Elementary Art Educators
Amelia Holt - Woodland Heights Elementary School, Art Teacher
Art rescued me from high school. It was my refuge and my joy. Since then, art has been for me a safe place. One where I could:
Play, Laugh, Experiment, Argue, Have Fun, and Escape.
Aside from all that, painting, in particular, is a form of meditation for me and I have always wanted to share that open window with my students. My sister might say I began teaching around age 4 or 5. She was my first and most challenging student. Later, as an English major, I decided that my true passion was for art—a more accessible vehicle for teaching creative thinking. Now, I feel like I play all day. I love the enthusiasm and sheer joy of young students recognizing their own creative power to express themselves.
Outside the classroom, I still paint. I have been a member of the NAEA, SCAEA, NBCT, and Spartanburg Artist’s Guild at various times. But, my favorite place to be is in the art room.
My name is Harlea Martin, art teacher at Lone Oak Elementary School. I am from Boiling Springs, SC which is also where I graduated high school. After high school, I attended the University of South Carolina Upstate where I graduated with a BA in Art Education. I received my Master's from Anderson University in Instructional Design and Learning Technology and I am currently doing course work for an EdD program: Leadership and Learning. As a child, I knew I wanted to be an art teacher when I grew up. Here I am, doing what my elementary art teacher did, sharing a love for all things creative with the best artists around, children. I plan to grow as a teacher here at LOES. Meghan Ford - Pauline-Glenn Springs Elementary School, Art Teacher
I grew up in Pauline, SC, and graduated from Dorman High School in 2009. While at Dorman, I participated in a variety of art classes including sculpture and watercolor.
After graduating high school, I attended USC Upstate where I received my Bachelor of Arts in Art Education with a Minor in Art History. While at USC Upstate, I served with the National Art Education Association, USC Upstate Student Chapter, as vice president for one year and president for two years. During my time at USC Upstate, I was fortunate to have the experience of teaching at Pauline Glenn Springs Elementary School, Anderson Mill Elementary School, Gable Middle School, and Dorman Freshman Campus.
In the fall of 2013, I became a proud member of the District 6 art staff. During my first year of teaching, I taught at Anderson Mill Elementary School, Arcadia Elementary School, and West View Elementary School. During the summer, I enjoy teaching summer classes and have had the opportunity to teach at Lone Oak Elementary and West View Elementary.
I am a native of Sumter, SC. In high school, I took art and design classes which led me to Winthrop University undergraduate degree. I attended Francis Marion University for my Master’s Degree in Education. I have taken Art Graduate classes at USC and the College of Charleston to continue my education throughout the years. In Sumter, I was the Youth Art Director for the Sumter County Fair. I enjoy teaching all ages and currently travel to different schools in District 6. In my free time, I enjoy painting, building with clay, and spending time with my busy family. I have taught in different types of classrooms but the art room is my “Happy Place.” 
I grew up in Spartanburg, South Carolina and attended District 7 schools. As a child, I was always drawing or sketching on anything I could find. One of my earliest creations can still be found on the underside of my parent’s coffee table. :) I participated in the gifted art program throughout elementary and middle school and started in the Strings program in 5th grade. I played the violin in the Symphony and Chamber Orchestras at Spartanburg High School. We toured and performed in Europe, where I found myself absolutely enthralled with European art. This is when I realized that I wanted to major in Art in college. I graduated from Winthrop University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Upon graduation, I moved back to Spartanburg and worked as a Graphic Designer at WSPA TV, News Channel 7. I married my best friend of 5 years soon after my college graduation and started our family of 3 beautiful children here in Spartanburg. I was able to become a stay-at-home Mom while still freelancing graphic design jobs. My husband’s work moved us to Summerville, SC and then to Lake Wylie, SC where we lived for 15 years. We just moved back to Spartanburg this year and I am thrilled to be a part of the District 6 Arts program!
Hey everyone! My name is Maria Ventura and I teach Visual Art at Fairforest Elementary and Westview. I was born in Cali, Colombia, and raised in Long Island, NY. As a child, art was my favorite subject. At home, I was often enticed by art projects. I graduated from USC Upstate with a Bachelor's in Elementary Education and am currently working on my Master's in TESOL. I taught 2nd and 1st grade and loved finding ways to allow my students to place their personal touches and ideas into their projects. Inside my gen ed. classroom, I loved finding ways to incorporate art into our projects and lessons we were learning. I am thankful to FES and our principal for allowing me to express my creativity and passion for art inside the classroom and for supporting this new path. Outside the art classroom, my husband and I have a T-shirt and graphic design business. I am determined, there is no outfit a cute shirt can't fix. I enjoy traveling with my husband and 3 kids when I am not working. We are always down to catch a plane or two to visit new places and faces. I can't wait to continue to see where this career takes me and how much my students and I can grow!Alisha Pate - Roebuck Elementary School, Art Teacher
[email protected]
Hello! My name is Alisha Pate, and I am thrilled to be part of the Roebuck Elementary School community as one of the art teachers. My goal is to share the gift of art with your children, offering them a creative outlet that can last a lifetime. I hope to encourage endless possibilities through the power of creating on our exciting artistic journey.
I hold a degree in art from the University of South Carolina and have professional experience in broadcast television, website design, and marketing. Currently, I am continuing my educational journey through the CACAE program at Converse University, where I have the privilege of studying with Dr. Gunter. I am thankful for this opportunity and excited to bring what I learn into the classroom.
For the past ten years, I’ve had the pleasure of teaching Sunday school in Greenville, South Carolina, and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It gives me great joy to see the children lean into their individual creativity and express it on a blank canvas. I love seeing the results of their creations, as they do too.
I look forward to a creative and colorful year with your children!
I grew up in Spartanburg County and have loved creating art for as long as I can remember. I attended Converse College, where I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Painting and Printmaking. After college, I had the opportunity to work at the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston. However, my love for my family and my connection to home eventually brought me back to Spartanburg.
After returning home, I spent 13 years working at a local restaurant before deciding it was time for a change. I joined Spartanburg School District 6 and spent my first eight years at Jesse S. Bobo Elementary as a Reading Interventionist. Although my background and passion for art had always been an important part of who I was, my heart had become deeply connected to Bobo.
When the opportunity arose to transition into the art teacher role at Bobo, I knew it was where I was meant to be. Today, I am grateful to combine my love of art with my love for our students and our school.
One of my favorite parts of being an art teacher is watching Bobo students grow—not only in their artistic skills, but also in their confidence, creativity, and ability to express themselves as individuals. I love seeing students discover that there is no single “right” way to create and that their own ideas and creativity have value.
I am incredibly thankful to be part of Spartanburg School District 6. D6 not only provides opportunities for our students to learn and grow, but also encourages its educators to grow, explore their talents, and pursue new opportunities. I am grateful for the opportunity to continue growing as an educator while sharing my lifelong love of art with the students of D6.
Hello! My name is Erin Norris. I have lived in Spartanburg my entire life. I graduated from District 5 but found my forever home in District 6! I graduated from Clemson University in 2024 with my Masters in Elementary Education, and a minor in art. I am in my third year of teaching, my first two years I was a 4th grade teacher at West View Elementary and this year I am the full time art teacher at WVES! Growing up art was my outlet for everything my younger self had to go through. Now as an adult it is still my getaway from the real world. I hope to grow children's confidence in their art abilities as well as find an outlet they enjoy! I cannot wait to start this new adventure and see where it takes me. When I am not working I enjoy spending time with my boyfriend and our four fur babies (2 kittens, 2 dogs) which is a full house. I have also recently discovered I really love to make dioramas! 
My name is Stephanie Robinson. I am a retired art educator with a passion for creativity, adventure, and the outdoors. I earned my B.A. in Art from Rhodes College in Memphis, TN, and spent 30 years teaching art in Memphis before retiring in 2022.
My love of art began at an early age. While living in Iceland for two years during elementary school, where my father was stationed in the Navy, I had the opportunity to participate in some unforgettable art experiences. One of my favorites was being part of a special group of students who created snow sculptures and then poured paint over them.
After retirement, my husband and I moved to Spartanburg to be closer to the Appalachian Mountains and enjoy a more outdoor-centered lifestyle. I love running, gardening, cooking, being creative, camping in our travel trailer, and spending time in the beautiful mountains of Pisgah, North Carolina. I am also a Tennessee Volunteers fan.
I am thankful to work for District 6 as a first-grade assistant at Roebuck Elementary and a part-time art teacher at Anderson Mill Elementary!