Mr. Juarez will be presenting at the upcoming National Art Education Association (NAEA) Convention in Minneapolis, MN. He will be presenting on the topic of Social Networking via Skype.
Since 2014, he has been Skyping contemporary artists into his classroom that he has worked with through a project he created called, Midwest Artist Studios Project. One of the project’s goals was to provide a way for art teachers and students to interact with these artists via Skype. Through this platform, artists and students had the opportunity to talk about the work they have created or in the process of creating. This exchange resulted in critiques, Q & A’s about each other’s work, or just the opportunity to talk ‘art shop’.
This Fall, Mr. Juarez decided to make these Skype talks more formal through a program he titles, “Skype Session Series”. Each month will bring a new artist from anywhere in the U.S. and beyond into the art room to engage in meaningful discussions, engage in constructive criticism, and provide the opportunity for his art students to begin networking with artists who are doing what they are passionate about. The artists are paired with students who are working in the same medium and/or genre. The sessions are screened for the entire class to participate in this experience.
NAEA received over 1,300 presentation proposals this year. Selection relied upon scoring criteria for the blind peer review and selection process. The peer review process ensures each proposed presentation receives three separate blind reviews that employ careful thought and consideration in terms of the Statement of Purpose and Outcomes, Organization of Content, Relevance of Topic, and Impact on Practice. The caliber of this year’s presentations was excellent—making the acceptance of 691 sessions (approximately 45%) highly competitive.
Some of this school year’s line up are Joe Bussell (KS), Andrea Guzzetta (CA), Jenniffer Omaitz (OH), Laura Nugent (MO), Laura Sims Peck (WI), Jason Rohlf (NY), Jay Riggio (CA), and Jane Ryder (IA).
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Recent Skype session
Jay Riggio, Los Angeles, CA
Images courtesy of the artist
L to R: In the Darkness, there was something of a light, Handcut Paper, Paint, Ink, Glue & Layered Resin on Wood Panel, 24”x24”x1”, 2019 | The Waiting, Handcut Paper, Paint, Glue & Layered Resin on Wood Panel, 12”x12”x1”, 2019 | The Movement of a Daydream, Handcut Paper, Paint, Glue & Layered Resin 3D Wood Assemblage, 18” x 13” x 1”, 2019
Jay Riggio, a self-taught visual artist, was born in Long Island, New York in 1978. Utilizing original source material from discarded magazines and books, Riggio’s work brings new life to once forgotten imagery through complex, mixed media collages. His works depict dream-inspired stories through unique, surrealistic visual pairings: a reflection of the artists interpretations on life, love, humor and the human condition.
In addition to exhibiting work in galleries around the world, Riggio has done commercial illustrations for brands like Gather Journal, The New York Times, Brooklyn Magazine, Alice McCall, A24 Films, Lovesick Skateboards and more.
Jay currently lives and works in Los Angeles, CA.
Student testimonial
“After talking with Jay Riggio, I felt more confident with my art and myself as an artist. Since I’m still a student, and also unsure of my art, talking to Jay made me more confident and happier for my work. A lot of things that he talked about—not having found an “art style” yet, how emotions play a big role in his work, and his motivation to always try new things—really connected and stuck with me. Like him, I don’t necessarily have a set art style developed yet, and Jay further assure that I don’t need to quickly strive for one. Also, when Jay was describing emotions playing a big role in his works, I wasn’t really expecting emotions to be an answer, but I couldn’t agree more. I realized that a lot of my emotions also plays a role in my work and how I get ideas. When describing his motivation to keep trying new things, I saw that as very inspiring. As an artist, it is scary sometimes to try something new, and it also costs money. So, when Jay was talking about that, I saw it as inspiring that he has that ambition to strive for new ideas and new mediums. Right now, I have many things I want to try but I’ve been hesitant to try. Hearing Jay talk about this will keep me pushing through this and to explore more. This experience with him was a very nervous, but thankful and insightful experience. I hope I can grow more from this”. – Abbey X, grade 11.
Mr. Juarez will also be presenting on “Secondary Best Practices and Exemplary Lessons: In/Outside of Art and Art Education”. This presentation integrates the art world into the art room as a multi-dimensional approach to student learning, increase rigor, and college & career readiness.
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