Logo
  • HOME
  • ABOUT US
    • Our History
    • Annual Report
    • Strategic Plan
    • Meet the A4L Staff
    • Board of Directors
    • Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA)
    • YA National Network
    • Employment
  • PROGRAMS
    • Arts + Learning Exploration
    • Arts + Learning Snacks
    • Schedule a Program
    • Virtual Arts Experiences
    • Find A Program
    • Find An Artist
    • Summer Camps
    • Professional Development for Artists
  • SUPPORT
    • Our Donors
    • Individual Giving
    • Give Back Through Rewards
  • GET INVOLVED
    • Advisory Groups
      • Artistic Advisory Group
      • Education Advisory Group
    • Become an A4L Artist
    • Become a Board Member
    • Internships
    • Program Observer
    • Volunteer
  • Our Stories
  • Virtual Arts
  • Contact Us

Arts Education as a Career: Meet Emerging Teaching Artist Asiko-oluwa Aderin

December 22, 2022 By Cindy Sherwood

When art students are considering career paths, becoming a teaching artist may not come to mind. But for one Norfolk State student, that’s now a viable career option, thanks to Arts for Learning’s new Emerging Teaching Artist program.

Asiko-oluwa Aderin is a junior who’s majoring in fine arts with a concentration in graphic design. She’s a visual artist who works in digital and acrylic mediums, using geometric, abstract motifs that explore themes of Black excellence and empowerment.

Asiko created the design for this Chesapeake Public Library outreach van
A collaborative mural by NSU students Victoria Jensen and Asiko Aderin, painted on the wall of a Norfolk market
Another view of the mural

Last summer, Asiko guided children at A4L’s STEAM camp at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts. She was then invited to join A4L’s new Emerging Teaching Artist program, helping children create nature-inspired picture frames in special workshops at Norfolk Botanical Garden while working with an experienced mentor, teaching artist Cindy Aitken. That’s the whole idea of the program—pairing up college students with professional artists and A4L staff who can guide them on essential elements of being a teaching artist, from developing professional programming to reading a business contract.

A4L Chief Operations Officer Anna Green, along with other members of the Education and Program team, designed the program for college students with less than one or two years of teaching experience. Although Asiko is a visual artist, students working in all art forms are welcome to apply for the program.

“Through the program they’ll receive professional development that will contribute to their working knowledge of classroom management, program development with curriculum preparation, and arts administration practices,” Anna says. “Our goal in working with these emerging artists is to cultivate them on to our teaching artist roster with one to two signature programs, or to help them advance throughout their profession.”

Asiko also taught high school students graphic design and comic book making in a ten-week residency for Norfolk nonprofit Next Step to Success. Through that experience, she discovered the joy of making a positive impact. On the last day of the residency, she asked students to tell her what they were taking away from the experience.

“One student in particular—who had presented a few challenges in terms of staying engaged and staying interested—he actually said that through the course of the program he had a love for art sparked,” Asiko says. “I think that was so cool, because as I went through the residency, one of my goals became to facilitate creativity within each individual child, however that may look like. To go from a kid who was like, ‘No, I’m not interested in art’ to ‘Okay, maybe this is something I can explore in the future’—it was really nice to be able to spark that in somebody.”

Drew Lusher, A4L’s Artist and Programming Manager, says Asiko came to Arts for Learning with some key attributes of effective teaching, such as a calm and reassuring presence and the ability to engage authentically with students. He’s seen strong growth in her in the months she’s spent in the Emerging Artist program.

“Once we worked with Asiko to unpack the content of her art form and align it with the interests and needs of her students, she grew into an amazing teacher,” Drew says. “I enjoyed the opportunity to observe her in the last week of the Graphic Novels program. The impact of her teaching on the students and the classroom environment was palpable.”

As for Asiko, she says arts education is an avenue she may want to pursue professionally, thanks to her experience in the Emerging Artist program. “I’ve been reaffirmed in my ability to teach and work with different age groups.” And at age 21, she may have one advantage over much older teachers. “While maintaining a professional demeanor and authority, I’m able to really connect with the students in a way that doesn’t feel intimidating and that they’ll still listen and have fun.”

Asiko has an exciting challenge ahead of her this spring when she moves on to the next phase of the program—she’s been selected to serve as the teaching artist in an after-school residency at Portsmouth’s Westhaven Elementary School, one of three schools participating in the first phase of the IDEAL (Intentional Designs of Expression in Artistic Languages) program. During the course of the ten-week residency, fifth graders will create mixed media works of art as they explore various aspects of self-identity through dance, written and spoken poetry, and visual art. Students from schools in Norfolk and Virginia Beach are also participating and will have opportunities to collaborate with one another.

“A lot of the residency is based off of trying to help these students figure out their own identities and where they fit into their communities,” Asiko says. “That conceptually is so in line with the work that I’m trying to do artistically that’s it’s going to be really neat to explore these concepts.”

We’re thankful for the sponsorship of #BankofAmerica that helped underwrite the launch of the Emerging Artist Teaching program. Their support is helping create new opportunities in the workforce for artists.

Students or colleges interested in participating in the program may contact Molly Stanley, Learning and Community Engagement Manager, at learning@Arts4LearningVA.org.

Filed Under: Artist Spotlight, News, Program Spotlight Tagged With: art education, art jobs, Arts Ed, careers, emerging artists, teaching artists

When I grow up I want to be a… Teaching Artist!

July 29, 2022 By Cindy Sherwood

When you think of career paths for artists, you may think of an actor or dancer who performs on the stage, or a visual artist who sells artwork at a gallery. At Arts for Learning, we’re helping create new opportunities in the workforce by highlighting a different career path that’s not as well known—working as a teaching artist.

Just this month we launched a new program where we’re partnering with Hampton Roads’ colleges to recruit, train, and mentor students in the arts. The Emerging Artist program creates a pipeline of new opportunities for student artists who may be unaware of the potential career path of becoming a teaching artist for an arts-in-education organization.

Two Norfolk State students are the first to be selected for the program, which features paid opportunities for emerging artists to work one-on-one with students in various settings. Anjenette Britton and Asiko-oluwa Aderin joined A4L teaching artist Cindy Aitken last Saturday in the first of four workshops at the Norfolk Botanical Garden, helping children make nature-inspired picture frames. Asiko-oluwa is also leading a graphic novel workshop for teens Monday, August 1 at the Portsmouth Public Library.

The emerging artists will be mentored by Cindy Aitken and Katherine Willet as teaching artists themselves and by members of the A4L Education and Program Team. Molly Stanley, a former teacher who serves as Learning and Community Engagement Manager, will work with the emerging artists on classroom management and how to develop arts-integrated curriculum for students. Chief Operations Officer Anna Green will guide the pair on some of the essential business aspects of being independent teaching artists, such as knowing how to read a contract.

You can meet Anjenette and Asiko-oluwa at our final Saturday workshops at the Norfolk Botanical Garden: September 10 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

 

The Emerging Artists Program wouldn’t be possible without the sponsorship of #BankofAmerica. Thank you for underwriting this program that will help create new opportunities in the workforce!

#BofAGrants

Filed Under: Artist Spotlight, Arts Integration, News, Program Spotlight Tagged With: Bank of America, BofA grants, emerging artists, teaching artists

Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on InstagramFollow Us on YouTubeFollow Us on Twitter
Phone: 757-466-7555

Signature Sponsor:

Copyright © 2023 · Young Audiences | Arts For Learning | Virginia

×