Beyond the Lecture Hall
Professors and students who use the classroom in a more untraditional way.
Story by Macy Colbert
Photos by Pearl Spurlock | Design by Ellie Sabatino
Senior Studio Art student Sarah Heink in the undergraduate studio halls
Individuals’ career paths can often be traced back to the teacher who initially introduced a spark in their area of interest. Education remains valuable through time due to the influence of such caring professionals. Beneath the surface of many Ohio University art professors there are memories of beloved teachers who unveiled their zeal.
“Art was one of my first loves, something that I majored in in college and went to grad school for, but more than anything, it was a teacher that I had that inspired me to continue not only making art but also consider sort of paying it forward,” says David LaPalombara, an OU professor of painting and drawing. While there are numerous reasons people choose their career path, for some, becoming an art educator was done out of a deep admiration for what the job accomplishes for the art field and its future professionals.
“Art teachers probably don't go into the profession to make a million dollars or to get rich, but they do it out of love for their connection to the discipline,” LaPalombara says.
Holding compensation as a secondary priority, art educators are paid in a different currency. At OU, teachers and students alike display that by bringing their passion to the studio.
“I feel like [he] would really show a lot of kindness and respect to all of his students,” says Sarah Heink, a drawing and painting major and student of LaPalombara.
By treating the young artists as their own creators, LaPalombara has made a difference.
Heink speaks not only about LaPalombara and other professors' instructional capabilities but also about how their lessons encouraged her art.
LaPalombara is a liaison for the School of Art + Design at OU and works closely with their Art Education graduate program, which is instrumental in carving out creative expression in the community. He praises the artistic air around the town and OU’s budget to host events that aim to inspire students. Not many places have as many entrepreneurs of different artistic mediums, he points out.
Arguably, Athens is one of the best towns to cultivate artistic vision, and evidence of this is in the embrace of the people. When encouraged by educators, art can shape the structure of perspective.
“Creativity comes in all forms, shapes and sizes,” Heink says. “Having a creative outlet can change your life.”
In embracing and instructing modes of output, art teachers offer simple tools of creation that can liven up schools and communities. Maintaining this unique sphere of creativity in Athens lies in the responsibility of instructors.
“I provide a structure and provide materials and resources for them to pursue things that they’ve been working towards, but under a new set of requirements,” Jaquelee Chit Yu Chau, a graduate student instructor, says.
Beyond the tools of creation, Chau offers a way to explore different approaches, challenging students while offering guidance. Chau believes that expanding students’ skill sets is important, but creating a collaborative classroom is the main objective.
A self-portrait by Heink
Connecting young artists to one another can form bonds that have the potential to create lifelong friendships or professional connections.
“It’s about the different voices and perspectives that you don’t necessarily get when you’re just making things on your own in your room,” Chau says.
Chau remembers the influence of a former high school instructor. “She celebrated bringing awareness to our own experiences,” Chau says.
Replicating what she was taught in her past, Chau provides a space where students can learn from one another. While teaching her students, Chau aims to turn them into teachers of their classmates. Artists are welcome to harbor their creative energies not only as individuals but also as core elements of a group. The input of one student can be significantly productive for another in a room where dialogue is freely endorsed.
“It is such a privilege to be among other people,” Chau says. “I think that’s one thing that’s so valuable about studio classes that are different from other academic courses. It’s the critique format.”
The vital contribution of participation allows students to connect beyond the grade scale through the vulnerability of an art project.
“Every artwork in a sense is a test of our expressive ability,” LaPalombara says. This is a delicate truth. Art demands deep reflection and profound thought. The power of impact is harnessed purposefully by experienced educators who push students to dream without boundaries.
What makes student artwork special is the requirement to dive deep into one's ability to capture what life is all about. Heink echoes this sentiment. “I think that art is really one of the things that we can’t replace with robots or AI or anything,” she says. “It’s all about expressing the human experience.”
Irreplaceable, art is essential to brightening the world. At OU, teachers are working hard to ensure a tradition of expression continues.