile institutions. As a rostered artist-in-residence with the Washington State Arts Commission she has taught students in dozens of schools. Her work with high risk youth has been an especially important part of her career. Gonzáles García also serves on the executive board of the Larson Gallery Guild.
When asked about her approach as a Teaching Artist, Ms. Gonzáles García wrote this: “I believe in the transformative power of art and art’s ability to engage students in learning. Integrating art into the curriculum strengthens learning across multiple disciplines, builds self-esteem and offers students a way to express themselves in positive and constructive means. My goal as a teaching artist is to design and execute a positive, educational, inclusive and creative art experience for students, classroom teachers and the local community. I focus on building skills with art materials and tools and teaching the principles of art. I stress the experience and process of creating art more than the finished product. My goal is to build confidence in students so that they are comfortable expressing themselves creatively. My experience teaching art to at risk youth has enforced the importance of teaching to multiple intelligences by including approaches for a variety of learning styles. I also incorporate multicultural arts education as a tool for self-discovery, cultural awareness and redirecting youth. This approach allows students to make connections with the world around them.”
Suitable for Grades: K-12 Curriculum Integration Possibilities: Literacy, Reading, Writing, Science, History, Social Studies
Additional Interests/Experience:
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