Blair Lambert

teaching portfolio

474A 7th AvenueBrooklyn, NY 11215(570)-856-1857blair.lambert@gmail.com

I wish to obtain a position teaching art at a school where I may use my artistic knowledge and teaching skills to become a member of a successful and creative team of educators.

The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA2002-2006 The Pratt InstituteBrooklyn, NY2009 - present

BoCoCa Cooperative Preschool 08/2010 - presentFounding Head Teacher Brooklyn, NY

I am responsible for planning and implementing all classroom activities at this small cooperative preschool. I develop age-appropriate lessons that promote the physical, social, emotion and intellectual growth of my students. I communicate extensively with parents and provide frequent progress reports.

Student Teacher 02/2011 – presentLower Manhattan Community Middle School New York, NY

I observe as well as teach seventh and eighth grade art classes. Current projects include oil pastel, portraiture, wire sculpture and figure drawing.

Bachelors of Sciences: Art Education for MuseumsBachelors of Arts: Studio Art: Drawing and PaintingMasters of Sciences: Art and Design Education Intended completion: 12/11

BLAIR LAMBERTArt Educator

Objective

Education

Experience

Creative Arts Summer Day Camp 05/2009 - presentVisual Arts Instructor Brooklyn, NY

I teach all daily art lessons to approximately fifty students over the summer months aged five through fifteen. Topics range from sculpture, art history, drawing, sewing and performance art.

The Intrepid Museum 12/2007 – 09/2008Museum Educator New York, NY

Working under a grant from the department of education, I designed and delivered programming to students in New York City public schools in all five boroughs. I developed educational materials for school age, adult and senior programs.

CPR and First Aide CertifiedCarpentry and woodworking skills

I worked to build sets for several university theater productionsCeramics Knowledge – throwing and hand building

I worked as a technician in the Penn State Ceramics Studio

Advanced sewing skillsI ran a small business designing and producing fabric

handbags and accessories from my home.

Citibabes 09/2009 – 06/2010Preschool Art Instructor New York, New York

I lead weekly art classes for preschoolers aged 2-4 years as well as planned group art activities during events at this family lifestyle club in SoHo.

Oasis Summer Day Camp 05/2007 – 08/2007Visual Arts Instructor Bayside, NY

I taught all visual art activities to campers aged 5-14. Lessons were designed to be educational as well as fun and age appropriate. Classes covered a variety of artistic mediums and topics

Skills

References available upon request

Teaching Philosophy

I aim to help my students think about and challenge what they see. The importance of self-discipline and diligent work in the learning process is always emphasized in my classroom. I expect students to establish a dialogue with each other about their work. Discourse enables students to recognize how effectively their ideas have been conveyed.

Balance between conceptual and critical thinking and technical skills is an important aspect of my teaching. I foster the growth of technical and conceptual skills as a means for more clearly articulating ideas. These skills properly balanced enable students to effectively complete assignments and expand their creativity beyond the classroom.

Finally, the relevance of visual art must also be highlighted in the contemporary art classroom. By incorporating broad ideas such as culture, history, politics, literature, film, poetry, and music I seek to encourage students to see visual art practice as part of the larger framework of their own lives.

I teach in visual art in order to challenge students to think, ask questions, be courageous and responsible. Teaching requires balance. The work of an educator is a unique combination of directing, watching, coaching, guiding, and waiting. At times, I embrace teacher-centered forms of instruction such as demonstration; at other times, more student-centered approaches are required. Visual art is a particularly complex subject that goes beyond an interesting image.

Student Work & Lessons

Saturday Art School The Pratt InstituteAges 5- 6

Neighborhood Architecture: clay relief sculpture

As a result of this lesson students gained a deeper understanding of the forms used in architectural design as well as the properties of clay as an artistic medium. In order to begin the discussion of architectural design, students identified the basic shapes seen in local facades and discussed these elements with the class. After experimenting with clay and observing a demonstration of low relief sculpture, the students sketched building facades of their own design. Finally each student used their sketches to create a low relief sculpture of a building façade out of clay.

Saturday Art School The Pratt InstituteAges 5- 6

Abstract Compositions using watercolor techniques

Through this lesson students gained a basic understanding of abstract art by critically discussing the art work of Kandinsky and other abstract painters. As well as identifying line, shape and color in abstract work, students explored the properties of watercolor painting through experimentation. Students then used the shapes and lines in found materials to create an abstract work using watercolor painting methods.

Saturday Art School The Pratt InstituteAges 5- 6

Monster Printing: focus on texture

In this project students gained experience with basic printmaking techniques and developed ways to effectively create textural effects with line. After describing the textures illustrated in the children’s book “Where the Wild Things Are,” students worked to illustrate textures using line and shape. Students then created a monster of their own design, paying particular attention to describing texture. Students then used their drawings to create plates with which to print their monsters. At the conclusion of the class students discussed their work and the work of their classmates utilizing vocabulary reviewed earlier.

Creative Arts Summer Day CampAges 7-14

Design a train – personalizing the subway

In this lesson students drew inspiration from examples of classic urban graffiti to create subway train cars that visually expressed something about themselves. After discussing the use of line, color and symbol in several examples of graffiti art students watched a demonstration of oil pastel techniques and then experimented on their own. First by sketching, then using oil pastels, each student created a large scale subway car embellished with their own “graffiti” designs. The cars were connected for display during a final discussion in which students discussed their work and its intended meanings with each other.

Creative Arts Summer Day CampAges 7-14

In silhouette: self portraits through collage

Taught in three one hour classes, this lesson introduced students to collage techniques and meaning making through color and pattern. After first discussing how different colors and patterns can communicate different messages to the viewer, students experimented with paper collage. Using magazines, books and textured and patterned papers, students created a collage that they felt reflect their personalities. As the collages were drying, students created cut silhouettes of each other on black paper. After layering the collages and silhouettes, each student discussed their finished work with the class, using artistic vocabulary.

BoCoCa Preschool Co-Op

art with the very young

Magic Marble Painting: art making through teamwork

Public Transportation

Unit

Color mixing and track making Making Trains: creating with imagination and observation

Eyesight UnitCreating and observing

with colored lenses

City Making: group construction

Brooklyn UnitFish Unit

Gyotaku: Japanese fish printing

Lower Manhattan Middle School

Grade 7

Grid Portraits: An exercise in looking and

value

By using this traditional drawing method students gained confidence in their own ability to create quality artwork. This lesson stressed the student’s ability to focus and persist, not their drawing skills. After first drawing with white pencil on black paper, students then selected oil pastels in a value range to complete their self portraits. This lesson lasted significantly longer and had more components than the students were accustomed to. Students had to persist in order overcome problems they faced throughout the project. The resulting artwork was aesthetically and technically impressive. The students were extremely proud of their work.

Grade Level:Elementary

Materials/Technology-Air dry clay-Rolling pin-Clay forming tools-Water-Foam shapes-Glue sticks-Images of buildings

Techniques/Specific Skills-Molding-Shaping clay

Elements/Principles and Post-Modern Principles of Art -Texture-Form-Shape

Specific NY State Visual Arts Standard(s)

Standard 1: Creating, Performing and Participating in the Arts Students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and

performance in the arts (dance, music, theatre, and visual arts) and participate in various roles in the arts.

Standard 3: Responding to and Analyzing Works of Art Students will respond critically to a variety of works in the arts, connecting

the individual work to other works and to other aspects of human endeavors and thought. Goals:

Students will gain a deeper understanding of the forms and materials used in architectural design as well as the properties of clay as an artistic medium.

Learning Objectives: -Students will be able to identify basic architectural design elements by and discuss them with the classmates use accurate vocabulary. -Students will create a relief sculpture employing several different clay sculpture techniques.-Students will be able to integrate basic architectural forms into the designs of their own relief sculptures.

Sample Lesson Plan:

Neighborhood Architecture: clay relief sculpture

Preparation Before Class: roll out and cut one clay slab for each student (approx. 6”x10”)

• print architectural examples• prepare a set of clay tools and rolling pin for each pair of students• cut a small piece of clay for each student for use during technique demonstration• fill a cup of water for each student• fill several buckets of water for washing up and set out paper towel• white paper and colored pencils

Lesson Development—Time Line: 10:00 – students arrive and begin introduction activity

Activity: Students will select an image building. Students will find pre-cut foam shapes (squares, lines, circles, triangles etc…) that fit the shapes on the building picture and using a glue stick will attach the foam to the paper. The result will be a low relief in foam of the building made up of basic foam shapes.

10:15- 10:35 - students will gather in meeting area with their building image from the introductory activity.keeping in mind the basic shapes they identified in their images, the teacher can students will discuss their work highlighting the names of architectural elements of the various buildings. Students will then is asked to identify the elements and their basic shapes discussed in the book in images of buildings from Brooklyn neighborhoods.Students will then be given white drawing paper and pencil and will be asked to draw only the façade of a building (real or imagined) including basic shapes as well as texture and decoration.

10: 35 – 10:50 - students will participate in a clay workshop lead by the teacher which will introduce them to basic clay techniques as well as the concept of relief sculpture. Students will practice rolling and cutting clay, making textural imprints in the clay’s surface as well as how to properly slip and score.

10:50 – 11:35 - students will collect their clay tools and large slabs of clay and using their façade drawings will create their final architectural relief sculptures.

11:35 – 11:45 - clean up11:45- 12:00 - lesson wrap up: students share their work with classmates and have snack

Assessment: The success of this lesson will be assed through student feedback throughout the class period, the quality of the resulting art projects and final class discussion.