biostatement

bio/artist statement

In 2000 I graduated from The University of Iowa with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with honors and K-12 Art licensure, beginning my career as a Junior High Art Teacher in Arizona. Upon completing my first year I found a combined position as High School Art Teacher/Alternative Learning Center Art Teacher in the Twin Cities, allowing me the opportunity to teach general population high school art curricula as well as urban and at-risk students, the topic of my undergraduate honors thesis.

In addition to teaching I made time for writing grants and co-directing Babylon Art & Cultural Center, an urban community art center in South Minneapolis. In 2005 I took a break from teaching to lead a group of Babylon-affiliated artists into the indigenous region of Chiapas, Mexico. Designing and executing murals with Mayan communities, I presented our work at conferences in Seattle and Mexico City and returned to the Twin Cities to teach Art for one more year.

Reflecting on my career as an Art Teacher, I realized that one of the most profoundly rewarding and meaningful aspects of teaching had been the connections I found working individually with my students with exceptional learning needs. In 2007 I returned to Iowa City to earn an M.A. in Special Education with a focus on Alternative Education, At-Risk students, and Diverse Student Populations. Currently I am employed as an Art and Resource teacher at Tate alongside Dr. Hani Elkadi. Together we are collaborating on a new series of student murals and public art projects for the community.

Honored to be working in the very setting that inspired my undergraduate honors thesis and to be established in the University/Iowa City community, my teaching-load includes the class Art in the Community, a course and curriculum I designed from my real-world experiences as an artist and teacher for the students at Tate.

email: daniel at danielkinney dot com

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