ABOVE : Attendees browse staff art during the MISD Faculty Art Show held at the Dr . Jim Vaszauskas Center for the Performing Arts . LEFT : Legacy High School art teacher Pam Dietrich stands next to her painting , which she describes as a pop art mashup . BELOW : T . A . Howard Middle School art teacher Joann Petry stands next to her self portrait . She created a digital design over the summer .
DISTRICT TEACHER ART SHOW SPOTLIGHTS TALENT
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. A . Howard Middle School art teacher Joann Petry committed to challenging herself over the summer after learning about the district ’ s faculty art show .
“ I ’ ve always been a doodler ,” Petry said . Growing up she used to get in trouble for drawing in her family ’ s phone book . “ I ’ d make my mom mad when she couldn ’ t read the phone numbers .”
Petry created a digital self portrait , showing off a goofy and joyful face she ’ s known for making .
“ It ’ s something I ’ m proud of ,” she said .
The Faculty Art Show , held at the Dr . Jim Vaszauskas Center for the Performing Arts , featured pottery , oil and watercolor paintings , digital art , still photography , a puppet , beadwork , woodwork and more .
“ These teachers are notoriously humble ,” said Assistant Director of Fine Arts Dr . Chuck Roe , standing next to a lifelike oil on canvas portrait . His department decided to host the show to spotlight the district ’ s talented art teachers , something the educators wouldn ’ t normally do .
“ It ’ s important that students see our teachers as artists and that art is a viable career ,” Roe said .
Pam Dietrich ’ s art career includes teaching at Legacy High School and painting or photographing retro motel signs . With more than 14,000 Instagram followers @ OldMotelSigns , her artwork caught the attention of a Chicago gallery , where some of her work currently hangs .
When she ’ s in the classroom , she paints along with her students so they can see her process .
“ They see me work ,” she said . “ That ’ s a good thing .”
Timberview High School art teacher Dallas Williams regularly sells her sculpted canvas paintings inspired by nature . Standing next to a canvas covered with 3D cactus leaves and flowers , she chatted with an art show attendee about her work that hangs in a local business .
Williams lets her students know that she continues to create art and sell to inspire them to think about their own career goals .
Shane Skinner has taught students who pursued art degrees after high school or became tattoo artists , but he knows that not all his students will pursue art after graduation .
The Legacy High School ceramics and Partners in Art teacher believes that the skills he teaches in his classes will help learners with just about any problem they may face .
“ Art gives them a sense of problemsolving skills and creative thinking ,” Skinner said . “ Which helps them in any career .”
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