I had two interviews there, but I did not get either job. I was beginning to get discouraged, but they offered me a job teaching in their ArtReach department. This is the arm of the Art Center that addresses education and community outreach. It was good work, but not enough to pay the bills on. I taught various multi-cultural lessons in public libraries throughout the city. Sometimes I would fill in for other instructors if they had to miss one of their workshops. Our audience range for these workshops is kindergarten to full grown adults.
The workshops were fun, creative and educational. I thought of myself as a hired hitman, going out in to the community with large totes full of art supplies. I ended up teaching a ton of lessons that did not necessarily fit within my skill set, but if something came along I took it, because I couldn't turn down the money or the continued employment that I knew would look good to future employers. ArtReach is where I honed my craft and developed my special power of fake it 'til you make it. There is still so much I don't know, but now there is hardly anything that intimidates me.
Any time there was a festival or event going on in the public and the Art Center needed a person with enthusiasm I would be one of the people they thought of, but when I got hired to teach at Chapel Hill in Wayne full time, I had to step aside from my work with the Art Center. From time to time I would still help out with something. I was offered a position to teach in the summer ArtReach program just to keep me on board. It's basically arts enrichment. We're contracted to provide this as a service for churches, schools and community centers. The last thing a teacher wants to think about is using their summers to teach, but it was enjoyable and gave me some extra money.
Michelle and Kat are my Art Center bosses. They put me back to work when I returned from my master's program in Cincinnati this past fall. I had left Chapel Hill and wasn't sure what to do with myself. I got involved again with ArtReach, but it was clear that that was no longer what I wanted to do. It kept me going for a little while, and working in my profession, but I needed more. I found out about the Insider Art program, working with juveniles being tried as adults in Marion County jail. That was always a dream of mine, but it was only a handful of teaching dates. I signed up to become a life coach, but that's on a voluntary basis! I was really hurting for full time employment. Kat was the one who tipped me off about Herron. She heard about the opening, because it's where her son goes to school, who is a phenomenal kid. I submitted my resume on the finest resume paper the very next day and the rest is history.
I couldn't say no, when again I was offered some pop up workshops to teach. These take place at the Art Center and the participants are usually adults. They're convenient, creative and affordable. It is much easier than signing up to take a twelve week class. These pop ups are only a couple of hours long, and the participants walk away with a piece of art. This is an ideal way for a person to test whether they want to take more classes at the Art Center. Friday was the first one I have taught, Linocuts. This is an area that I am really good at. I had seven adults in attendance, all eager to learn and make something beautiful. The result was amazing. We went over on our time, because everyone was so hard at work. As we were cleaning up, I received some compliments on my presentation and the workshop overall. The participants were really satisfied with the outcome. As I was packing up to leave it occurred to me that I would not be half the teacher I am right now without the Indianapolis Art Center.
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