Three Quick Questions with Visual Arts Instructor Kathryn Rulien-Bareis-
Kathryn Rulien-Bareis is an art educator, designer and artist. She grew up in Altoona, graduated from UWEC with a BA in Art Education and BS in Elementary Education. She worked on her graduate work at St. Norbert College in DePere, Wisconsin where for ten summers she taught and was a site coordinator for the Young Artist Workshops. Her thirty-eight years of teaching included teaching within six different school districts, ages three years to adults. The majority of her teaching was at DeLong Middle School in Eau Claire until her retirement last fall. Her passion working with students who have special needs pushed her to invent tools that could allow for more independence. She holds 5 US patents for her art tool inventions. During her learning through this process, she taught entrepreneurship to her students and started Prime Products a student run business. In the twenty years students worked with Prime Products they gave back over twenty thousand dollars to community charities.
Read on for three quick questions about Kathryn’s development as an artist!
1.) Can you share a story about your early development as an artist? Were there times when you thought you were on the wrong path? How did you motivate yourself to move past it?
Art and creating have been in my life since I can remember. Whenever I came upon an obstacle, I used creative problem solving to move past it. I remember as a young girl, I wanted my parents to buy me this fancy Barbie doll house. I think one of my friends probably had it so I thought I needed it too. My mom told me no, so I created one by myself with cardboard and art supplies I had. I also remember that my mom was impressed with what I created and that helped to motivate me to continue. I have never felt that I have been on the wrong path. I am passionate about visual art and design but also learning and teaching and inspiring others.
2.) How has art shaped you into the person you are today?
I believe that creating and learning about art has been and continues to be happy place. When I am designing, planning, researching, and gathering materials I feel a purpose that no other career choice would allow me to feel. Even with design parameters there are millions of directions my work can go. Even with obstacles I can feel it as a challenge not a brick wall.
3.) What's the most important lesson a young artist might learn?
Art continues to push me to be a better observer and thinker. I offer these ideas to all artists. Watch others. Observe how they work, the materials they use and their subject matter. Think about what artists are sharing with you. Ask yourself if they artists are creating work as a statement for their thoughts and feelings or are they trying to help you see. Make your work to satisfy your creative ideas but keep an open mind to others influences. Reflect, refine and redesign your work. One of my students asked me if it is possible to never feel like your work is finished.