An Artist's Eye

Swish, scratch, the sound of paint brushes and pencils across a canvas fills the classroom. The warm feeling of listening to music while letting your mind wander and letting your creativity take over is a feeling all students experience in Ms. Garcia’s class.

This month, Ms. Garcia was nominated as teacher of the month. She inspires students with creativity, kindness, and a classroom that feels safe for everyone. Sophomore Ava Swartzendruber shares these emotions.

“She’s super nice and understanding, and she just makes her classroom a safe space that’s free of judgment,” fondly noted Swartzendruber

Beyond creating a welcoming environment, Mrs. Garcia’s teaching style allows students to have creative freedom and the autonomy to explore while still receiving guidance when needed.

“She lets us have a lot of freedom with the art…but if she sees you struggling, she’ll help point you in the right direction,” explained Swartzendruber.

Ms. Garcia says her approach to teaching that way is intentional since she understands that creativity can feel vulnerable for some students.

“I try to make it so it’s familiar so people feel comfortable, because creativity sometimes involves vulnerable risk,” commented Ms. Garcia.

Her passion for art and teaching comes from a lifelong connection to creativity and years of experience in the classroom. 

“It’s in my blood. My parents are artists… I didn’t mean to become an art teacher, but here I am 21 years later,” shared Ms. Garcia.

Ms. Garcia creates an environment where students can explore a wide variety of artistic paths.

“I teach drawing, painting, graphic design, digital photography, and fashion,” stated Ms. Garcia.

Her classes are intentionally structured to help students gain confidence while developing their skills.

“Every class has warm-ups, and the warm-ups help build skills and confidence..and then the projects are kind of guided projects,” she explained.

Students say this balance of structure and freedom is what makes her class so enjoyable. However, for many, the experience goes beyond just the assignment and leaves a lasting impact.

“Honestly, the entire class was memorable… the class itself was so fun,” added Swartzendruber. 

For Ms. Garcia, teaching art is about more than creating projects, it's about shaping how students think and grow. 

“Using your brain critically and creatively is going to evolve humanity… so I am here to help the evolution of humans,” exclaimed Ms. Garcia.