TEACH • LEARN • ADVOCATE • CONNECT

Past President's Message

2021 - 2023

I started my study of art and art education at a time of great growth in the visual arts. Studying and working alone in those early years, I started creating public art with my students. We created sculptures and murals, and developed a program of art education for the special education department. At the same time, I was finishing a degree and getting into the Junction experience. I, along with many others, produced art working in different media as teams of artists. The most interesting partnership was with glass-making where movements, timing, and leadership was important. Each group of glassblowers shared the management of the pad. A head person or gaffer was in charge and had to create trust, or nothing worked.

Therefore, as President, I want to serve our members as a leader who shares responsibilities through team efforts. These experiences brought to me a leadership style that used this technique in fulfilling what I want to do for TAEA. Continuing with successful programs and developing new programs to help ensure a high degree of success among our many art teachers and students.

Within a few weeks, along came a need to use these techniques again. I had to acknowledge my own personal injury and what its treatment was going to mean in the interest of TAEA. I knew that I should ask our President-Elect to step into the president's role while I recovered.

So, in stepped Linh Nguyen, as President. A like-minded leader who shared a wish to serve our membership. It was decided that we would work as part of a team with the Executive Board, Executive Council, and Council at Large. I am looking forward to leading and collaborating with this team in the future.

Walter C. Holland
TAEA President 2021-2023

2019 - 2021

Change is inevitable and yet often difficult. As I enter this phase of my service to TAEA, I look back at all the changes that have occurred and note the positive impact upon our art family. We changed how VASE was structured and the response has been uplifting; the team work from four amazing Directors of VASE has produced wonderful ideas that have pushed this program forward.

Texas Art Education Foundation (TAEF) has also grown and continues to impact art education by funding grants to teachers and scholarships to students. The District of Distinction is providing strong validation for fine art programs across the state.

Texas Art Education Outreach (TAEO), while still in its infancy will help to serve areas where members struggle as the only art teacher for miles and brand new teachers fight to survive that first year in the classroom.

My vision for my upcoming term is to maintain and grow those thriving programs that make Texas Art Education Association a powerful community of artists and art educators, to encourage members to get involved, to establish firmer roots for TAEO and to nurture and embrace new ideas that will facilitate change and growth for TAEA in a positive way.

2019 marked a hundred years of art education in Texas. A lot has occurred over the decades to get to the point where we are now, but those changes did not come without sacrifices and hard work. While Texas Art Education Association continues to grow and offer a variety of programs that enrich our membership, there is always work to be done.

Nothing is ever accomplished alone when building an organization as great as TAEA. We need all hands on deck. We need you; we need your ideas no matter how small or insignificant you may think them, we need your voice to advocate for art in our schools, we need your support as we tackle those more difficult situations, and we need your positive energy as we traverse uncharted paths. YOU are the heart and soul of TAEA.

If you'd asked me when I first started as an art teacher and a new member to TAEA if I could envision the impact this wonderful organization would have for me in the coming years, I would have said no. Looking back, I realize I could not have become the educator I am today without the love and support of TAEA and its members. I feel humbled and blessed to be serving my TAEA family as president. I will strive to do my best to serve without bias, to nurture and embrace changes, and to offer guidance and support to my TAEA family whenever needed. As always, I am your most humble servant.

With Warm Regards,

Jami Bevans
TAEA President 2019-2021

2017 - 2019

Texas Art Education Association has been a valuable part of my life since 1996. Through TAEA experiences, I have grown as an art educator and learned the importance and value of visual art education for students in all our Texas schools. Art, art educators, Texas student artists and TAEA are my passion. I am honored to be your new President.

We are a creative organization and should encourage "head, heart, hands" philosophy promoting critical thinking about originality and creativity with meaningful voice resulting in original products. As stated by Louis Nizer, "A man who works with his hands is a laborer; a man who works with his hands and his brain is a craftsman, but a man who works with his hands and his brain and his heart is an artist."

We are at the start of a great yet challenging adventure. What we do together in these two years will affect the lives of so many art educators and students.

We will work continually to promote quality art education programs. We must have open communication with membership, local and state officials to advocate for art programs – in all Texas schools – urban, suburban and rural.

You are an important part of the TAEA team.

Together we can continue what we started under Suzanne's presidency as we:

Empower, Support, Recognize, and Unify

Empower — art educators through program development – Texas Art Education Outreach
Support — art educators, students and art programs through Mentorship and Advocacy
Recognize — celebrate achievements and accomplishments of art educators and students - Awards, Youth Art Month, VASE, Scholarships, Grants
Unify — continue to build a TAEA TEAM to educate everyone on the benefits and importance of art education programs in all Texas Schools - Working together we will accomplish more!

To assist in the continued growth and prosperity of our influential and highly respected organization is an honor that I do not take lightly. As your President I will be positive and professional, direct yet compassionate, keeping in the forefront the past, present and future of Texas Art Education Association.

I am here to be involved as part of the TAEA team.

Mel Basham
TAEA President 2017-2019

2015 - 2017

How time flies. I have now been serving for a year and it went by in a blink.

Amanda Batson, Laura Grundler, Linh Nguyen, Myron Stennett, and secret agent Becca Bailey, each of you made a difference in the Dallas Conference. This was the first to have four co-chairs, the first to reach the highest attendance we have ever had, and the first to have meetings via FaceTime. You taught me a new way of looking at conference and Galveston 2017 is going to give you competition.

To all TAEA Workshop Presenters — I heard so many great things about what you taught and did. HUGE thank you and Bravo to each of you. We as art teachers are so willing to share our talents, ideas, and skills with others — It makes me proud to say I am an ART Educator. Now I challenge you to add your lesson plan to our Best Practices & Lesson Plans.

The Galveston 2017 planning is well underway and we have a lot of new ideas and surprises. Cheryl Evans, Gretchen Bell, Stacia Gower, and Ram Estrada are the leaders for this conference as we welcome all back to the Island. Registration will open September 1, 2017, and hotel registration is already open. Look for the conference logo to get the information you need. Applications for conference workshops, walk up workshops, silent auction, Artisan's market will be coming your way in early April.

We are continuing to strengthen and expand our strong art education network to benefit all art education programs. It starts with you. Together we can continue what we started under Tim's Presidency to reach out, connect, and start conversations about how your leaders can help you. Mel will continue this come November when I step down. The future of TAEA is in strong hands.

I feel honored to be working with each of you and please contact me whenever you have a question or need help. I am here to be part of the team.

Suzanne Greene
President
Texas Art Education Association

2013 - 2015

Thank You From Tim Lowke

Dear Texas Art Education Association members,

It is hard to believe that my time as President of TAEA is almost to an end. Come Saturday, November 14, 2015, it will be time to transition into the next cycle of TAEA leadership led by Suzanne Greene and all those elected this fall.

I am very proud of the work we have done together over the past two years. We successfully carried out the first Leadership Scholar Cohort Program, the first TAEA Leadership Institute, moved the Be Visual and Big Art Day Initiatives along. Additionally, we made a transition to a new VASE Director, did some needed work on the VASE program, worked on finances through conference, membership, and worked on the TAEA Foundation. We gave scholarships, grants (one that is featured here) and launched the Dale Battle Memorial Conference Scholarship to get more visual arts educators to our conference. In between all of this, there were two excellent conferences, awesome regional conferences, great advocacy through our Youth Art Month (YAM) program and connections made with TASB/TASA. There have been articles in the TASB publication touting the benefits of art education and TAEA along with an article in the TASA School Business magazine discussing the role of art education. As a cycle of leadership and current membership, we have done much to advance the mission of the association.

Even with all this activity and success, there is still so much more to accomplish. I would encourage you if you are serving during the 2015-2017 cycle of leadership, not to lose momentum. Please continue to push the current work forward and make greater headway for students, community and art educators within all our divisions. If you are not serving in the next cycle, you are still needed and wanted. Encourage, support and advocate for those that are serving. It takes our entire visual arts education community to advance the mission out across the state and into our communities.

I want to say "thank you" to all who have supported my presidency. I have had the best time professionally and have loved even the most difficult parts of the past two years. >From the death of my colleague and friend, Joey Doyle to the insanity of State VASE having to move venues days before we welcomed over 1500 students and their sponsors. It has been an adventure and a blast!

I have gotten to know new and amazing art educators and I have gotten to deepen already excellent relationships with colleagues. Don't get me wrong, I am here for the next two years as your Past President, but my thumbprint will not be as large on the organization as it has been over the past two years.

Thank you to the amazing and excellent 2013-2015 TAEA Executive Board. I could have not done it all without you as a group. Thank you to all the Division Chairs, Regional Representatives, elects, local art education representatives, appointed chairs that make up the Council-at-Large. I appreciate each and every one of you.

Thank you to Jody Henry, Paul Shimp and Gay Selman in the Dallas office. You have been the BEST at keeping us on-track daily. Finally, thank you to Sara Chapman for being the best Executive Director an organization could ask for. It is hard to list all who have supported our efforts, just know you are all appreciated.

Finally, a HUGE thank you to the membership, you are out there daily working to advance visual arts education throughout the great state of Texas. Remember that TAEA is here to support, encourage and serve you in your work. I have been proud to serve as President. I am excited to see everyone at conference as I "sign off" as President. Be Visual!

Tim Lowke
President
Texas Art Education Association
2013-2015