TEACHING

Teaching Experience

I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Education and Painting from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. During my time there, I began my teaching career as a mentor at Artists for Humanity, Boston and as a student teacher at Dorchester Academy. I also gave gallery talks and administered follow up Q&A sessions about particular works at the Institute of Contemporary Art.

After graduating in 2012, I continued working with diverse groups of artists. I mentored and collaborated with Boston Public School students and formerly incarcerated young adults through programs at Artists for Humanity. I also worked with adult artists with disabilities at Gateway Arts in Brookline, where I focused on supporting artists with spectrum disorders and psychiatric diagnoses in art career development programs called Up the Ladder and the Artist Training Program.

From 2013 to 2022, I taught art full time in Boston Public Schools, including an 8-year tenure at an inclusion school where I worked with over 800 students, ages 3-14. During this time I also returned to MassArt to earn my Master of Fine Arts with a focus on painting and printmaking. In 2022, I transitioned to teaching in higher education, joining the faculty at Wentworth Institute of Technology and Massachusetts College of Art and Design, where I taught courses in Contemporary Art and Theory as well as studio classes for artists and educators. I currently teach full-time in the Art Education Department at MassArt. Additionally, I have taught private art lessons and portfolio preparation for children and adults both in-person and online.

Teaching Philosophy:

Artistic practice holds a unique meaning for each artist. It can serve as a form of self-expression and self-care, while also acting as a way to communicate meaning and serve as a powerful tool that reflects the complexities of the world around us. As an educator, my goal is to facilitate and support my students as they discover and expand their artistic practices both conceptually and technically. My classroom is an inclusive environment where all students feel empowered to explore their personal interests and practices, and take creative risks within the support of an artistic community of their peers.

My teaching strikes a balance between providing gentle guidance and encouraging autonomy, helping students build confidence, trust their instincts, and learn new methods of creating. I am committed to an abolitionist teaching approach that is based in collaboration, authentic relationship building and ensuring access to high-quality art education for all students. I take care to make sure students see themselves reflected in the curriculum and are active participants in establishing the culture of the classroom. My student’s voices are heard and valued in all aspects of their education. I support their unique perspectives and work alongside them to meet their needs while still holding them to a high standard of rigorous, engaged studio practice.

While skill-building and development of technique is important, I believe a thriving art practice must be intrinsically motivated. A healthy studio practice is grounded in creativity, play, knowledge of the art world, self knowledge, reflective growth and critique. I integrate art history and contemporary practices into my teaching through a variety of resources, aiming to share with students the many ways art exists in the world, both past and present. This includes readings, videos, demonstrations of technique, studio visits and field trips which are all designed to give students direct exposure to different artistic theories and methodologies. A combination of supportive peer critique and self reflection are integrated into my classes as a way to establish a sense of artistic community and encourage collaboration, deep self reflection and accountability.

Rates:

I am willing to negotiate with families who may need a sliding scale in order to access art lessons. The reason that the rates for younger students are listed with a time scale is because my experience has taught me that some students and classes will need more time, and some students and classes will need less. I also offer opportunities for me to bring students to museums and galleries, which will be coordinated with families according to student interest.

I am available to teach at your home in the Boston, Cambridge, Somerville and Brookline area. I come to you— all you need to provide are materials (you will be provided with a list) and a relatively quiet space where it is okay to get a little bit messy. I am also available to teach zoom lessons. Zoom rates are $10 less per lesson and require you to purchase a document camera of some sort (I have and like the Okio Document camera, but there are ways to turn a phone into a document camera as well!)

Initial Consultation ($60/hr): I like to begin my lessons with an initial consultation (in person or on zoom) where I meet the student and family. During this meeting I hope to gather information that will help me tailor the lesson to the needs of the student. I will ask the student what their art making experiences have been like so far, what materials they like to use, and what materials they’d like to try. I will see what the space looks like where the lesson will be conducted. I will also ask to see some of the work the student has created independently or in school. After the initial consultation, material lists are provided to families using Amazon or Blick.

Ages 4-6 ($60/ 40-60 min, $20 per additional child): For these young students I will focus mostly on development of motor skills and art related vocabulary. We will discover shape, line and color through the history of abstraction. We will begin to tell stories through our art making by creating landscapes and portraits. We will learn to draw from life using simple shapes to draw animals in their habitats. We will develop our fine motor skills with collage and air-dry clay. We will also be sure to work on studio cleanup and maintenance, where students will be taught the proper way to care for, clean and store their materials.

Ages 7-9 ($70/40-60 min, $20 per additional child): For these slightly more experienced students, I will focus on developing studio habits and building skills according to their interests and experience. Past projects include personal storytelling inspired by Harlem Renaissance artists, self portraits inspired by Frida Kahlo, animal paintings and collage inspired by Indigenous American myths and legends, mini comics inspired by Lynda Barry, and sustainable sculpture made from recycled materials. We will also be sure to work on studio cleanup and maintenance, where students will be taught the proper way to care for, clean and store their materials.

Ages 10-12 ($80/hr, $20 per additional child): These students will start to really dive into their studio practices while developing skills and concepts related to their interests and experience. They will learn more advanced techniques with “professional” grade materials. Student interest will guide the content of the lesson as we build foundational life drawing skills, landscape painting in watercolor, hand building in clay, collage and mixed media and making comics. We will also be sure to work on studio cleanup and maintenance, where students will be taught the proper way to care for, clean and store their materials.

Ages 13-15 ($90/hr, $20 per additional child): These students will start to really dive into their studio practices while developing skills and concepts related to their interests and experience. They will learn more advanced techniques with “professional” grade materials, and be given access to art historical and contemporary art practices. Student interest will guide the content of the lesson. Skills that may be developed include life drawing in multiple media, collage and mixed media, landscape painting in watercolor and acrylic, hand building in clay and illustration/ story development through comics.

Ages 16-18 ($100/hr, $20 per additional student): These students will dive deeply into their studio practices and continue their journey as artists with the mentorship of a professional artist. They will be given support in their own practices and access to art experiences like museum and gallery visits, drawing from life, plein air painting, support with conceptual development, and technique and skill building in whatever media they are interested in.

Adults ($100/hr): These students will collaborate with me to tailor the experience they may need as developing artists with a focus on 2d art and conceptual development. Skills that can be developed include watercolor, acrylic and oil painting, printmaking, drawing in any media, collage/assemblage. I offer a deep knowledge of art historical and contemporary practices. Lessons can include museum and gallery visits, plein air painting, and support with applications to grants or residencies. I am happy to share my practices with you!

Portfolio Development and Support ($125/hr): During portfolio development sessions I will help students tailor their portfolio to the needs of whatever institution they may be applying to, including high schools and colleges. I will create a shared folder with families that includes a calendar with important dates, links and resources provided by the institution. I will help the student with the application process. I will give the student art making prompts and support in skill development in order to create a well rounded professional portfolio. I will photograph the work to be portfolio ready and share these with the family in our shared google folder. By the end of our sessions, students will be ready to submit a finished professional portfolio.

For inquiries email rachelrizzoart617@gmail.com