Suzanne T. Gardner
Suzanne Gardner is an art instructor at Tahoma Senior High School in Maple Valley, I have lived in the local area since 1977 This is my 19th year teaching in Washington State and I have the satisfaction of changing student’s lives for the better through Visual Art..
My mother was my greatest influence as to the direction I have taken in Art. She taught me how to “see” things that most people would not notice. I remember as a child that she was always pointing out things to me so my perspective on everyday objects would change. “Look how there is green and yellows in the sky today, look how the shadows make a pattern on the ground and the building at the same time”. My mom was a teacher as was my grandmother.
When I challenge my students in their art I am also challenging myself. My own art becomes better and ideas develop to a greater level. I love it when students come back to visit the art room and tell me that they still have the things they made in ceramics or when I receive a not from a parent telling me how much they appreciate my work with their child. I cannot think of a career where you would reach so many people in such a deep life long way. I feel very fortunate.
I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Oregon and her Masters degree in Education from City University in Seattle. In between I attended any art class at any university I could get to. The process is as important as the outcome for me so I work in many mediums.
I have exhibited in many local shows as well as in Coronado, California and in Ogden, Utah and is in many private collections. One of my submitted works to ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery (Weet-a-Lo) has also been in the 2008 Daniel Smiths Reference Catalogue as an example of outstanding art. This is the second time she has had a painting in Daniel Smiths Reference Catalogue.
I am a member of the National Art Education Association, the Washington Arts Education Association (WAEA), and the Maple Valley Community Arts Council. I am also the Scholarship Chairwoman for the Stuart Davis Scholarship for the WAEA that provides scholarships for seniors who will be attending an art school following their senior year.
“I carry my camera whenever I travel and my work represents where I visit and the cultures I come across. What people read into the paintings also has to do with where and how they grew up, their political and cultural biases, and their sense of right and wrong. When people talk to me about my work, I am surprised at how it is interpreted as it may not have been my original intention. I enjoy art that sparks interesting conversations and art that can be interpreted differently.
My mother was my greatest influence as to the direction I have taken in Art. She taught me how to “see” things that most people would not notice. I remember as a child that she was always pointing out things to me so my perspective on everyday objects would change. “Look how there is green and yellows in the sky today, look how the shadows make a pattern on the ground and the building at the same time”. My mom was a teacher as was my grandmother.
When I challenge my students in their art I am also challenging myself. My own art becomes better and ideas develop to a greater level. I love it when students come back to visit the art room and tell me that they still have the things they made in ceramics or when I receive a not from a parent telling me how much they appreciate my work with their child. I cannot think of a career where you would reach so many people in such a deep life long way. I feel very fortunate.
I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Oregon and her Masters degree in Education from City University in Seattle. In between I attended any art class at any university I could get to. The process is as important as the outcome for me so I work in many mediums.
I have exhibited in many local shows as well as in Coronado, California and in Ogden, Utah and is in many private collections. One of my submitted works to ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery (Weet-a-Lo) has also been in the 2008 Daniel Smiths Reference Catalogue as an example of outstanding art. This is the second time she has had a painting in Daniel Smiths Reference Catalogue.
I am a member of the National Art Education Association, the Washington Arts Education Association (WAEA), and the Maple Valley Community Arts Council. I am also the Scholarship Chairwoman for the Stuart Davis Scholarship for the WAEA that provides scholarships for seniors who will be attending an art school following their senior year.
“I carry my camera whenever I travel and my work represents where I visit and the cultures I come across. What people read into the paintings also has to do with where and how they grew up, their political and cultural biases, and their sense of right and wrong. When people talk to me about my work, I am surprised at how it is interpreted as it may not have been my original intention. I enjoy art that sparks interesting conversations and art that can be interpreted differently.
