Artist & Educator
Brianna Hoftun brianna hoftun briannahoftun
About
Born, raised, and still living in Rhode Island, I am an artist with a passion for trying out new modes for creating visual art. I thrive on exploration of media old and new and am fascinated by the intersection of classical techniques and materials with the newest frontiers of technology.
I am experienced with gouache, acrylic, oils, charcoal, graphite, and clay, as well as other traditional wet & dry media; fiber arts including sewing, knitting, weaving, and clothing pattern drafting; and both digital and film photography. I am also Proficient with Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator, among other digital programs used to create and edit images, text based designs, and vector graphics. If you name a medium, I've most likely already tried it, or it's at least somewhere on my to-do list!
My Philosophy
As an educator, I strive to build appreciation for the many ways that art surrounds us in our daily lives and to create a space for students to have an outlet through a creative medium. I believe that each and every student has an opinion and a voice and that art can be an empowering tool for self-advocacy, for self expression, for representation, and for social change. I believe that arts education is vital to the development of learners of all ages as they continue their paths to becoming well-rounded students and whole human beings.
I take a student-centered approach to design lessons that meet the needs of students where they are while creating enough of a challenge for them to still be learning and growing. Alongside explorations of individual and collective identity, many of my lessons include interdisciplinary concepts borrowed from math and science, as well as writing exercises and group discussions meant to strengthen critical thinking and verbal communication skills in tandem with visual.
Art learning, like art making, is not one size fits all! Every student will approach a creative problem differently. It is my duty as an art teacher to pass along my knowledge of the creative process while making space for the freedom that allows each student to shape their own artistic investigation and shine to their fullest potential. I am here to amplify student voices and guide them through their artistic endeavors, but the ideas, the curiosity, and the capacity to create rest fully in their hands.