In July 2014 I opened up a community art school in downtown Binghamton, NY, named KAPOW!. We have been growing and evolving ever since. We offer quality art instruction to kids, teens, and adults. We are Montessori-inspired for children, and take a holistic, individualized, skill-building approach for all ages.
I started KAPOW! as a response to the lack of depth, attention, and consideration that is growing in our public school system in the realm of visual arts. KAPOW!’s mission is to supplement, extend, and deepen the art education experience; not only to prepare our kids to become life-long learners and critical thinkers capable of adapting in the 21st century, but also to prepare them to be artists, creative makers, and innovators. We honor the work of John Dewey, Maria Montessori, Jean Piaget, Howard Gardner, Abigail Housen, Rudolph Steiner, and many other education/ human development research figures.
I am trained in the teaching methodology, Visual Thinking Strategies, and we use this in our programs. We partner with Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts (just below our classroom) to view international contemporary works of art and talk ‘VTS’, which not only enriches aesthetic development, but also reading, writing, and visual literacy through it’s evidence-based approach.
I am a trained studio artist and graphic designer, I teach with a focus on multi-disciplinary approaches to art-making. I use the principles of design in all of my teaching to build a strong foundation of understanding in each student, child through adult. I believe that the core behaviors for success are practice, observation, meaningful interaction, and reflection. I believe in cultivating a growth mindset.
Through KAPOW! I hope to promote aesthetic understanding and appreciation that has both depth and resonance.
(Please note, our Instagram page is now inactive since our closing in 2021, but please feel free to explore posts from over the years)