Hello Everyone! I’m Jenn Reinhart a Graphic Designer and an Art Educator based in Brooklyn, NY. I completed my BFA in Graphic Design at Marywood University and I am currently pursuing my Masters degree in Art Education at City College. Growing up in a Military family exposed me to so many unique parts of the United States as well as amazing cultures around the world. As a result, New York City was the automatic choice for my chosen home!
My thesis project is connected to my background both professionally and privately. When I started working in several design firms, the work included the interior design and graphic design implementation of both interior and exterior spaces. The goal was to analyze the experience the retail clients wanted the public to have in their spaces and how they wanted their customers to navigate the space. Many retailers spend a considerable amount of money in research to learn how their customers shop, interact and feel in the retail environment. As a designer I would then take that data and implement the desired effects in a graphic experience or design environment.
Little did I know that this same skill would later benefit my current classroom, students and co-teachers. I quickly realized when other teachers would come into my classroom they often would comment on how relaxed they were when they entered the space and how welcoming it was. These consistent comments made me start to question why this was the case. Is it due to the choices I’ve made in decor in connection to my designer roots? Is it because I am a new teacher and I don’t have as many resources, anchor charts, books, supplies, etc. as the more seasoned teachers? Does it have to do with my graphic design background and my poor tolerance for “visual” stuff for “visual” stuff’s sake? Or is it because I have many students who have a number of specific educational needs and supports to keep in mind, similar to my daughter who lives with anxiety? How do they feel in my classroom? Is it overwhelming? Are some of my color choices important to setting a relaxing environment to learn? I know from my experiences that the less “stuff” the better…less anxiety, less stress, less to process. If this is the case, how does this impact the young elementary aged artist and their ability to feel comfortable in their space to create their art? How do young people describe the qualities of the art-making experience within an elementary arts space that promotes their comfortability?
I’ve been exposed to so many thoughts shared by educators in the field about the environment of the Art classroom. Some of the more teacher focused research I’ve found on this interesting topic includes:
Stevens, L. (2006). You Know You Have a Rockin’ Artroom When… School Arts, vol. 105, no. 8, Apr. 2006, p. 37.
Sullivan, K. (2004). The Art of Your Room: What Your Classroom Says About You. School Arts, vol. 103, no. 10, Sept. 2004, pp. 30-31.
Susi, F. (1996). Physical Space and the Teaching of Art. Art Education, vol. 39, no. 2, Mar. 1986, pp. 6-9.
Here are a few photos of some of my City College work:
