Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon.
Brandon, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My life as both artist and art teacher are really a product of a strong foundation built through the platform of public education. I was fortunate to have educators who provided strong mentorship while developing really meaningful classroom experiences. I have been an art teacher in Adams 14 for 11 years and strive everyday to provide similar education to my students.
My high school art experience at Wheat Ridge High School was an outlier to traditional arts education. We frequently were provided opportunities outside of the traditional classroom setting, including developing an annual partnership with Vans that allowed students to paint canvas shoes. This project eventually developed into Vans Custom Culture, an annual, national, arts competition for high school students. My teacher, Franky Scaglione, was extremely instrumental in my development as a young artist and person – so much so that my student teaching was completed under his guidance.
My time at the University of Denver introduced me to many mentors that pushed me to reach my potential as a professional painter. The late, Lawrence Argent, known for his sculpture “I See What You Mean” (aka Denver’s Big Blue Bear) was a major influence as I began my professional practice. Having the opportunity to attend one of Tom Mazzullo’s drawing classes, held at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science served as the catalyst to building my first large body of work titled “Still Life” which showcased bird specimens found within Natural History Museum collections. I have continued to utilize museum collections in some of my more recent work highlighting endangered and extinct butterfly specimens.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I have always struggled to find my voice as an artist. I think this is often the most difficult part of having a professional practice. Finding ways to visually stand out while also allowing my work to take root from inspiration of others seems to be a constant internal dialogue. Artistic development is a continual practice and it is easy to find comfortability in the familiar stuff. Figuring out ways to grow and challenge myself can often feel overwhelming.
These struggles also similarly exist within my teaching practice. Building a classroom culture that stands out has, in many ways, been an extension of my personal creativity. Finding the right balance between developing a classroom culture that is relevant, engaging, and memorable for students is always on the forefront of my brain.
On the contrary, my students understand the value of failure and we often have opportunities to explore things together that frequently factor in unpredictability. Students understand that I am often not the expert in the room. Our classroom lives and breathes as a collective consciousness
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
To begin, I’ll focus on my professional life as an educator.
First, a bit of background – I have been teaching in Adams 14 for 11 years. 10 of those have been at Kearney Middle School. Our district underwent the process of consolidating our two existing middle schools into one. Summit Heights Junior High was born and is currently in its first year of operation. I have relocated to this building this year. Our district serves a largely hispanic population and approximately 20% of our community falls below the poverty line. With the exception of one building (and our new Junior High School set to be built by 2027), our buildings are well over 70 years old. Suncor Refinery, Colorado’s only oil refinery, sits between 1-2 miles from our buildings and neighborhoods. Our families have dealt with environmental concerns as a result of this since the refinery was built in the early 193os. Our students and families deal with many challenges.
I feel like my practice really falls in to two categories – educator and art director. One of my pedagogical signatures has always been to build and maintain a strong classroom identity and that begins with a name. Our art room is called Summit Studios (formerly Studio 4 during my time at Kearney Middle School) and it has served as a way for kids to readily understand that our classroom culture is unique. We give ourselves a title, a logo, a mascot, and I’ve found that this umbrella approach has been instrumental in ensuring all kids feel that they are a part of a collective.
I strongly believe that the most meaningful teaching experiences happen outside the classroom walls and we often find ways to connect with our community in the studio. Two projects really stand out that define my teaching pedagogy. “Drawn to Life” is a project where my students partner with Kindergartners at Central Elementary. Students at Central draw pictures of imaginary creatures that they pretend to encounter on their way to school and students in Summit Studios are responsible for utilizing these drawings as blueprints to build exact replicas of these renderings in plush form. They learn skills of sewing, construction, and engineering. Often, kids utilize each other as experts. It is not uncommon for students to share solutions and teach one another. These plushies are then hand delivered by students in Summit Studios as a surprise near the end of the project.
Another such partnership I’m proud of is with the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. As part of an ongoing commission, students in Summit Studios have been creating life-scale collages of animals found on the site. Each creature is first hand cut out of wood and then carefully layered with paper that is sourced from vintage magazines. The animals are then covered in a coat of resin. They will be displayed permanently at the Arsenal and used as a teaching tool during school visits.
In addition to teaching, I also hold a professional practice as an artist. My work is heavily influenced by biology and biodiversity. I often utilize specimens found in museum collections as the basis for my work. Recently, my series from At the Verge highlighted endangered and extinct butterfly species and was displayed at the Sternberg Museum of Natural History as well as the Dane G Hanson Memorial Museum in Hays, Kansas.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Teaching certainly requires a lot of flexibility, adaptation, and patience. Art also still very much excites me. My classroom space is a product of that passion.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.finamorestudio.com/ and www.brandonfinamore.com
- Instagram: @brandonfinamore
Image Credits
All photos have been taken by me and students in photos have permission for use.
