Ms. Taylor, an art and sculpture teacher here at Middle Creek, is a firm believer that “art is everywhere: a blend of life and imagination.” Raised in Roxboro, North Carolina, Taylor has been teaching at Middle Creek for 17 years and loves how the people at Middle Creek “are friendly and helpful” and the teachers “really focus on helping the kids.” Taylor graduated from UNC Chapel Hill as an aspiring artist and later became an art teacher in 2003.
Taylor says her favorite mediums in art are clay and paint, perfect for her art and sculpture classes she teaches. Her biggest inspiration is the post-impressionist painter, Van Gogh. “I love his style, I love his colors,” Taylor says of Van Gogh.
Taylor really enjoys learning about Native American History; her favorite piece of art she’s ever made was a Native American coil clay pot in 2006. Arrowhead hunting is a new hobby Taylor picked up during the COVID-19 pandemic. Arrowheads are hunting tools that Native Americans used for hunting and can be found on nearby land.
While she did pick up a new hobby during the COVID pandemic, Taylor also expresses how it has affected her ability to teach art class. “It was really hard to try and teach art online.” She says trying to teach sculpture was especially difficult since not all students had access to the same materials.
Taylor hopes that students who take her classes will learn “how important creativity is and to follow your heart.” Many students who have had Ms. Taylor agree that they learned this and recommended her class. Cameron Klein, a previous student of Ms. Taylor, says, “I'd definitely recommend her class. [Ms. Taylor] is one of the best teachers at Middle Creek.” Klein says her favorite thing about Taylor’s class is “her passion for art and how much she cares for her students.” She adds, “it’s not even like class when you’re in her class.” Lizbeth Gonzalez-Ortiz, a current student of Taylor’s Art 3 class, agrees. “Ms. Taylor’s class is a creative break from the rest of my classes.” Gonzalez’s favorite part about her class is how Ms. Taylor “cares about the students’ progress and art quality more than due dates.”
“It’s a very chill, laid back environment,” says current student Lina Pettaris, a senior at Middle Creek. Pettaris has had Art 1 and 3 with Taylor and describes Taylor as “very kind.” Pettaris goes on to say how Taylor “likes to interact with individual students in her class, not just as a group.” Pettaris recommends Taylor’s art classes as well, saying, “If you have the chance to take it, you should. If you’re interested in art, her class would be a great one to take.”