Mrs. Sonia Summers
Fine Arts
Education and Degrees:
- B.A. in Illustration and Writing from U.T., Knoxville
Teaching History:
- Professional Artist 2000 - present
- Cartoonist at The Daily Beacon 2005-8
- Visual Retail (fashion displays/decor) 2011-15
- Art Instructor
- Sips n Strokes 2015 - 2019
- Painting with a Twist 2019 - present
- Award winning regional Madonnara (sidewalk chalk artist) - 2017 - present
Philosophy of Education:
I have long held the belief that parents are the primary instructors of their children, and with even deeper fervor I hold to this since becoming a parent. I view the profession of teaching as a “hiring out” of this duty to trained, experienced individuals, who through a love of their subject matter and a love of knowledge itself, hope to grow the scope of that subject and its relevance in each generation of society. Without the propagation of true knowledge, our society, our culture comes to a standstill, which I believe we are seeing evidence of in our current modern era. We cannot simply be citizens for the sake of filling a worker’s role, a professional purpose, and education that only meets this need falls terribly short of the long-term goals of a society and its people.
Message to parents:
The role and importance of the arts are often forgotten in today’s society. Even as an artist I find myself asking how best to “use” my art, when really art serves its own purpose. I hope to encourage students to find their own manner of representation of the things that matter to them, even if their careers and lives don’t necessarily involve the arts directly. Their experiences will be better informed with a comfortability and appreciation of visual art, and likewise their experiences will inform any art they may be inspired to create. I echo the theme of J.R.R. Tolkien’s essay “On Fairy Stories,” that we are sub-creators, made in the image and likeness of The Creator, and therefore are imbued with the same desire to create worlds of our own. These worlds may take the form of literature and fantasy and mythos, but they can also take shape in the arts, and even the sciences and other areas. Art does not belong to artists alone. It is the visual pulse of every generation. When students find that pulse, that rhythm for themselves, it can only add to the fulfillment we as teachers hope they discover as they grow into fully formed adults.
Extracurricular Activities:
I love the outdoors and enjoy hiking and rock climbing. I spend the majority of my climbing training by bouldering in the safety of a gym environment, but often try to expand that training to real rock outside. Any time I have the opportunity to bring my art into the outdoors I try to paint on-site, in the tradition of the Impressionists, en plein air. I am an amateur Tolkien scholar, and have been known to write in Elvish, using the Tengwar alphabet.
Contact Information: