An artist’s story is overlooked in their pieces, though it is present in each and every one of them. An art piece is the product of years of improvement and discovery made by the artist and tells effort put into those years. The absolute soul can be seen in the dedication of a piece, but what did it take to get to that point?

Mrs. Paige Conn is the art teacher at Fredericksburg Middle School. She has changed many of her students’ lives with not only her amazing artistic abilities, but also her inspiring outlook into different types of art. This inspiration not only reflects into her students’ art, but also their every day activities. She teaches a subject of creativity, and it is truly unlike any other subject.

“In math two-plus-two is four. In Japan, Australia, and Antarctica, two-plus-two is four,” Conn said. “That’s frightening to me. Everybody in the world has to fit in that box. Everyone has to get that same answer. I like the fact everyone can have a different answer in art, and it is not wrong.”

Some mediums allow certain artists to showcase the best of their talent while other mediums may not be their forte. The mediums that match their talent-window best will also usually be the most enjoyable mediums for the artist.

“With a pencil there is no place to hide,” Conn said. “When you’re drawing something there’s nothing to hide underneath. I feel alone with a pencil. I feel like the stage is open, and the curtains are pulled back, and I’m alone.”

Inspiration for a piece is different for every artist. Some artists will receive a spark of motivation when it’s a certain time of day or possibly in a certain type of weather. Some artists will prefer a bright day while others will prefer a clouded sky to work under. 

“I prefer sunrises and sunsets, especially at 8:30,” Conn said.  “It’s not dusk, and it’s not the middle of the day. It’s that golden hour of the day.”

As well as inspiration varies from artist to artist so does the spirit of one. Some sway more towards the mathematical section of art while others may be the type to plan as they move along with a project. The type of spirit the artist has can and most likely will reflect in the artist’s work.

“I’m the fly by the seat of my pants kinda gal,” Conn said. “ I can make it look right, but you put the ruler in my hand, and you have me measure that and space this, that is not my forte.” 

Her students cannot begin to express enough how Mrs. Conn shows all these aspects of an artist. She expresses art in so many different and unique ways whether it be through a piece of her own or a lesson. Through these lessons she has shown the life of the art world to many who had never explored there, and she would push people out of their comfort zones, which would then cause improvement in their pieces. 

The dedication she puts into her job, a job of not only skills in art, but also skills that could be applied to the rest of your life, is truly remarkable. Her students improve so greatly as an artist from the first time they step foot into Studio 602 to the last day of school, and this could not be achieved if it weren’t due to having such an amazing art teacher. Her students would no doubt all agree that there is no art teacher quite like her.

“I like to think I don’t teach art,” Mrs. Conn chimes. “I teach the art of life.”