With a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from Brigham Young University-Idaho, I bring both passion and expertise to the K-12 art classroom. My journey to teaching art didn’t follow a straight path—it was shaped by years spent creating personal artwork, competing in art contests, completing illustration commissions, and designing art products while raising our five children with my husband. In 2022, I joined the Ten Sleep Schools family team, and while there have been ups and downs, it has been incredibly rewarding to help students discover and develop their own creative voices and see them grow through the artistic process.

In my classroom, student choice is central to the learning experience. Elementary students explore guided projects that nurture creativity and provide room for personal choices. As students enter middle school, they dive deeper into skill-building and gain exposure to new mediums. At the high school level, students have the unique opportunity to select their preferred medium each semester—whether it’s ceramics, painting, sculpture, digital art, or beyond—and align their work with state standards while pursuing their personal artistic interests and vision.

Students in Ten Sleep's K-12 art program have the opportunity to experiment with a wide variety of media across multiple categories. Foundational drawing tools include pencils, crayons, colored pencils, water markers such as Crayola brand, sharpies, and specialized markers such as alcohol-based and paint markers. Painting instruction spans tempera, watercolor, acrylic, and even oil-based mediums. For three-dimensional exploration, students have access to ceramic pottery, hand-built sculptures, fiber arts, and other mixed media and sculptural materials. Digital art is also a key focus, with opportunities in digital drawing, painting, graphic design, and 3D modeling. I look forward to making new mediums like photography, airbrushing, glass art, animation, and game design available for future exploration as the program continues to grow. This diverse exposure broadens students' awareness and opportunities to engage with these mediums, empowering them to explore their creativity in varied and meaningful ways.

Collaboration is another key aspect of my teaching philosophy. I encourage students to participate in large and small scale group projects that serve our school and community. These include the K-12 mural on the Washakie County Recycling Trailer, publishing a student-illustrated book, and painting murals on campus to beautify and uplift the school grounds. I’m always open to ideas for community collaborations that can help make Ten Sleep a more vibrant and welcoming place.

Art education is about more than just making beautiful things—it provides countless benefits to students' development and learning. Exposure to art helps students build creativity and imagination, fine motor skills, and problem-solving abilities. It also promotes emotional expression, cultural awareness, and teamwork. Many students experience increased confidence as they learn to take creative risks and develop perseverance through overcoming artistic challenges. Importantly, art education strengthens visual literacy, an essential skill in today's media-driven world. By broadening their awareness and providing opportunities to engage with diverse creative processes, students gain valuable tools that empower them to express ideas, develop discipline, and thoughtfully engage with the art around them. My goal is to support students who are passionate about art reach more of their personal potential and to provide meaningful experiences for those who may not naturally gravitate toward it. There is even a chance that some who think they aren’t interested in art may find a spark of interest or passion they wouldn’t have been able to kindle without art as part of their education. I hope all my students leave my classroom with a deeper understanding of visual communication, improved technical skills, and the ability to thoughtfully engage with the art around them in every day life.

Beyond the classroom, I enjoy a wide range of hobbies, including tabletop role-playing games, video games, playing cello, singing, ballroom, classic swing, and line dancing. I'm a sucker for ice cream, pizza, and popcorn. I love expanding my statement earring collection with a vibrant mix of pairs that range from sophisticated, elegant, and chic to quirky, cute, and whimsical. I also love creating personal art, designing art products, attending and costuming for Renaissance fairs or any other excuse for a fun costume, journaling, and curating uplifting media experiences for my family. My faith in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is foundational to who I am.

The advice I would always share with my students is to “go slow to go fast.” Preparation, study, and practice lead to more satisfying and effective results—whether in art or life. I hope my students leave my class not only as more skilled creators but also as thoughtful consumers and contributors in our increasingly visual and connected world.