Sculpture Studio Elective Shaped by a New Set of Hands
The new art teacher creates her future with the previous sculpture teacher, Annie Tobin, as a mentor.
By Lucia Valdovinos
The new art teacher creates her future with the previous sculpture teacher, Annie Tobin, as a mentor.
By Lucia Valdovinos
The start of the school year has brought new beginnings along with new additions to faculty, such as art teacher Stacy Luskin who teaches sculpture and special projects.
Luskin majored in environmental design with a minor in sustainability at the Maryland Institute College of Art, where she took inspiration to be an art teacher. She then taught at Huntington Beach in Southern California and has moved here now starting her third year of teaching. She fills the vacant position of her mentor Annie Tobin, the previous sculpture teacher who moved into the draw, paint, design and special projects course formerly taught by Laurie Kirk, who left at the end of last school year.
“In college, I started doing a portfolio art class where I had local high school students come to the college. And I helped them build a portfolio to submit for art school and that’s kind of what inspired me to be a teacher,” said Luskin.
Luskin’s teaching style has guided students towards having a creative mindset regardless of their current skill set, such as Jax Taylor, 11 who is currently taking beginning sculpture.
“I’m really new to art so she’s really helped me and walked me through the projects we've done so far. She’s really caring," said Taylor.
Also in beginning sculpture, Bella Rosete, 9, knew upon first impression that Luskin would be one of her favorite teachers to learn from.
“She influenced my understanding by putting effort into our education in art, and she explains everything thoroughly,” said Rosete. “I admire her enthusiasm and creativity.”
Anna Letonja, 12, has also had a positive experience so far in Luskin’s sculpture class.
“She’s very creative and she’s always down to motivate people. She’s really supportive of your art and is always reassuring somebody," said Letonja.
Luskin has filled the classroom with enthusiasm she not only feels as an art teacher but as an artist herself. She has taken part in multiple art mediums including hands-on projects such as sculpting, and also more delicate work with yarn and embroidery.
“It’s really fun to be able to do a variety of mediums, like some of them are working in plaster right now, some are doing ceramics. So I’m stoked to see what they end up making,” said Luskin. “I do a lot of sculpture at home but I’m kind of getting into fibers, I do a lot of knitting, crocheting and embroidery.”
Tobin has admired Luskin’s growth as a teacher and ability to connect with her students both with compassion and confidence.
“I’m learning from her as much as she’s learning from me. We're good colleagues that work together really well,” said Tobin. “She’s just all around a really good teacher already so even as a new teacher she’s almost like a seasoned teacher.”
Having mentored Luskin, Tobin sees the positive traits her colleague brings to the classroom.
“I admire her flexibility and her ‘I can do pretty much anything’ attitude and I like how she respects students,” said Tobin.
Sculpture and special projects classes have a place for beginner, intermediate and advanced artists and Luskin ensures that remains true in her teaching. Of the many things that Luskin has taught her students, helping others is a staple in her classroom.
“Even though someone’s having a hard time, still help them out. If they don’t understand it, just help them,” said Taylor.
Luskin’s efforts have not gone unnoticed, and so early in the school year it’s unmistakable how impactful her teaching has been. From attending the prominent art college MICA, to teaching the new wave of artists in Huntington Beach and now San Jose, Luskin has made her mark. One advice she commonly gives her students is not to stress for perfection.
“Don’t worry about being perfect. I feel like so many kids worry about making the perfect pot or whatever but I think that happy accidents are the most fun part of sculpture,” said Luskin.
Luskin majored in environmental design with a minor in sustainability at the Maryland Institute College of Art, where she took inspiration to be an art teacher. She then taught at Huntington Beach in Southern California and has moved here now starting her third year of teaching. She fills the vacant position of her mentor Annie Tobin, the previous sculpture teacher who moved into the draw, paint, design and special projects course formerly taught by Laurie Kirk, who left at the end of last school year.
“In college, I started doing a portfolio art class where I had local high school students come to the college. And I helped them build a portfolio to submit for art school and that’s kind of what inspired me to be a teacher,” said Luskin.
Luskin’s teaching style has guided students towards having a creative mindset regardless of their current skill set, such as Jax Taylor, 11 who is currently taking beginning sculpture.
“I’m really new to art so she’s really helped me and walked me through the projects we've done so far. She’s really caring," said Taylor.
Also in beginning sculpture, Bella Rosete, 9, knew upon first impression that Luskin would be one of her favorite teachers to learn from.
“She influenced my understanding by putting effort into our education in art, and she explains everything thoroughly,” said Rosete. “I admire her enthusiasm and creativity.”
Anna Letonja, 12, has also had a positive experience so far in Luskin’s sculpture class.
“She’s very creative and she’s always down to motivate people. She’s really supportive of your art and is always reassuring somebody," said Letonja.
Luskin has filled the classroom with enthusiasm she not only feels as an art teacher but as an artist herself. She has taken part in multiple art mediums including hands-on projects such as sculpting, and also more delicate work with yarn and embroidery.
“It’s really fun to be able to do a variety of mediums, like some of them are working in plaster right now, some are doing ceramics. So I’m stoked to see what they end up making,” said Luskin. “I do a lot of sculpture at home but I’m kind of getting into fibers, I do a lot of knitting, crocheting and embroidery.”
Tobin has admired Luskin’s growth as a teacher and ability to connect with her students both with compassion and confidence.
“I’m learning from her as much as she’s learning from me. We're good colleagues that work together really well,” said Tobin. “She’s just all around a really good teacher already so even as a new teacher she’s almost like a seasoned teacher.”
Having mentored Luskin, Tobin sees the positive traits her colleague brings to the classroom.
“I admire her flexibility and her ‘I can do pretty much anything’ attitude and I like how she respects students,” said Tobin.
Sculpture and special projects classes have a place for beginner, intermediate and advanced artists and Luskin ensures that remains true in her teaching. Of the many things that Luskin has taught her students, helping others is a staple in her classroom.
“Even though someone’s having a hard time, still help them out. If they don’t understand it, just help them,” said Taylor.
Luskin’s efforts have not gone unnoticed, and so early in the school year it’s unmistakable how impactful her teaching has been. From attending the prominent art college MICA, to teaching the new wave of artists in Huntington Beach and now San Jose, Luskin has made her mark. One advice she commonly gives her students is not to stress for perfection.
“Don’t worry about being perfect. I feel like so many kids worry about making the perfect pot or whatever but I think that happy accidents are the most fun part of sculpture,” said Luskin.