Welcome to my Choice Based Art Education Blog!

Top Left: Pyrogenic Arts logo with rainbow. Top Right: Red mushroom earrings. Bottom Left: Ceramic flower. Bottom Right: Ceramic stump with crocheted mushrooms and moss.

Hello there! Thanks for visiting and checking out my new blog... this is something I've been intending to do for a long time in order to share resources and ideas with as many fellow artists and educators as possible! Also, I am completing some exciting programs this summer so I really want to have a place to talk about those experiences.

A little bit about me: I have been teaching Visual Art across the state of Arkansas since 2013 and have been in my current position at Rogers New Technology High School (soon to be officially renamed Rogers Academy of Leadership and Innovation, or RALI for short) since 2019. Next year I will continue teaching my current course load (Ceramics I/II and Sculpture) alongside new courses like Forensics, Debate, and Theatre! Up to this point our kids have had to travel to the other larger high schools in our district to pursue those courses, so I am excited to reignite my passion for those subjects and give them a chance to take them on our campus.

Outside of teaching and creating art, I love staying active and being outside as much as possible through skating, biking, hiking, camping, swimming, and floating My business name, Pyrogenic Arts, was inspired by my former roller derby/skate nickname (Pyro) and my love of all art techniques involving fire. I'm currently engaged to an amazing person, and I've got three cats and a dog that are all pretty fantastic.

What can you expect from this blog?

• Curriculum Resources: My goal as an educator is to develop a blended, self-paced, learning environment focused on Choice Based Art Education where my learners thrive and develop independence. I also teach at a school entirely focused on Project Based Learning, so I also prioritize real-world skills and applications in my curriculum. Sharing resources and helping educators reach their goals brings me so much joy!

• Organizational Tips & Strategies: I'll talk about how I organize my spaces to improve classroom management, learner independence, collaboration & feedback, and time management.

• Professional Learning Opportunities: This summer I am participating in several awesome professional learning opportunities, and I will be sharing my experiences here! For more information about the programs themselves, visit:

  • Modern Classrooms Project Virtual Mentorship Program: Focused on developing a self-paced, blended learning environment. This program satisfies the requirement for Arkansas educators to add the Lead Professional Educator label to their licenses.

  • NAEA School for Art Leaders: Every year, NAEA chooses up to 25 Art Educators from around the country to participate in the SAL program. We will be working on a project all year in person and virtually, which will be presented at the 2026 Spring conference in Chicago. Many thanks to the Center for the Study of Childhood Art (CSCA) at the University of Arkansas- Fayetteville for sponsoring my involvement in this program through their Curriculum Innovation Grant!

  • Art21 Educators Program: In July, I will be going to New York for a week to participate in Art21's Educators Program! We will also be working on a virtual project for the rest of the year.

  • Crystal Bridges William S. Reese Fellowship: I was accepted as a Reese Fellow this summer, which means I will be working with their librarians to create a Theatre curriculum project that is inspired by Visual Art. I'm really excited to share what we create with you all and test the project out with my Theatre learners next year!

  • I'm also continuing my work as a Content Facilitator for Arkansas Teacher Corps; I will be designing and leading six weeks of professional development for brand new Visual Art and Music educators who will begin working in the Fall. After that, we will meet four times during the school year to check in and grow!

• General Art Stuff: I am a practicing artist who works primarily with clay, yarn, fabric, and glass. I will post about my current projects, markets and exhibitions/art shows, and new techniques I am trying out! I'm hoping to start creating my own tutorial videos to share with my learners and anyone else who might benefit as well.

Feel free to contact me through my email (pyrogenicarts@gmail.com) or the contact form located on the Home page with any questions, comments, or anything else you might want to share! Talk soon.

<3 Randi, aka Pyro