As we as young artists develop our skills, learn what inspires us, and explore opportunities for how to use our talents, it can be helpful to hear from some artists farther along on the journey. Their stories of how they got to where they are now can be an inspiration and a motivation to us, as well as an encouragement. So today I’d like to present three of TPS’s wonderful art teachers to tell us a little about themselves and their journeys as artists!
What inspired your love of art, and when did this love begin?
Mrs. Concepcion: As a hearing-impaired child, the visual world was extremely important to me. I was constantly playing around with the aesthetics of the various spheres of my life, like making houses for my pets or altering my clothes. What really opened me to the world of art was attending a school for the Visual and Performing Arts in 9th grade. Art went from the sidelines to front and center, and it has been there ever since. When I realized that the first person in the Bible said to be filled with the spirit of God was an artist, I became convinced that art is far more than a nice little hobby. It is an essential part of who God created us to be and how we communicate with him, whether it is drawing, painting, music, dance, etc.
Mrs. Lake: As far back as I can remember, I’ve always enjoyed creating. I believe God instills the spirit of “creating” in each person, we just create in different ways. I was fortunate to grow up in a family who appreciated and fostered creativity. My father used to paint and throw pots and my mother and grandmother pursued cross stitch while my grandfather also cross stitched and designed stained glass.
Mrs. Escalante: I never knew I could draw, but at a very young age, I discovered my love for color! I noticed how colors blended well together and how to balance color on a blank surface. Over time, I started to teach myself to sketch, and my love of color turned into my fascination with illustration! I drew every kind of cartoon that I could find to practice, but I especially loved Garfield!
I was somewhat of a shy child growing up and my love of art was my best friend. It was forgivable and it allowed me to make mistakes because each stroke was a journey and that journey led to different kinds of destinations of what my vision for the illustration would become. I didn’t always know what I was going to create, but just learning new techniques made it all worth it!
So, in 3rd grade, during “free time” it was a surprise to hear that a girl from my class loved my drawing so much that she asked if I could draw her one. The next day, I brought a special drawing just for her. Quickly word passed through to all the girls in my class and during lunch break they were all asking for a special drawing of their own. I was first shocked that someone was speaking to me, and then I was excited that my skills were being recognized!
I was charging 25 cents to one dollar, depending on the requests of the students. Just thinking about that right now, makes me smile because, without anyone’s help, I discovered a talent that I had, a problem others had, and a solution to make everybody happy! My love for art was forever growing after that.
What inspires a lot of your projects?
Mrs. Concepcion: For many of my projects, I am inspired by a particular moment of beauty and the image that I take trying to capture it, usually on a hike or walk. At other times I am inspired by an idea or feeling – a truth – I am trying to communicate visually.
Mrs. Lake: My inspiration comes from recognizing and responding to the original artist, God. Just looking around, it’s easy to find inspiration. To me, it’s about the simple things in life. Taking time and developing the discipline to appreciate the daily beauty God provides, from the vibrant colors and designs on the petals of a flower to showing a smile and receiving one in return. I just respond to the work God’s already completed.
Mrs. Escalante: Currently, I mastermind different kinds of imaginative companies and I strategize on how these companies could help others. I get these epiphanies at random moments, and I tinker with ideas and possibilities that could help someone. My entrepreneurial mindset inspires me to create lots of my personal projects because I’m listening to the people around me that need a solution to their problems.
What is one of your favorite projects that you’ve created?
Mrs. Concepcion: I painted this artwork entitled Spring 2021 as a response to how I was feeling in this strange season of Covid. It felt as if creation itself was longing for an end to the pandemic and I tried to capture that feeling in this piece. My media were colored pencils, watercolors, and alcohol markers.
Mrs. Lake: My favorite project was developing the curriculum for Art and Artists through TPS, from mixed media, sculpture, paint, pencils, collage, and more! Within this curriculum, one of my favorite projects is a recreation of Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh. Students explore the use of oil pastels, many for the first time, and each year, I’m blown away by their abilities to use this medium.
Mrs. Escalante: Creating my own company, “MPRINTAGE,” has been an achievement for me. To play a role as a young entrepreneur and now a businesswoman is another level of excitement because it is all mine to mold! I see the different perspectives and vantage points of what my company can offer, which then makes me think of how my talents and services can expand in the future. It’s a never-ending project, but I am all for the challenge!
What led you to teaching?
Mrs. Concepcion: As one of those awkward kids who never quite fit into a particular group, I often felt like I was trying to find my place. When I started out in that art school in 9th grade I had a teacher named Ms. Polin. She was incredibly encouraging and came alongside me to help me learn and grow as an artist. As I grew in my art abilities, I grew in my self-confidence. She had such a profound effect on me that I was inspired to become an art teacher to try to bring the same experience to other artists and students.
Mrs. Lake: When I was a little girl, I remember writing my name for the first time while sitting at an old school desk in my room. I lined up my stuffed animals and taught them different lessons every day. God placed the spirit of teaching in my soul and fostered it through my adulthood. My major in college was sociology, and I have always loved learning about people, understanding patterns of behavior, and helping individuals and families meet their emotional, social, spiritual, and educational goals. Several years later, I returned to college for a master’s
degree in education. Daily, God allows me to encourage the light within each student while bringing them into greater understanding of art or writing. I’ve always loved learning and while teachers instruct, they should also be avid learners of their profession.
Mrs. Escalante: I allowed myself to be a beginner at something I thought I would have never done if I didn’t quit my corporate job as a graphic designer to homeschool my one-year-old, also for the first time. I’ve noticed that there are a lot of “firsts” in my story and “doing it scared” has led to many opportunities.
I joined a co-op when my first son turned four, but it wasn’t until four years later, when I was offered an opportunity to design posters for their school events, that I got noticed. I didn’t charge for the job, it was just an exciting feeling to help, be creative, and do something that I loved to do!
The school liked what I did so much that later I received word for an opportunity to teach a small class. I never imagined teaching other kids, let alone my own class. In fact, I didn’t even know what I wanted to teach, but I said “YES” and that summer, I planned every lesson. I exceeded people’s expectations for the class and all my hard work paid off because, truly, I did not expect to receive another better opportunity after that—the opportunity to teach with TPS! This was a whole different journey. One that I never sought out to do, but the Lord provided these opportunities for a reason, and I must trust that I am serving His kingdom with the gifts He has given me.
What advice would you have for young artists?
Mrs. Concepcion: Becoming the artist God has created each of us to be is a process that takes our whole lifetime. Give yourself some grace and relax into the process. The students who take the time to learn how to access the Perceiving mode (the artist’s way of looking and seeing) are the ones who make such incredible progress in their art. It seems counter-intuitive but, if all you focus on is the product and the outcome, you miss the whole process that helps you to become the better artist.
Mrs. Lake: My advice for young artists is to appreciate your journey, keep learning and growing, and discipline your disappointments. Art is something that takes a tremendous amount of time, effort, and practice. The “great” artists didn’t just wake up being great, they studied and practiced their craft day and night. I think many come to art thinking it will be a piece of cake or if they don’t succeed after an attempt, that they are “bad” artists. It is not fair or reasonable to label someone’s skills as “bad” when they are in the process of learning, which can take a lifetime. So, let’s do ourselves a favor and say that we are “growing.” One of the biggest life lessons is determining how we will handle failures in life and with art, there are many, many failures. Let’s not look at our art as simply “good” or “bad,” but as a learning experience. “Successful people” are people who failed more, tried harder, allowed themselves the freedom to make mistakes, and never gave up. If we can just appreciate where we are in our journey and not compare ourselves to others, I believe we have a greater understanding about life and God’s purpose.
Mrs. Escalante: Be bold and try something artistically new. You never know what opportunities would lead you to your next project. Allow yourself to be a beginner and don’t fear failure. Keep moving forward in your learning. Besides, if you don’t struggle a little, how do you expect to find your strengths? Remind yourself about your goals every month. Are you working on the skills today that can get you closer to where you want to be tomorrow? Imagine the type of job you want in the future. What skills are required? List them, research them, expand on them and then start working backwards to create a timeline for achieving those skill sets.
Visual Arts Submissions:
Next month’s topic is Composition. Submit a piece of yours that you believe has a strong or unique composition. If possible, explain why you believe it is a strong composition!
Submit a piece of your artwork that fits this theme for a chance to have your art featured as the cover photo. A couple more may be chosen to be included within the article. This will be a good way to both share your artwork with the clay community and provide some inspiration to other readers.
Please submit through this Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd-rFWU-nF4TmCC65tqWVBNL-AE9N2FkklsOcnecjBB8XiQwA/viewform?usp=sf_link
The submission deadline is January 25th. Let me know in the comment section if you have any questions, and I’m excited to see your artwork!
Cover Photo:
Natalie Mulford
Photo Credits:
Spring 2021 – Mrs. Concepcion
Starry Night projects – Mrs. Lake’s students