Smock...to Go
About
Here's a little history about me and my path in life.....
I am a National Board Certified elementary art teacher and have been for over 15 years. Throughout my career, I have traveled many parts of the world, learned about art and education, and, most importantly have been inspired by the places, faces and spaces I have encountered. I share these vingettes with my students on a daily basis and have found great joy in sharing my experiences with friends and family. I wanted to have...everyone...experience what I have experienced through painting and enjoying life. Now, I want to offer my passion for art-making and love for my daughter with everyone.
I began my career as an elementary art teacher in Palatine, Illinois. A teacher of honor and awards, I felt a need to share her own knowledge of art and art education with colleagues near and far. More so, I felt the most important 'thing' to give a kid is the knowledge that he or she is not alone; that the world is incredibly small place when you have big ideas.
A graduate of The University of Iowa with a BA in Art History, BFA in Drawing and a teaching certificate, I set my goals on enriching the lives of my students through art. My professional pursuits led me to study painting in Venice, Italy as a graduate student of New York University and followed by becoming a National Board Certified teacher. Between 2008 and 2010, I participated in two distinguished programs: Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program and the Distinguished Fulbright Award in Teaching program, Argentina. In both endeavors I embraced and learned about different cultures, their history and educational systems; bringing my knowledge and experiences back to my own art room. I was awarded The Illinois Alliance for Education Visual Art Educator Award in 2012 and the Illinois Arts Education Association Distinguished Service in the Profession of Art Education in 2013 honoring my achievement and dedication to arts education. Most recently, I was honored to be welcomed into the Golden Apple family, as a Golden Apple Teacher of Distinction, 2015. My drive and passion led me to create SMOCK..TO GO, offering unique and fun art-making experiences for kids and adults with a SMOCK..TO GO mobile art studios.
Through art, art history and art education I express my passion, life and love. Throughout my professional and personal endeavors, I have become an expert in all three fields. I am a painter by training, an art historian by study and a visual arts educator by experience.
There are many aspects of my work that I love. I love when young students experience their own discoveries through experimentation and exploration. I love when adolescent young adults reach their art goals, whether being a new skill or mastering a concept. I love when adults use art to enhance their life experiences and share their new skills with others.
I love when say "good bye" for the week, as my students smile with a sense of satisfaction and confidence.
You know... it is really wonderful to see how kids just glow when they discover something new. I want to take that glow and capture it in a bottle of paint, then splash it onto a canvas. Young or old, it's amazing what a paint brush can do and what it brings out.
learn, make, grow
Yianna Angelopoulos
Highlights
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
New students, whether young or old, always come with a sense of hesitation. The first step is to ease any anxiety and develop a relationship of trust and understanding. It's much easy to paint next to a friend than an instructor;-) Before beginning any big instructional sequence, I like to have my students loosen up and "play". The idea of "play" is an incredibly powerful concept that not only eases any personal pressure but encourages my students to HAVE FUN.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have been teaching visual arts for over 15 years, as a National Board Certified art teacher. My studies have afforded me opportunities to travel and study art, particulary as a graduate student with NYU in Venice, Italy. Most recently, I participated in a artist micro-residency at the University of Illinois and continue to work on my own art.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
A typical one hour session is 45.00-60.00 dollars.
How did you get started teaching?
I have been teaching all my professional career! I don't know anything else, nor could I imagine doing anything else.
What types of students have you worked with?
As an elementary art teacher, my student ages ranged 6-12. My adult teaching experiences come from painting parties.