Famous artists rarely talk to random high schools in Iowa, but one did just that to an art class at PV a few weeks ago.
Professional talks led by PV’s career counselors have a long history of being centered on business and STEM forward guest speakers. As a result, the arts have been largely left out of the conversation on professional connections—until PV’s own art teachers stepped in.
Starting in the fall semester of last year, PV’s art department has been steadily doing their own outreach to working artists. Without the help of admin or other departments, three high school teachers have been able to get current art professionals to talk directly to students, whether it be through in-person chats or online calls.
PV art teacher David Schaeffer described his strategy for attracting both well-known and emerging artists. “My process is gathering artists that I think will inspire students and then reaching out through social media, tracking down emails and trying to follow up,” said Schaeffer.
Given the independent nature of such outreach, the motivation of the educators hinges on their students. “My excitement was knowing the kids’ energy and that drove me to try and make those connections,” said Schaeffer.
An online, one-on-one discussion between AP Art and Design students and internet artist and celebrity Camila Salinas was just the latest success brought on by this teacher-led program.
A name associated with painting prowess and global reach, Salinas has been a young art trail blazer for half a decade. Her social media accounts documenting her art process have reached the feeds of countless people, with her initially gaining popularity for her AP Drawing portfolio. Currently, her Youtube channel sits at a strong 722,000 subscribers; her Tiktok is even more impressive, with a follower count of 1 million.
The call was Salinas’s first experience speaking to schools, making PV a new mark on her already substantial resume.
Salinas shared multiple parts of her art story that were previously undisclosed to the general public directly to PV students. While the first part of her presentation centered on her practice, the conversation quickly shifted to an open floor Q & A session where students posed more personal questions. Salinas in turn responded with personal insight on how she maintains passion for the craft online and amidst greater societal pressures.
For a question on imposter syndrome, Salinas disclosed how she works despite insecurity. “If you want to be an artist, you really need to have a certain level of confidence, and it took me a long time to build up that confidence. There needs to be a shift in your mentality that ‘this may not be where I want it to be right now – but it will be,’” said Salinas.
She also heavily advocated for experimentation while refining one’s art practice. “The way I used to paint was very much I had an image in my mind, let me make the reference, let me paint it. Now I’m more open to having the process of painting change the way the final painting will look like. It’s made it (painting) more fun, because I don’t know how it’s going to look at the end,” Salinas said.
Zoe Chen, a student present at the call, described her impressions following the conversation. “I think our call with Camila humanized her a lot more and kind of showed how you don’t have to have a concrete plan about what you want to do. It lessened a lot of stress and pressure on the students,” said Chen.
Despite the possibility of rejection, PV’s art educators are using cold emails and Instagram DMs to fill this gap in knowledge about what it truly takes to make it in the art world.
As a result, the next generation of creatives who walk through PV’s doors have new chances for real conversation with working artists, an unprecedented pool of opportunity for the institution.
