Art Educator Experience

Growing up in New York City, my exposure to diverse cultures, philosophies, arts, innovations and stagnations formed a very broad spectrum.

As an artist: I reflect (my perceptions of) human beings who interact with the world and with each other.

As an art educator:

I first taught and learned from very young children.
This segued to an exciting elementary school experience where I was a teacher and curriculum developer at the Daniel Webster Arts and Humanities Magnet School in New Rochelle, NY.
Considering a role in Administration but lacking secondary experience, I transferred to the New Rochelle High School. It was there that I taught Advanced Placement (AP) Art, Sculpture, Advanced Drawing & Painting and was a developer of the district’s multi-arts school-within-a-school program (Performing And Visual Arts Education: PAVE)
After mentoring/apprenticing many student-teachers, I taught the art education Practicum Course at two neighboring colleges and supervised student-teachers.
I presented and exhibited student art at several State Art (and English) Annual Conventions.
I was a guest presenter for several years to the Graduate Art Education Department of Parsons School of Design (NYC).

My personal bias for student artwork was interdisciplinary and content-based…it had to be relevant. Art skills were developed to support content; meaning for the artist was paramount; the students followed their own art journeys.

Testimonials

“Once in a great while a person comes along with such a magical presence as to light up an entire room and in so doing stimulate an atmosphere of excitement and imagination, Intense passion would not be too strong a character trait in describing an extraordinary fine arts teacher - Adrienne Garnett. Every day she clearly emboldens the world in which she lives; a constantly evolving world of possibilities, impulse and controlled energy. A significant portion of her “gift” lies in the view that the impossible is never really impossible, that an artist’s eye will always discover the secret that leads to an answer…” “…If anything her life has been an extension of the creative impulses stirred by her concern for those in her immediate circle and for the general human condition.”

“I have known Adrienne Garnett for many years, both as a teacher, a practicing artist and a creative force behind the development for Arts in our community. She is an amazing teacher and has the capacity to inspire students of all ages to reach a potential for creativity even they would not imagine possible. She is extraordinarily articulate, imaginative in her orientation and totally engages with her students as she does with her peers. Adrienne has a hunger for learning. She sees art in everything around her and not only teaches ART, but draws from the experience an ability to help a student learn, interpret, explore and grow from the work.”

“…you will find in Adrienne the inspiration, dedication and innovation that has fueled many individuals to enter a variety of careers in the arts, including my own. Without her professionalism as an artist and an educator, I would not have had many of the successes I have thus far achieved. Having worked with Adrienne as both an academic and an artist, I know her as a complete educator and artist….She is versed in art history, global issues, and a scholarly as well as personal understanding of the spiritual. As a mentor, Adrienne is both a parent and a sibling to me, at times she guides me and at times we have been lost together, but it is the trust I have with her that marks her as my true mentor”

“Adrienne Garnett, previously my teacher…understands that art is a means of expression, a means of exploration, a means of stretching your creative mind and flexing parts of yourself that are always in a state of development… Her attitude of positivity is infectious, and allows students to investigate themselves and their art fearlessly… She imbues her students with skill, but lets them create their own ideas. She is supportive, but challenging… She was a favorite of students because she joined them in their exploration, asked them to think for themselves and then listened to their ideas, taught them the how and then had them show her the what.”