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UW-RF Home > Public Affairs Home > This Month's News Releases Public AffairsAlum Named Minnesota Art Educator of the YearBy Lisa Stratton Deters, a Wayzata, Minn., native and an art teacher at Cloquet High School in Cloquet, Minn., cites art as her lifelong passion, with special interests in nature and country scenes, as well as calligraphy. "Ever since I was a child, I knew that I wanted to pursue art. The 'art gene' is in our family," says Deters. "My mother painted in oils prior to my birth. Also, there was plenty of random stuff around the house to entice the creative spirit. We had the best junk drawers, better than a toy box any day." Probably because of the junk-drawer influence, Deters says she has a fascination with art constructed from recyclable materials. Deters' students use donated vinyl scraps from local sign-makers to create various works of art for Art of Peace, a non-profit corporation which encourages artists to create works which express a message of global understanding. Students at Deters' school also produced the Deck of Art project, in which 52 works of art created exclusively by the students were turned into playing cards. The cards are sold all over the world, including Israel, Japan, and most recently, Iraq. "I want my students to realize the creative gifts that they all have. I want them to realize that their peers all have gifts to offer and each are valuable - that no one should be overlooked or taken for granted," says Deters. "My goal is for them to be able to see the multitude of possibilities in everything. I want to empower them to see the beauty around them." Deters has established "artist residences'" at her school, in which various artists come in and work closely with the students on creating a project. Both a muralist and and a metalsmith visited to share their experiences with Deters' students. "The students worked intensively with these artists and created works of art that connect them with the school forever. Their work was and is meaningful at many levels for themselves and every viewer," says Deters. The executive board of the Art Educators of Minnesota chose Deters for the extraordinary opportunities she affords her students. Pam Signorelli, then president of Art Educators of America, presented Deters with the award at the association's annual awards luncheon. "When she said that I was chosen, it was hard to find the words to express how I felt because of the immensity of the honor," says Deters. "It is starting to sink in." Deters, who also has a master' degree in visual arts from UW-Superior, remembers her days at UW-RF warmly. "I personally feel that teaching is an inherent skill and one has that skill, they can't help but teach," says Deters. "The art department at River Falls is amazingly strong. I have recommended UW-RF to many of my best art students, whole-heartedly." Deters says she never regrets her decision to become an art teacher, citing her absolute love of encouraging others to create beauty in the world around them. Her award as Minnesota's Art Educator of the Year has only strengthened her convictions as a teacher. "It pays to follow your heart," says Deters. -30-
Last updated:
Tuesday, 03-Jan-2006 11:57:34 CST
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DEC. 30, 2005--Storied Green Bay Packer's Coach Vince Lombardi once said, "Winning is a habit." This is certainly true this year of art alumnae: hot on the heels of 1989 alum Peg Medcraft, an Osceola, Wis. art teacher who won Wal-Mart's Wisconsin State Teacher of the Year award, Julie Deters, a 1990 graduate, recently was hailed as the Minnesota Art Educator of the Year.