Joanna Reid

Background

About Joanna Reid

As a labor of love, after 20 years of being an artist and art instructor in the community, I have just completed my certification in Art Education at the University of Arkansas. I have an engineering degree that I have hardly used except for my love of problem-solving which I believe is one of my strong suits along with my sincerity and ability to make others feel welcome. In the community, my art students have ranged from pre-K to retired adults. I have also had the pleasure of working with some amazing children and adults affected by disabilities while teaching at Ability Tree in Siloam Springs and Life Styles in Fayetteville. I have come to believe that teaching art in public schools is the most sustainable way for me to help make art truly inclusive and accessible to almost everyone. My mentors and my experience gained while interning at Allen Elementary School and Siloam Springs High School did so much to help prepare me for working with larger groups of students within the framework of a public school, especially classroom management and the use of educator software for effective lesson planning, teaching, recording lessons, and record-keeping. I know there will have to be a continuously steep learning curve when I am in the classroom. I believe in the power of art to create and communicate connections that help us understand ourselves, others, the world, and our history. I believe it is a practice of mindfulness, resilience, and hope for new possibilities and new ways of living and being in the world. Public schools help make that practice accessible to everyone, including those who feel most alone, insignificant, and stressed. To increase the power and possibilities of our art practices, I work to maintain a safe and mutually respectful classroom. I try to always look students in the eye, listen to them, and smile when I see them coming, working to make them feel welcome, safe, capable, and valued. I also try to be vigilant and consistently take action if any student is jeopardizing that for others. I have led and collaborated with young people on two community mural projects, worked to promote other artists' work, completed many commissioned paintings, and have portraiture work in two permanent public collections. I have had some experience in wheel ceramics and printmaking as well, and am in love with both, but I still have much to learn. I love trying new things, continuing to learn, and expanding my experience and what I can share with my students.