Rachael Anderson
Art Education/Fine Arts, Class of 2009
My success is igniting a passion for the arts.
Art education major Rachael Anderson believes that if life is a journey, art should pave the path.
For Rachael, art is a joy to create and a pleasure to experience. That’s why she enjoyed sharing the rewards of creating public art with sixth graders when she was student teaching at Battle Creek Elementary School in St. Paul.
"Public art helps the students take ownership of their community," Rachael says.
The students created 180 clay tiles to be incorporated into a three-panel mural installed at the school’s main entrance. The panels display “Welcome” in each language spoken by students at the school: English, Hmong and Spanish.
“Each student designed a clay tile, carved it, glazed it and arranged it with the others. The students were very proud of the permanent touch they had on their school,” she said.
Rachael helped the young artists brainstorm ideas, design their panels and decide on the final composition. Then she taught the students how to carve into the clay using recycled materials, including spoons, toothpicks and pencils.
"Battle Creek is an environmental magnet school," Rachael explains, "so it was important to instruct the kids in sustainable practices."
Art Professor Jim Engebretson, a well-known glass artist, encouraged her to take risks while challenging and supporting her in and out of the classroom, Rachael said. In addition, art education Professor Lynn Jermal was her inspiration to involve the students in a collaborative, public art project.
Rachael said she hopes to inspire her students one day as much as her River Falls professors inspired her. "My success is measured by others’ success," she says. "If my students succeed, that means I have."
