Amanda VanBuren has been a high school art educator for nearly 20 years. She spent her first 13 years teaching at two large inner city public high schools in Southern California and the last 6 years in online education here in Oregon. She has taught a range of art courses including Art 1, Painting, Digital Art, Photography, Ceramics, and Illustration. She loves helping students push outside of their comfort zones, open their minds, and gain confidence through creative risk taking, experimentation and a “what if?!” mindset.

Amanda and Natalie talk about what art education is, how awesome it can be in an online context, and leave you inspired to do something creative to feed your soul today. 

 

Timestamps - 

Amanda’s favorite art to create [2:27]

The Artist’s Way [5:25]

The question everyone asks Amanda [7:13]

What does a Foundations of Art class look like online? [8:40]

Natalie learns the elements of art [9:23]

A week in the life of an online art student [10:00]

How Amanda allows her students to have voice and choice [12:15]

What’s a Creative Cooldown? [14:57]

Advantages of learning art online [16:03]

Drawbacks of learning and teaching art online [17:35]

Remedies to the drawbacks [19:00]

The art of feedback [20:24]

Why is art education important? [24:37]

Amanda’s reminder to us to be present and slow down [27:33]

Blind contour drawing as a way to learn to focus [29:21]

Amanda’s favorite lesson right now [30:32]

Art with mud? [32:48]

Amanda’s favorite teacher growing up [35:49]

How to get in touch with Amanda [38:39]

 

Resources - 

Contact Amanda at [email protected]

Amanda’s 1 Project 5 Ways Resources

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Phil Hansen’s Embrace the Shake Ted Talk

John Spencer’s Website and This Could Fail Video