Great Presenters: Peter Curran on Creativity

Tues, May 4, 7:30 pm – When creative block strikes, what can one do? How can one get un-blocked? Drawing on over fifteen years in the visual arts classroom, this presentation identifies a collection of strategies for scaffolding the creative process to achieve authentic and meaningful outcomes. During this active discussion, we will examine the notion of creativity, share our own stories, admire some recent artwork by our Wayland Middle School students, and perhaps make some drawings of our own! You will leave with a handful of new tools for your own creative toolkit, as well as a deeper appreciation for the creative power of our community’s young artists.

Pete Curran (he/him) has been teaching visual art since 2004, with nearly ten years at a preK-12 special education school in Lancaster, MA and, currently, at Wayland Middle School in Wayland, MA.

Pete studied art education at Syracuse University (BFA, 2002) and Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MSAE, 2009). He has taught at all levels, and has worked with a variety of statewide and national arts organizations. Most recently, he served as the National Art Education Association (NAEA) Middle Level Division Director (2017-19), as a lead ambassador for the DESE’s 2019 Arts Frameworks professional development series, and as a member of the Massachusetts Art Education Association (MAEA) Equity, Diversity & Inclusion taskforce.

Pete is a practicing artist, blending design, sculpture, video and photography. He lives in Wayland with his wife and two daughters. You can follow his work with the Wayland Middle School visual art program at www.wmsartlab.org or @wmsartlab.