My father was an artist and while I didn’t inherit any of his artistic ability, I did grow up with an enormous appreciation for art. One artist that I struggled with early on was Picasso. I thought his work was strange and even simplistic. I dismissed him for years. Then, I had the opportunity to see some of his very early work while in Spain. By the age of 13, he had mastered realism and had created beautiful “traditional” paintings. Also, during my trip through Spain, I was exposed to the several different periods of his art and how he literally invented new forms of artistic expression as he evolved as an artist and I learned how these stages correlated with his life experiences. Here are some samples from some different periods in his art:
Realism Blue Period Rose Period African Period
Classicism Cubism War Years Surrealism
The more I learned about Picasso, the more impressed I became with him. Not just for his artistic abilities, but for his continuous desire to expand his skills and reinvent himself. When he mastered a style, he would move onto the next and when he ran out of styles, he created his own. Picasso never settled for the status quo, even when the status quo was considered master level. He pushed boundaries, took risks, and continued to explore his craft for his entire life. His groundbreaking work left a legacy for future artists to follow and his constant reinventions challenged future artists to blaze their own trails.
As educators, we can learn much from Picasso. Great teachers don’t just master their craft, they continually seek ways to expand their knowledge, learn new techniques, and challenge the status quo. I think that process begins with always keeping a spirit of curiosity and remaining life-long learners. Change can be scary, but nothing great was ever achieved by playing it safe. As you reflect on your growth as an educator, consider if it’s time to transform some of your practices and attitudes and never be afraid to reinvent yourself!
“All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once they grow up.” – Pablo Picasso
“The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” – Pablo Picasso
“I paint objects as I think them, not as I see them.” – Pablo Picasso
- Monday, April 15: Celebrate Monday Assembly 9:05 AM
- Tuesday, April 16: Achievement Team 8:15 AM, IEP Planning Meeting (Kurtjian) 1:00-2:30 PM
- Wednesday, April 17: M-STEP Training Meeting 8:20 AM
- Thursday, April 18: AED Training with John Raymond 7:50-8:50 AM
- Friday, April 19: No School for Good Friday
- Monday, April 29: M-STEPS Begins
- Monday, May 6: iReady Window 3 Opens
- Tuesday, May 7: Talent Show
- Tuesday, May 14: Grouping Meetings in AM (Rotating Subs)/4th Grade to Riley
- Thursday, May 16: Art Fair (K-4) Music Concert (1-4) 6:00-8:00 PM
- Friday, May 24: M-STEP Ends, Students & Staff dismissed at 12:10 PM
- Monday, May 27: No School for Memorial Day
- Thursday, May 30: Stevenson Clap Out 11:00 AM
- Monday, June 3: F&P in Illuminate
- Tuesday, June 4: Kindergarten Round Up
- Friday, June 7: Service Safety Squad Celebration 3:00 PM
- Monday, June 10: 4th Grade Party
- Wednesday, June 12: Field Day
- Friday, June 14: Island Drums Assembly 10:00 AM
The Spark of Learning 