Five Teaching Artists Join the NH State Arts Council's Arts in Education Roster

The N.H. State Council on the Arts is pleased to announce that five new teaching artists who represent a variety of artistic disciplines and backgrounds have been added to the Arts in Education (AIE) roster.

The AIE roster is a resource of professional artists who bring new ideas, skills, energy and creativity to schools and communities. To be named to the roster, artists are juried by certified arts educators, Artist Residencies in Schools project coordinators and experienced teaching artists. Together, they evaluate the quality of the artists’ work, professional commitment and experience working in educational settings.

Artists play an important role in helping increase students’ access to high quality arts education. Teaching artists possess a unique set of skills and knowledge about their art form and provide authentic experiences that engage students in a different way than takes place in traditional classroom instruction.

New roster artists are:

• David Fichter - A visual artist from Cambridge, Mass., Fichter specializes in painted murals, mosaic, and theatre sets. He provides opportunities for students of all ages to design and create permanent murals that relate to their school culture, history or curriculum. www.davidfichter.com
• Roger Goldenberg - A professional visual and jazz artist from Portsmouth N.H., Goldenberg leads art making experiences in printmaking and 3-D constructions, kinetic sculpture, and creativity and improvisation. He also leads workshops and residencies with the Ears ‘n’ Eyes Visual Jazz and Jazz Music Ensemble. www.rgpaints.com
• Chris Klaxton - A jazz musician and band leader from South Berwick, Maine, Klaxton has years of experience working with students of all ages on a variety of instruments. He teaches musical improvisation, songwriting and small-scale theater workshops for both music and non-music students, plus workshops and master classes. He was recently appointed Director of Jazz Bands at Plymouth State University, Plymouth. www.chrisklaxton.com
• Taylor O’Donnell - A contemporary and jazz vocalist from South Berwick, Maine, O’Donnell brings her deep roots in jazz, folk and rhythm and blues to perform and teach in an array of educational settings. She offers residencies, performances and lecture-demonstrations or master classes in vocal improvisation. Her school residencies may include a public event or concert as a solo artist or with the Ears ‘n’ Eyes Jazz Music Ensemble. www.taylorodonnellmusic.com
• Elizabeth (Lizz) Van Saun – A mosaic artist from Hopkinton, N.H., Van Saun loves to share her knowledge, skills and joy of mosaic art with youth and people of all ages. She offers school and community residencies, teacher workshops, demonstrations and community based mosaic projects. www.kasthillstudio.com

N.H. State Arts Council grant funds help to bring teaching artists into educational settings to provide arts learning experiences and to develop skills in imagination, creativity and innovation.

To learn more, visit: www.nh.gov/nharts or contact Catherine O’Brian, 603-271-0795 or catherine.r.obrian@dcr.nh.gov.

Photo caption: Elizabeth (Lizz) Van Saun poses with students as part of a mosaic project.

Submitted text. Courtesy photo.