#62: Kathryn Rodrigues: Reflections, Refractions, and Shadows
06/13/21 • 66 min
Kathryn Rodrigues talked about being a 3rd culture kid, growing up in many countries and returning to the U.S. as a teenager, but not feeling at home. I loved how she talked about the space of transition, that time in motion and trying to capture that feeling in her work. She also shone a light on the world of freelance teaching artists, balancing teaching with art-making and parenting. Kathryn talked about the structure of her teaching time before the pandemic and how she brought the city of Chicago into the classroom through field trips to art venues as well as sharing local artists, working to create equity and improve access to cultural resources. She shared the idea of curriculum development centered around local BIPOC artists, rather than including them as an exception to the white-centered curriculum. That brought up a great question we can all ask ourselves - what is at the center of your teaching?
Kathryn Rodrigues is a Chicago based artist and educator. She was born in Georgia and within weeks was on the move to her family's next destination. Her family moved to 10 different locations within the next 13 years, including Brazil, Mozambique, Portugal and Germany, before finally settling in Illinois. Being raised as a “third-culture kid” left her with a deep interest in cultural identity, notions of belonging and longing, domestic life, and the natural world. She often uses both visual and symbolic systems of mapping in her work as a way to express her interior life and navigate the world around her. Her work represents an investigation of and a reflection on the collection of experiences and memories that shape her identity. Kathryn received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from the University of Illinois and a Master of Science in Art Education from the Massachusetts College of Art. She has taught courses for children and adults at the Massachusetts College of Art, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and Marwen. Exhibition highlights include the Chicago Cultural Center, Copley Society of Art, Woman Made Gallery, Midwest Center for Photography, Spilt Milk Gallery, Open House Contemporary and ARC Gallery.
Blog post with images and more links: https://www.teachingartistpodcast.com/episode-62-kathryn-rodrigues/
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Kathryn Rodrigues talked about being a 3rd culture kid, growing up in many countries and returning to the U.S. as a teenager, but not feeling at home. I loved how she talked about the space of transition, that time in motion and trying to capture that feeling in her work. She also shone a light on the world of freelance teaching artists, balancing teaching with art-making and parenting. Kathryn talked about the structure of her teaching time before the pandemic and how she brought the city of Chicago into the classroom through field trips to art venues as well as sharing local artists, working to create equity and improve access to cultural resources. She shared the idea of curriculum development centered around local BIPOC artists, rather than including them as an exception to the white-centered curriculum. That brought up a great question we can all ask ourselves - what is at the center of your teaching?
Kathryn Rodrigues is a Chicago based artist and educator. She was born in Georgia and within weeks was on the move to her family's next destination. Her family moved to 10 different locations within the next 13 years, including Brazil, Mozambique, Portugal and Germany, before finally settling in Illinois. Being raised as a “third-culture kid” left her with a deep interest in cultural identity, notions of belonging and longing, domestic life, and the natural world. She often uses both visual and symbolic systems of mapping in her work as a way to express her interior life and navigate the world around her. Her work represents an investigation of and a reflection on the collection of experiences and memories that shape her identity. Kathryn received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from the University of Illinois and a Master of Science in Art Education from the Massachusetts College of Art. She has taught courses for children and adults at the Massachusetts College of Art, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and Marwen. Exhibition highlights include the Chicago Cultural Center, Copley Society of Art, Woman Made Gallery, Midwest Center for Photography, Spilt Milk Gallery, Open House Contemporary and ARC Gallery.
Blog post with images and more links: https://www.teachingartistpodcast.com/episode-62-kathryn-rodrigues/
. . .
Follow: @teachingartistpodcast
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Support this podcast. Subscribe, leave a review, or see more ways to support here (https://www.teachingartistpodcast.com/support/).
We also offer opportunities for artists! (https://www.teachingartistpodcast.com/opportunities/)
Previous Episode
#61: Nisa Floyd: Come Back As A Flower
Nisa Floyd talked about honoring her feelings through her internal and personal art practice and how that also allows her to honor her students’ feelings in the classroom. Her gardening and plant metaphors are so beautiful and meaningful and woven throughout our conversation. She shared her experiences feeling the need to be a savior and then checking that need and asking how she could turn that urge to something truly helpful. She talks about art as a solution, as a way to create space for dialogue, and a way to tap into some of the deeply rooted beliefs that we need to change.
The way she communes with community and asks “what does support look like for you?” is a model for institutions wanting to change systemically. We talked about shame and the power dynamic within breaking down a culture of white supremacy and how so often the work being done is not breaking down these systems at a skeletal level, but instead adding a pretty dress on top of this deformed skeleton. Nisa talked about her worries that her work at the institution could end with her and how she’s working to institutionalize change and develop systems rooted in community-based planning of programs.
This conversation left me thinking deeply, considering how I can come back as a flower, for myself as a human, for my daughter and family, but also for my communities - my students, fellow art educators, and artist mothers. Thank you, Nisa!!
Blog post with images and links: https://www.teachingartistpodcast.com/episode-61-nisa-floyd/
@nisaimani on Instagram
Stevie Wonder: "Come Back As A Flower"
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We also offer opportunities for artists! (https://www.teachingartistpodcast.com/opportunities/)
Next Episode
#63: Jeannie Siegler: Generosity of Spirit
Jeannie Siegler was my high school art teacher!! We reconnected a few years ago and she’s shown the same generosity she always embodied. She was one of those teachers that made me want to teach and now remains a mentor full of encouragement. I loved getting to know more about her background in this episode! Jeannie began her teaching career through the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone, then taught in Washington D.C. public schools including Western High School, which later became Duke Ellington School of the Arts. She spent time teaching on the Rosebud Sioux reservation in South Dakota before settling outside Missoula, Montana where we first met as teacher and student.
She spoke about her experience on the School Support Team for the state of Montana and how seeing the inner workings of many schools and districts along with the political mechanics surrounding them helped her understand the complexity of the issues in education. Jeannie offered advice for teachers and shared her challenges.
We talked about setting up darkrooms in our basements, connections between science and art, and finding time for art-making. I loved getting to chat with Jeannie and share her wisdom and spirit with you!
Blog post with images and links: https://www.teachingartistpodcast.com/episode-63-jeannie-siegler/
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Check out the featured artists: https://www.teachingartistpodcast.com/featured-artists/
Register for the Art Educators’ Lounge: Art & Business with Ekaterina Popova on June 26th: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/158750419779
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Support this podcast. Subscribe, leave a review, or see more ways to support here (https://www.teachingartistpodcast.com/support/).
We also offer opportunities for artists! (https://www.teachingartistpodcast.com/opportunities/)
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