>> Portfolio
>> Resume
>> Gallery of Student Work (3-D Design)- Los Alamitos High School
>> Gallery of Student Work (AP Art History) - Los Alamitos High School
Bio & Mission:
Passionate about developing new methods for
expanding the creativity of young people, Karissa Ferrell is engaged in
developing curriculum that parallels the shifts reflected in contemporary
art. Her dual role as artist and
educator offers a platform from which to develop pertinent alternative
approaches based on principles of globalization, participation, collaboration, interdisciplinary
education, and engaging new media for creative expression.
Karissa feels strongly that creativity and critical thinking are at the core of innovation and cultural progression, yet today’s schools are generally more focused on standardizing learning in order to raise test scores. With this website Karissa aims to provide resources that will help fellow teachers rethink curriculum and connect with emerging artists and trends. As well as offer practical curriculum strategies for today’s classrooms. She is focused on bridging the gap between contemporary art and art education, through curating content and making it accessible for educators.
Karissa’s enthusiasm for art is what initially led her into the teaching profession and has kept her striving through the tandem roles of educator and artist. She earned a Bachelors of Arts degree from the University of California, Davis in Studio Art and Art History and completed her degrees through a study abroad program at Lorenzo de Medici Art Institute of Florence. Since her undergraduate work in 2001, she has completed the single subject teaching credential in Art through California State University of Long Beach (2003), and the Master of Arts in Art Education at the University of Florida (2012). Additionally she has participated in 6 alternative “workshops;” which are an on-going educational project of Rose Shavinosvsky and Claire Gavronsky. The “workshops” as they are called are collaborative projects that convene in diverse contexts, such as Florence, Italy, San Francisco, Santa Ana, Johannesburg, Cape Town, and New York.
Freedom and encouragement to move between traditional art materials has been instrumental in Karissa’s development as a mixed media artist. She is currently in her tenth year teaching at Los Alamitos High School, California where she teaches both 3-D Design (levels 1, 2, and advanced) and AP Art History. It is her goal as an educator to facilitate learning experiences that empower students to challenge themselves artistically students to more fully participate in the dialogue of contemporary art.
Karissa feels strongly that creativity and critical thinking are at the core of innovation and cultural progression, yet today’s schools are generally more focused on standardizing learning in order to raise test scores. With this website Karissa aims to provide resources that will help fellow teachers rethink curriculum and connect with emerging artists and trends. As well as offer practical curriculum strategies for today’s classrooms. She is focused on bridging the gap between contemporary art and art education, through curating content and making it accessible for educators.
Karissa’s enthusiasm for art is what initially led her into the teaching profession and has kept her striving through the tandem roles of educator and artist. She earned a Bachelors of Arts degree from the University of California, Davis in Studio Art and Art History and completed her degrees through a study abroad program at Lorenzo de Medici Art Institute of Florence. Since her undergraduate work in 2001, she has completed the single subject teaching credential in Art through California State University of Long Beach (2003), and the Master of Arts in Art Education at the University of Florida (2012). Additionally she has participated in 6 alternative “workshops;” which are an on-going educational project of Rose Shavinosvsky and Claire Gavronsky. The “workshops” as they are called are collaborative projects that convene in diverse contexts, such as Florence, Italy, San Francisco, Santa Ana, Johannesburg, Cape Town, and New York.
Freedom and encouragement to move between traditional art materials has been instrumental in Karissa’s development as a mixed media artist. She is currently in her tenth year teaching at Los Alamitos High School, California where she teaches both 3-D Design (levels 1, 2, and advanced) and AP Art History. It is her goal as an educator to facilitate learning experiences that empower students to challenge themselves artistically students to more fully participate in the dialogue of contemporary art.