My name is Julie Martin. I am an artist and full-time teaching artist at Convent & Stuart Hall in San Francisco. I began teaching in 2020 and quickly learned the importance of art education and creative expression through both my Art Advocacy research and direct experience teaching art through a pandemic.

My creative journey began when I arrived to pursue a BFA in Fashion, which quickly evolved to an interest in jewelry, textiles, metal, and the expression of my creativity through experimentation with different materials. My personal studio practice has been an integral place for self-discovery and has given me the space to process my internal environment and emotions.

In teaching art, I hope to share this with my students. By helping them find their own ways of viewing art and design and keeping the curriculum differentiated and relevant to each student. I strive to create a fulfilling and long-term impact on my student's lives and to give them the platform to take risks without fear of failure. In creative projects, you have to sift through a lot of good ideas to find the great ones. If my students can practice this at a young age, I know they will grow up to become creative, resilient, and expressive adults.

My Art Advocacy Project:
I completed my student teaching and started my teaching career during the height of the pandemic. This inspired me to research the short-term and long-term impact of social distancing and self-isolation, specifically for adolescents. Through secondary and primary research I discovered that art education and creative expression is absolutely essential for healing and resilience during distressing times, and it brought a level of community and connection that was lost during the pandemic.