HISD teacher artwork creates a poignant dialogue at CAMH exhibition

The HISD Teacher Advisory Group (TAG) is a group of 14 passionate educators assembled by the Contemporary Arts Museum of Houston (CAMH) with the purpose of sharing their knowledge and experiences with CAMH staff in order to guide and inspire future programs within the museum’s Education and Public Programs department.

Photos courtesy of Tasha Gorel

HISD Curriculum Implementation Coaches Rickey Polidore and Chandel Bonner-Hancock joined forces with Felice Cleveland, the Director of Education and Public Programs at CAMH, to develop and involve HISD art teachers in the TAG. The group acts as a bridge between the CAMH and Houston public schools, helping to develop programs and advocating for those programs within their classrooms, campuses, and communities.

On Friday, May 19, CAMH opened a pop-up exhibition at the Community Collective for Houston called “Transforming Self; Together.” The exhibition is a collection of work by both the TAG teachers and some of their students focused on various themes such as memory, identity, and legacy—spanning a multitude of mediums.

Many of the participating students had the opportunity to come to the opening with their families to see their work on display in a professional gallery setting.

Jonathan Tuftee is an art teacher at Hamilton Middle School and a member of the CAMH TAG. His oil paintings appeared in the exhibition, which he experienced as both challenging and rewarding for himself and his participating students.

“This event and others like it add multiple opportunities for teachers to get their students and communities involved in the arts around Houston,” Tuftee said. “Many students and families wouldn’t know about these events without teachers being able to bring them these opportunities. And teachers wouldn’t be able to bring them without the help and support of people like Rickey, Chandel, and Felice.”

“Transforming Self; Together” will be on display at The Community Collective for Houston (12401 S Post Oak Road) until June 16, 2023. For more information, directions, and gallery hours, visit the exhibition’s website.

To learn more about HISD’s Fine Arts Department and for information on the 2023 Fine Arts Summer Intensive programs, visit the Fine Arts Department website.