As an artist, I find inspiration everywhere.  I am interested in the manipulation of different materials, as well as the expressive qualities of visual art.  Although my area of concentration at Oakland University was painting, I find that working in many different mediums, such as drawing, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, photography, and mixed media, as well as painting serves me well as an art teacher.

I graduated from Oakland University with a Bachelors in K -12 Art Education, with a concentration in painting in April 2014.  Continuous learning is very important to me in order to grow as an artist and a teacher and I've continued to take several ceramics/pottery and jewelry classes at OCC.  I currently teach 3D Design, Metals/Jewelry, Ceramics, and AP 3D Art & Design full time at Avondale High School.  I taught Drawing, Painting, 3D/Sculpture, and AP Drawing full time at L'Anse Creuse High School for the 2015-16 school year, and during the 2014-2015 school year I had several full time/long term substitute teaching experiences that have helped me grow to be a skilled and confident art educator.

Making art meaningful to students is a passion of mine. I positively encourage students to learn by creating authentic art that has personal meaning to them. My students learn that you don't have to be an artist to benefit from art class. Students learn to see things differently; they learn about the world through different cultural perspectives; they work collaboratively in groups; apply deeper thinking and problem solving skills, and communication skills. I also strive to include inter-disciplinary connections to other areas of learning, such as history, science, math, and language arts, so students can make connections to everyday activities in their lives. 

At home, I like to spend time with my husband and my two sons. We enjoy time together camping, swimming, biking, gardening, playing sports, and watching movies. When I am with my friends, we enjoy going to museums and art galleries.