Creativity is in crisis in the United States. As many teachers have observed and lamented, recent research reveals a significant decline in creative thinking and production among students in the past two decades, particularly elementary school age children. Besides hobbling a person's delight in life, there are economic and political implications as well. Over a thousand CEOs in the U.S. identified creativity as the most important “leadership competency” of the future.

How can Idahoans foster creativity in their children? Art residencies can provide one reliable opportunity. From the time I drew on my mother's best lampshade with a brown crayon at the age of four, art has been an integral part of my life. Now a grandmother, I note that not only my choice of canvases has improved over the years, but also the rewards of thinking creatively has enriched my life and hopefully the lives of others.

Born and raised near the Canadian Rockies where I continue to hike annually, my love of the natural environment and diverse human cultures ignites my artwork and teaching. I have traveled on four continents gaining insight and respect for the myriad creative ways people express themselves. With degrees in sociology (anthropology and psychology minors), elementary education and two degrees in visual arts I continually meld my background with experiences as citizen, classroom teacher and artist. As an art teacher I bring all my experiences and dreams into the classroom to help each child grow creatively.

Describe a transformative process that has occurred in your own practice as an artist or in a past residency as a teaching artist.
A comment by an eighth-grade minority student in a rural Idaho school reveals one transformative situation. While teaching drawing skills to her class I mentioned the stress-relieving benefit I find in painting and drawing alone. One Monday the student told me after school that the weekend had been especially stressful for her but she had turned to drawing. Laughing, she added that past Saturday midnight she fell asleep with a pencil in her hand, feeling much better about handling the pain life deals her. May all young people transform their situations as well.

When have you been able to recognize learning taking place?
Because I use discipline-based art education methods, including art appreciation discussions along with skills and vocabulary development, student involvement is noted immediately. I am able to discern evidence of student understanding or lack of it immediately and make needed adjustments.

What excites your imagination and in turn how does your work excite imagination for your audience?
Along with the delight of representing our beautiful environment realistically, my imagination soars when I combine a realistic drawing with elements from an aspect of culture. For example is my watercolor painting, “Tea with Paisley.” After carefully designing the composition and selecting harmonious, unifying colors I fancifully interlaced the design with motifs I found on paisley scarves. A fresh spirit of whimsy and excitement still makes me smile at the memory of creating the painting.

What characteristics mark a successful collaboration for you?
I look for cooperative involvement between teachers, myself and others involved in the residency. Together we establish goals and objectives, share responsibilities in grant-writing, planning schedules and establishing classroom conditions that foster creativity and learning. A teachers' in-service and culminating art exhibition broaden the depth of the residency's impact.

How do you foster creativity, both in your own work and as a teaching artist?
Because creative expression is enriched when students have acquired the building blocks of basic skills and knowledge, and are able to express themselves in a safe, respectful setting, I am confident that creativity will be expressed by each person involved in the residency.

Three key understandings of this discipline are:

1. By demonstrating and modeling art methods, I teach students skills and craftsmanship basic to the visual arts
2. By respectfully discussing aspects of artwork with the students, I teach age-appropriate art concepts, vocabulary, and art-discussion techniques.
3. By providing an accepting classroom environment, I encourage each student’s artistic imagination to flourish

1. Students will develop skills such as for drawing, designing, and painting effective compositions.
2. Students will express themselves verbally, using relevant art vocabulary and concepts to describe, infer meaning, and discuss effective aspects of artworks courteously.
3. Students will expand their creative horizons: brainstorming ideas, experimenting with materials, trying and retrying various techniques, and finding artistic closure they find satisfying.

• Science: flora, fauna and landscapes (e.g of Idaho) as possible subject matter
• Social Studies: people and their cultures (e.g. of Idaho’s Native Tribes) as subject matter and motifs
• Language Arts: creative writing and poetry as collaborative studies; alphabets as subject matter
• Mathematics: repeated, multiple patterns; use of geometric shapes; measuring areas and linear distances for abstract designs
• P.E. and Music: exercises or dances (e.g. traditional Mexican or Basque) that express aspects of visual arts
• Health: subject matter for posters or advertising

1. Mrs. Patti Roberts
   1220 Hatter Creek Road
   Princeton, Idaho 83857


2. Mrs. Judith Phillips
   East Elementary School
   Kodiak, Alaska 99615


3. Mrs. Caroline Bermans
   1091 Youmans Lane
   Moscow, Idaho 83843