Outstanding Retired Art Educator

Columbus Junction.
Charter member of AEI

Distinguished Service within the Profession

Perry

Outstanding Art Educator of Special Needs Children

Glenwood

Damn everything but the circus!

…damn everything that is grim, dull,

motionless, unrisking, inward turning,

damn everything that won’t get into the

circle, that won’t enjoy, that won’t throw

its heart into the tension, surprise, fear

and delight of the circus, the round

world, the full existence…

ee. cummings

At the beginning of my teaching career I glued the above poem on a small cupboard door in my home studio.  Each time my family moved the poem went with me.  As I taught, the essence of the poem was echoed in a variety of visual and poetic formats.  Just recently, I discovered that former Iowan/artist/educator Corita Kent was equally fascinated with the multiple meanings of this work and was responsible for popularizing it.  She also designed that famous “Love” stamp for the U.S. Postal Service.  But, what is the significance of this poem?  Why did it resonate with my philosophy of living?

My parents are volunteering through their late eighties.  They were always involved in their communities as we moved from one place to another.  For me, volunteering was always a natural part of how one lived.  As I work with my multiple social families I have a great respect for those that “delight in the circus, the round world, the full existence…”  Those, who understand and believe that risk is the delight of the heart and continue to volunteer and serve.

Social responsibility is not for those who are “motionless” but for those who are willing

to “throw (their) heart into the tension, surprise, fear and delight of the circus…”   Involvement with my AEI family over the past four decades has been varied and rich with many chances for growth and service.  The work is sometimes difficult but, at the same time, a “delight”.  To those who are standing outside of the circle, the “circle” is expanding---there is still room!

Dave Pratt

I give a huge, heartfelt THANK YOU to all of you at Art Educators of Iowa for the great honor of receiving this teaching award.  I want to thank God that He provided me with the skills and the able body and mind to become an art teacher and to be enraptured with it for these past thirty years.  Art, with all its beauty, is a part of every day of my life. 

I’m thankful that I had the opportunity to go to excellent schools and had excellent teachers to guide me.  I’m thankful that I married a wonderful, faithful, caring, supportive partner that stands by me.  My husband knows what it is like to be a dedicated teacher because he has been a reading teacher for 34 years.  Kreg understands the difference between “real time” and “Janiece time.”  “Janiece time” is when I say that I’ll be home from working after school in about an hour and about three hours later I finally walk through the door!

I’m thankful that I have a great job and get to fulfill my passion for teaching art to ALL students.  I love what I do.  I hope and pray that my teaching has encouraged ALL children, from all walks of life: poor, middle, and upper class; from gifted students to moderate to severe mentally or physically challenged, to all have a meaningful relationship with art throughout their lives. 

In closing, this is my hope that I have taught all children to find and look for beauty in their world where ever they go, with whatever abilities they have.

Janiece Kinzle

To Whom It May Concern:
Thank you for selecting me for the honor of Outstanding Retired Art Teacher of Iowa for 2008.  I was very surprised.  I have been involved with the Art Educators of Iowa almost from the beginning.  I was one of several Art majors that Dr. Harry Guillame took to a meeting in Iowa City at the University in 1950-1951 to work on establishing a state organization.  Some others attending were Frank Wokawiak and Ted Ramsey from the University of Iowa; Helen Caldwell, Elementary Art Supervisor from Burlington; and Archie Bauman, Art Supervisor for the Cedar Rapids’ school system.

I taught Elementary Art at Washington, Iowa for three years and then returned to teaching fourteen years later when my youngest child was in first grade.  Superintendent Robert Hedemann wanted to start a formal Art program in the Columbus Community Schools and I was hired to organize it.  He felt that it was more important to start with elementary students so the first year I taught Art in grades one through seven at three attendance centers.  We gradually added eight grade and Kindergarten.  When two high school students transferred into the district that had been taking Art, a high school Art class was added to the curriculum. (This was before there was a mandatory preparation period.) My travel time was my prep time.  

By this time there were a large increase in enrollment and Kathleen Almelien was hired to teach the junior and Senior High Art classes and I remained with the elementary classes.  I introduced her to the Art Educators of Iowa and we went to many events and conferences together.  I taught at Columbus for twenty-seven years. 

The most challenging project that I faced in my teaching career was hanging the Youth Art Month Show the third year that I was in charge. I did not have a co-chair that year.  The exhibit was still held in the State Capitol Building and the pieces were stored in the Art Department at Drake University.  John Hicks had gone away for the weekend.  I finally got someone to open the building so I could get the pieces for the show ad took them over to the Capitol.  This was the Saturday before the show.  Steve Sams cam over to help put those big wooden panels in place and the show opened on Sunday as planned. 

Since I have retired, I have continued to be interested and involved with Art, teaching in summer camps, vacation church school, and after school programs and making banners, scenery, and wall hangings for my church.  I have taught the “Art part” for the after school program in my church for the past twelve years.

I continue to support the Art Educators of Iowa in any way that I can.

Shirley Pfeifer