Kevin Johnson, Maple Grove’s visual arts instructor, works to give his students what they need and allows them to feel supported.
Submitted photo
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BEMUS POINT — For Kevin Johnson, Maple Grove’s visual arts instructor, art has always been an area where he has been able to find support.
“I think most teachers teach because of a teacher that they had,” Johnson said. “I was not as strong academically when I was in school, and my art teacher gave me the support that other teachers didn’t.”
Johnson said while his first career thought was to enter military service, he ended up attending Edinboro University where he received his art degree. For a while, he worked in production studios until he got the job at Maple Grove.
Production studios are the places where the art found at Target or on the shelves is made. For a while, Johnson worked in Cambridge Springs, Pa., and later with Monfort Sculptures. He also worked with David Poulin, most well-known for being the creator of the Lucille Ball statue in Celoron. Johnson said he had a hand in the creation of the statue, and that Poulin was a “good guy” who passed away recently.
He went into teaching at the age of 27, and has been working at Maple Grove for the past 27 years.
“Maple Grove is the longest job I’ve ever had,” Johnson said.
Johnson was also awarded the 2004 Chautauqua County Teacher of the Year. He said his favorite part of being a teacher is his students.
“With adults, you can’t affect change as well but with kids you can,” he said. “And if I’m having a bad day, I can come in and the funny kid in third period will make me laugh. These kids’ goals are more innocent than adults, and you don’t have to be right in my class.”
Johnson added that art is just like music in that there is good and bad music. Just because someone is bad at music, it does not mean they cannot get better, he said.
And the same is true with art.
Johnson said not just art education, but education in general, is extremely important.
“No other profession exists without education,” he said. “Education allows for an enlightened and healthier society. I’m a big believer in objective learning and that when you don’t know something you can sit and learn.”
Johnson wants people to know that teachers are not what their distorted role in society makes them look like.
“We want children to be creative problem solvers,” he said. “I am not an artist, and you do not have to be in my class. Most education is linear thinking, but art allows for lateral thinking.”
Johnson said if he assigns his class a self-portrait, he will receive many and they will all look different; that is exactly what he wants in his class.
With getting close to the end of his teaching career and having his own children in class, Johnson’s main goal for the rest of the year is to provide his students with a space to create.
“I find my class is more therapy and a time out after COVID,” he said. “On my class roster there is always a list of students with alerts, whether that is for a physical ailment or for special education purposes. This year almost all of the kids have alerts. In 27 years I can’t remember ever seeing that.”
Johnson’s focus is on giving students what they need after the pandemic and allowing them a class where they can slow down. He also asked that everyone have patience with their local educators.
“We are the good guys and we care about your kids and their success,” Johnson said. “Their success shows our success.”