One of my favorite jobs at VisArts is teaching my elementary-school-age painting and drawing classes. I have always loved working with children but there is something about teaching them art that is truly rewarding to me. Since I started with this class in January, we have learned about many different artists including Kandinsky, Seurat, Monet, Van Gogh, Warhol, O’Keeffe, Riley, Dali, da Vinci, Escher, Klimt, and Cezanne.
By teaching them about the backgrounds of the artists and creating works in the artist’s styles, the children absorb a great deal of information and have learned a lot about art. Sometimes, I would bring in my art history textbooks to share with my students and love it when they see an image and shout, “That’s by Seurat!” I think it is extremely important for children to have the ability to express themselves in a visual way and having the knowledge and materials for them to do that is what makes my job so meaningful.
I started taking art classes when I was six years old and continued with the same instructor for 12 years until I went to college to earn my BFA. I remember what it was like to be so inspired by this instructor. Everyday, I try to follow in her footsteps to inspire these incredibly talented boys and girls in my classes. I encourage all parents to have their children be involved with art in someway and I am eager to continue teaching!
Emily Fucello is currently an art instructor and the volunteer coordinator at VisArts. She has been a dedicated faculty and staff member since January 2012. Fucello graduated from Frostburg State University in 2011 with a BFA in painting and printmaking. Since then, she has been a great addition to VisArts and shares the same values and goals in making the arts accessible to the community for people of all ages.
