art teachers

Before I transitioned the podcast to its new format as Art and Self with Cindy Ingram, some of my all-time favorite episodes were the ones where I had captivating art conversations with my dear friend, Madalyn. We'd dive deep into a single piece, exploring its intricacies, and unraveling the layers that make art truly fascinating. The goal was to not just talk about art but to show the depth and complexity it holds, offering listeners a glimpse of the incredible possibilities within the world of art. It's all about the power of showing rather than telling—a theme that's been resonating with me lately, especially in connection to my new book.

To mark the book's release, I brought Madalyn back to the podcast after a two-year hiatus, and it was an absolute joy. We delved into the enchanting painting Night by Natalie Wadlington, one of the artworks featured in my new book, Art Is About Being Whole: A Memoir.

In this episode, we explore:

• The sacredness, duality, and symbolism of nature
• Themes of curiosity, authenticity, wholeness, and joy in simple moments
• A journey back to childhood wonder and the importance of embracing our true selves
• Reflections on societal expectations, productivity, and the art of resistance through self-care

For links to the artworks and other resources we mention, head over to the shownotes at this link.

also be sure to get my new book, Art Is About Being Whole: A Memoir!

In this episode, Margaret and I, both passionate art educators, open up about our own artistic journeys. We get real about the struggle of finding our artistic identities as teachers, grappling with imposter syndrome, of not being “good enough” or niched enough, and the “shoulds” that help us back from embracing our own art. But what we have found on the other end after letting all of that go is freedom of expression, the joy and satisfaction of making art for us and no one else, and the safety and nervous-system regulation that art provides us that we knew as children but forgot as we grew up. 

It's been all about letting the process guide us and having the curiosity, the playfulness, and the consistent practice lead us to whatever comes next.

I know you’ll love this conversation.

Get the links to stuff we talked about on this episode on the shownotes at this link. 

Join the JLFT Crew as we have our first guest on the show! Megan is a first year Elementary Art teacher with a plethora of knowledge in art education. Art can be difficult to incorporate into the general education classroom due to the high math and reading state standards. Listen and learn with us as we discuss the impacts and benefits of having an elementary art program in schools. Teaching is hard, and Elementary is no exception. Listen as we learn from Megan about the importance of art education programs for our youngest learners in a system that doesn’t always make art a priority.  #teacherpodcast #teachers #arteducation