My role as an art instructor is to promote observation and perception. I am interested in the connections between the visual arts and how they actively form part of human evolution. I follow the principles developed in Aristotle’s Poetics namely, examining attention, sensation, and perception as the pillars for art research, processes, and pedagogy. My teaching philosophy is holistically guided by my entire professional experience as an interdisciplinary artist and multimedia producer. To enhance the students’ experience, I reorganize, edit, and create new ways of seeing and listening. I approach my classes with openness keeping in mind that my expertise can serve as a resource and a safe place for contemporary dialogues in art.
One approach I have successfully utilized that has helped improve the overall delivery of content has been a blending of exploratory and inquiry methods. This combination enables students to be more in control of their learning. Artmaking is a process that needs application, experimentation and patience, resulting in guided studio engagements where students learn fundamental exercises to structure their practices. I organize my classes with different points of engagement for diverse learners. Every topic involves an introductory video to help unpack a concept. This is followed by a conversation on students’ thoughts that opens to a casual forum for inquiry. Digitally, I share open-source content (video, audio, photos, and short readings, as needed) supporting a specific study area.
I aim to provide a safe space where I assist students to further critical thinking while exploring and developing creative skills. I provide students with the necessary tools, language, and fundamental mechanisms so they have a cohesive understanding of object-making and the world of art. To further complement their class experience and awareness, I encourage students to use their sketchbook as a creative journal, and attend and document exhibitions, local gallery art openings, or any form of cultural engagement, followed by a short presentation of their discoveries to the class. This offers students an opportunity to talk about their experience with their peers. One important activity in class is a colloquium-style seminar discussion providing an opportunity for active listening, thinking, and expression.
My role is to be a mentor who will help students evolve as visual artists. I do not superimpose my ideas or dogmas onto them. Their works are novel and reflect their creative intent and personal philosophy. For me, the process of artmaking is important, but what I truly value is being able to provide students with opportunities to learn through their explorations and the course content, and to transmit that in art production each link in the chain of research provides value to the final product.
During my MFA program, it was my exposure to Aristotle’s Poetics and colloquium-style engagements that sparked a curiosity in me to pursue pedagogy. This is where my journey as a mentor and educator truly began. Aristotle’s insights resonated deeply with me when he wrote that teaching is the highest form of understanding for a long-lasting positive personal experience. Through Poetics, students can be encouraged to explore contemporary ideas and be mentored to pursue a fluid practice based on research, experimentation, and exploration.
I am extremely fortunate to have a professional trajectory encompassing design, art making, multimedia production, and teaching. And fortunate to have been raised in South America and New York; then lived in Miami, and now Chicago. My entire life I welcomed people from diverse cultures and economic backgrounds. I have carefully listened to and learned from others' points of view but the experience of sharing my culture with people whose background differs from mine has been immeasurable. Add to this a journey of practicing mindfulness that has helped me grow as a better listener to provide thoughtful dialogues with students and many of my peers. This is the kind of reflection and energy that I bring to the classroom.
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