In this episode, James Rees and Emily Fox King join the Creativity Department to discuss taking care of your creative practice as an art educator. James and Emily are professional artists. James is also a researcher and retired art educator.  Both bring their unique perspectives to this conversation where they share their experiences dealing with creative risk, the challenges of being a professional artist, overcoming creative blocks, and balancing work and life. Listen in to hear strategies you can use in and out of the art room to renew your own creative practice.

In this episode Kris Bakke joins the Creativity Department again to talk about all things related to art materials! Now with Royal Brush Manufacturing, as their Art Education Manager, Kris has new ideas to share about materials for the art room. From what is essential for teaching students to properly caring for supplies, listen in to learn new takes on the age-old question, “Why do we use this kind, what’s the difference?”   

With the NAEA 2023 conference wrapped up, The Creativity Department sits down with returning guest Orlando Graves Bolaños to talk about the largest art education convention in years. Orlando was the Co-coordinator alongside Laura for this year’s conference in San Antonio, Texas. Hear about sessions they attended, what inspired them, and their take aways from San Antonio, Texas as they dive into their personal experience from the largest convention in years.

A blast from Laura’s past joins the conversation in this week’s episode! Dr. David Moya is a professor of Art Education at the University of Houston - Clear Lake. He is also a former student of Laura’s. He joins The Creativity Department in this episode to share his expertise on how to best support pre-service art teachers. As Director and Professor of the program he himself graduated from, Dr. Moya is uniquely qualified to discuss what pre-service art educators need and would benefit from in their own education as well as in the art room. Listen in to hear how Dr. Moya supports his students and how you can use his tips with pre-service teachers you may be mentoring!

Elementary Art Educator Meera Ramathan joins the Creativity Department to talk about infusing literacy into the elementary art room. Using a variety of methods Meera weaves the learning of developmental skills with art, literacy, and visual literacy to create an engaging curriculum for a wide range of elementary age students. Meera shares many of the ways she teaches that literacy is not just about knowing how to read; it spans multiple life skills.

Fiber Artist and retired Art Educator, Christine Miller joins The Creativity Department in this episode to talk about thinking and questioning! What does that mean, though? Christine shares her experiences as an art educator and the ways she nurtures her students critical thinking skills using active listening and opening them up to metacognition – thinking about your thinking. Discover how slowing down to fully absorb tasks, giving students the ability to ask questions, encouraging students to wonder out loud and be curious all give them the ability to synthesize information and pull their learning together. Listen in to hear Christine’s tips and tricks for supporting students and helping them learn how to think.

Davis Publications Art Historian joins The Creativity Department for a new Coffee with Karl conversion about the importance of Art History in the art room! In this episode learn how Karl uses his unique position as art historian and image curator to highlight underrepresented artists, movements, and artwork in the world. Through the curriculum work he does for Davis, his Curator’s Corner blog, and the Contemporary Art in Context articles he writes for SchoolArts magazine, Karl shines a light on the importance of art from the past. There’s a lot more to it than what you traditionally think of “art history”. Listen in to hear more!

Creating welcoming spaces for students requires deep care, concern, and attention. Considering these notions is essential to creating programs that support students at their individual levels. In this Connected Arts Networks (CAN) episode, The Creativity Department and co-host Mi’Jan Celie Tho-Biaz speak with educators Gayle Nicholls-Ali and Lindsey Baur.  Listen in to hear how Gayle and Lindsey create welcoming environments for all learners, honor and encourage student voice and choice, illustrate different (and similar) approaches to art through experiences with artists of diverse cultures, and much more!

Explore the importance of creating welcoming environments for students in the second series of episodes brought to you by the Connected Arts Networks (CAN). As a partnership between The National Art Education Association (NAEA), Educational Theater Association, National Association for Music Education, National Dance Education Organization, and NYC Department of Education’s Office of Arts and Special Projects, the goal of this network is to build a sustainable model of professional learning to help teachers better serve students. In this episode, the Creativity Department and Dr. Mi’Jan Celie Tho-Biaz are joined by educators Bridget Shepard and Michael Gordon for an important and informative discussion about fostering environments that support all learners. Hear how these educators are creating engaging environments for their students while maintaining safe spaces to celebrate their differences.

In this episode, the Creativity Department is joined by Kris Bakke, Vice President of the Council for Art Education and Art Education Manager for Royal Brush. Listen in to hear about how to prepare for Youth Art Month and promote your art room during it! Kris shares the most effective ways she’s seen to advocate for your program, stories about past Youth Art Months, and details the positive effects Youth Art Month celebrations have had on art programs. Discover how you can celebrate and advocate during March to recognize Youth Art Month!