Elementary Art Educators

Meghan Ford

Pauline-Glenn Springs Elementary School, Art Teacher

[email protected]


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.

 

Amelia Lorenz

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.

Cheryl Stemple

Fairforest Elementary School, Art Teacher

 

Art and music have always been a part of me; I participated in art and chorus groups
throughout high school and college.  After graduating from the University of
Massachusetts-Dartmouth with a BFA in Textile Design, with a minor in art education, I
worked as a textile designer for a large textile company until my family moved to
Hickory, North Carolina. While volunteering in my daughters’ school, I was persuaded to
return to college to complete my teaching certificate in Art Education from Lenoir-Rhyne
University.  I have taught all grade levels but found my home teaching elementary art at
Fairforest Elementary. With the generous help from our Board of Education, I went
back to school (a third time!) and received a master’s in Education.
 
My husband and I have three daughters and one son-in-law.  We live in Spartanburg
with our two cats and one turtle.  We love to attend family gatherings, WVU football
games, and take trips to see our beautiful world.  I enjoy all things art-related like
discovering new artists, creating quilt patterns, and going to art exhibits but my favorite
thing to do is to share my love of artmaking with my students.

Detria Graham
West View Elementary School, Art Teacher
 
Detria Graham, Art Teacher at Jesse S. Bobo ElementaryHello! I am Detria Graham, Art Teacher at Jesse Bobo Elementary School in Spartanburg School District Six. I graduated from the University of South Carolina Upstate with a Bachelor of Arts in Art Education. After graduation, I decided to remain in Sparkle City with my community and friends. Prior to my current position, I was a Visual Arts and Photography Instructor with the Boys and Girls Club of the Upstate for seven years. I traveled to several schools in the region, meeting community leaders and other young professionals. I am a member of SCAEA and I very much enjoy learning and meeting new art friends! And I am a former member of the Spartanburg Artist’s Guild. I currently serve as a Volunteer Member of the Spartanburg Big Brother Big Sisters Advisory Board. My goal is to serve our students first and teach them as much about art as I can. I believe art and technology are the ways of the future and I hope to inspire students to join art careers and grow into well-rounded, forward-thinking learners.
Harlea Martin
Lone Oak Elementary School, Art Teacher

Art teacher in orange dress
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. 
Mackenzie Frederickson
Jesse S. Bobo Elementary School, Art Teacher

Art teacher standing in front of treeMy name is Mackenzie Frederickson. I live in Moore, SC with my husband, Trever and my son, Lincoln. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Art Education from Converse College. I am currently the art teacher at Jesse S Bobo Elementary and travel to West View Elementary. I have a passion for cultivating creativity in the minds of young people. I love teaching children how to make messes, think outside of the box, and create art that tells their story. Outside of teaching art, I am a photographer. I am primarily a digital photographer but have dabbled in film and alternative photographic processes. I also enjoy printmaking and sculpture. When I am not teaching or creating my own art, I enjoy traveling to new places with my family and hitting every coffee shop on the way! I also love reading, running, and shopping. I am honored to be a part of the District 6 family. 

Louisa Hucks - Anderson Mill Elementary School, Art Teacher
Art teacher with floral dressHi! My name is Louisa Hucks and I teach Visual Art at Anderson Mill Elementary School. I was born and raised here in Spartanburg and attended District Six schools myself. I participated in Art Visions in elementary and middle school at Woodland Heights and Dawkins Middle and continued my fine arts education at Dorman High by playing cello in the Symphony orchestra and taking as many art courses as I could fit into my schedule. After high school, I attended the University of South Carolina where I graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education. Throughout my time at USC Columbia, I continued to explore many different types of art making and joined clubs such as the NAEA Student Chapter (National Art Education Association) where I served as Vice President. Now as an educator, I am still an active member of NAEA. Prior to moving back home to Spartanburg to be closer to family and friends, I taught Visual Art at Gilbert Elementary School in Lexington County School District One. 

I am passionate about learning different ways of creating art, and love to be a student myself picking up new skills and information from other artists and educators. I am typically in the middle of multiple projects at one time and can almost always be found with ink or paint-stained clothes and hands. Outside of the classroom, I love to travel and explore new places and cultures. I am constantly buying new artwork to fill up my home and love to share these artists’ work with my students. I enjoy being outside and spending time in nature, and sometimes bring my two cats, Ruby and Josephine, along for the adventure!  

Lee Ann Ruth - Roebuck Elementary School
 
photo of art teacher with brown hairI 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.”  
Catherine Griffith - Roebuck Elementary School, Art Teacher

Art Teacher in yellow shirt in front of brick wallI 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!
 
Volunteering and subbing in my children's schools made me realize that my path needed to include art AND children. So I began my career in Art Education. I come from a family of teachers so this should have been my first choice, but we call this my “2nd Act”. I taught private art lessons and held summer art camps while taking the necessary courses to become a certified k-12 Art Educator. Art brings joy to so many, and I want to positively impact children as my art teachers did for me. I strive to help my students discover and grow their inner artists in a safe, happy, and creative space, all while having lots of fun! Watching my students blossom into artists is a feeling like no other. When I am not teaching, I enjoy spending time with my husband, children (who are now grown!), and 1-year-old bernedoodle. The beach is always where I want to be, but relaxing by the backyard pool comes in an easy second place. My husband and I love to travel when we can, where I can search for the beauty of art all over the world.
 
Carolina Gonzalez - Arcadia Elementary School, Art Teacher
Maria Ventura - Fairforest Elementary & Westview Elementary Schools, Art Teacher