Collecting Hubris, Haughty and Angry-Art Teacher Stories

"You are hopeless."
her highschool art teacher laughs at her art and made her switch to Shop class instead. This was the story I heard today at our school BBQ from Lauren who is one of the Counselors were I teach art.

What is your worst art teacher experience?
Why is this prevalent in the art education experience?

Let me preface this conversation with I am art teacher/therapist. As an art teacher/therapist/mentor. My Rule number one is to create a safe container/space where judgement is suspended for creativity and imagination to flourish. The seed has to grow and then you can trim it a bit,just like a rose-when it is bloom. Maybe I became an art teacher rectify my trauma.

Also, a major goal of Art is Moving's is to get more people to create and to talk about their art experience. The more that I speak to people about their own childhood art experience, the more the conversation tends to shift to a moment of trauma. They usually share with me a horror story of how an art teacher killed their creativity.

Here is mine...
"In fifth grade we were making crafty clay turtles. My teacher Ms. Bison (who was a nun--although it was a public school) saw my turtle and she got really angry. She in a tizzy was like this is all wrong and she destroyed it."

I also remember one my art students Gary,who was sixteen said, "that my teacher would not let me create anything. He said I was so bad that he made me clean the class. I was the custodian."


I really want to hear your stories. Please send them to artismoving@gmail.com
I also want to know did this stop you from creating?