Welcome to Art1, Art2, and Ceramics 1 & NOW Ceramics 2  

      Who Am I? I am a Texan; Army Brat, Daughter, Sister, Cousin, Wife, Mother, Friend, Neighbor, Artist, Great Cook, Business Owner, Dog Owner, Teacher of Art, Spirit Filled Christian.  This is a big year for me: My husband and I are celebrating 20 years, my daughter graduated from USC and heads off to medical school in the spring. My son graduated from LEHS and is in college figuring out his future as a possible history educator or funeral director.  My daughter gave a kidney to Nicholas Bland so that my husband could receive a living kidney from George Hansen in September. We are celebrating life and have extended our family by two! I love to celebrate.

      Where did Art start for me? My love of art started in 7th grade while living in Germany and continued throughout high school.  I studied art at New Mexico Military Institute.  I then went to New Mexico State University where I studied most of my Art disciplines for a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, but met the man for me. We moved to Montana and I settled with a Bachelor of Art emphasis in painting from the University of Great Falls. 

     Biographical Experience: I have taught Art: Drawing I,II,III & Life Drawing, Painting I,II,III, Life Painting in both the private and public realms for years.  Before my family and I moved here in 2017. I owned and operated a successful Fine Art Gallery & Custom Framing Shop (Creative Designs Custom Framing & Gallery) in Alamogordo, NM prior to living here.  I worked first hand with many artists, including highschoolers.  Some of them are now pursuing professional art careers.  Click on the link to view my artwork through the ages.*I need to update my site and hopefully one of my amazing artists will be able to help me.  http://www.jesskingart.com/

    Art with Ms Jess at a glance:  9th-12th grade Art students will dig deep in the realm of Fine Art: History, Theory, Processes in mediums:drawing, painting, print making, collage, virtual drawing and painting, sculpture, pottery and more.  I would like each art student to develop great studio habits: understand safety procedures, discover sketchbook disciplines, walk through peer critiques, learn how to document their work in an electronic portfolio and use a museum hanging formula to display their work.  Furthermore, I think it's important to take upper level students past making their art to exhibiting and selling it.  I want the students to exhibit in online shows, pop-up shows and a long-term exhibit with a reception. 

What's new?  For previous Ceramics 1 students, I am teaching our new Ceramics 2 class starting the spring semester.  How exciting- handbuilding will be modified, experimental sculpture will take place, new glazing techniques will be learned, and pottery wheels will be buzzing before we know it!