"Practice What We Preach" exhibit
showcases the works of local art instructors
April 1-30, Campus Art Gallery
“I am an artist who teaches. I am a teacher who is an artist. From the time I was very small, I drew pictures; this ability allowed the world to define me as an artist. At the time, I didn't know any artists, but when I met my first art teacher in elementary school, I saw a teacher who made art all day, and I was smitten. What better life could there be than to have all the crayons, paint, pencils, paper and clay to express myself with other people every day?” -- Christy Culp, art teacher, Deer Lakes High School
UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- After high school students exhibited what they learned in art classes in March, their teachers get to show that they can “walk the walk” as well as “talk the talk” during April, in the Penn State New Kensington Art Gallery.
"Practicing What We Teach" is the theme of the display by high school teachers that runs April 1-30. Regional Art Teachers, a group of area high school instructors are showcasing their artistic talents with a multi-media exhibit that includes paintings, photographs and sculptures.
Christy Culp, an art teacher at Deer Lakes High School, is one of the teachers who is exhibiting in the gallery. A ceramic and pottery artist, Culp uses her artistic talents to connect with students who want to express themselves through art. She guides them through materials and techniques that allow them to grow as artists and “understand themselves as human beings.”
“I try to work on a piece of art or bring sculptures and pottery I have made for the students to see,” said Culp, who has been teaching since 1997. “Modeling artistic behavior is important for students. Witnessing the process helps them understand how art making happens -- from struggling with a concept, struggling with materials, to assessing the final outcome." The budding artists also ask about making a living by selling art. Culp, who runs a small pottery business, discusses aspects of owning an artistic concern, such as the time and costs involved and the value of an artwork.
“These classroom experiences provide real-world examples of art making, business and community,” Culp said.
Sponsored by the Alle-Kiski Arts Consortium, an organization of local educators dedicated to bringing performing and visual artists to area students, the exhibit features artwork by teachers from four public school districts (Deer Lakes, Highlands, Kiski Area, New Kensington-Arnold) and a private school (St. Joseph’s).
The exhibit is free to the public. Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., weekdays and noon to 5 p.m., weekends.
Last month, art by the teachers’ students was featured in the gallery. The theme, “Portraiture and Faces” was interwoven in each school’s display. More than 500 two- and three-dimensional pieces, including paintings, drawings, sculpture and jewelry were hung salon-style, a European technique that dates back to the 17th century. Salon-style features a single exhibition room with artwork covering all the walls in a collage-like pattern.
“My role as a teacher is to allow room for growth, allow students to find and ask the questions and along the way find their own joy in the process,” Culp said. “My students know that I am passionate about making art, and how it brings joy.”
News Contact: Bill Woodard
Alumni and Public Relations
724-334-6049, uxw1@psu.edu