HuckleBerry
Center for Creative Learning
Kirstin McAuliffe
A passionate educator, costume designer, and visual artist, Kirstin has spent a career bringing imagination to life through color, form and various mediums. With a degree in Fashion Design from FIDM and continued education in Visual Communication from NIU, Kirstin seamlessly blends technical expertise with a passion for teaching,
supported by over a 15 years of professional design experience. Her career started as a Costumer and Designer in Film, TV and theater where she was awarded for her contributions. While at NIU her love of teaching was ignited when she oversaw multiple theater costume labs. After moving back home to California she began teaching in her daughter's classrooms which lead to a waitlisted afterschool program. Upon talking to a
fellow HuckleBerry teacher, she knew it was time to transition to an exciting new challenge.
Beyond the world of costumes, for the past 7 years, Kirstin has inspired young artists in grades k–8, teaching visual arts and encouraging creativity, self-expression, and technical skill development. Through innovative lesson plans and a commitment to fostering confidence and creativity, Kirstin helps students turn their ideas into vibrant, tangible works of art. Whether working with university students, Hollywood costume houses, or elementary classrooms, Kirstin brings the same energy: an inventive spirit, a love of craftsmanship, patience, and a deep belief in the transformative power of art.
When Kirstin is not teaching art, you can find her tinkering with technology like the Adobe suite or her laser and cad cutting machines. Learning new ways to innovate and blend new with traditional. Sewing, Patternmaking and culinary arts fill the rest of her time when not at the Pilates studio or assistant coaching her daughters Run team.
High School Art & Art Appreciation
NOTE: PAINT CAN BE MESSY. PROFESSIONAL GRADE PAINT WILL BE USED TO GET SUPERIOR RESULTS. PLEASE BRING A LARGE SHIRT TO COVER CLOTHES!
In this High School Art & Art Appreciation class, students will participate in an inquiry based and disciplined approach in making and understanding art through increasingly complex projects. Challenges in materials, methods, art theories, art history, critical thinking, creativity and self-expression will be explored. This class is designed to meet the “f” requirement for California State and University admissions, but parents and students are encouraged to ensure that our syllabus and their charter’s syllabus contain the same requirements. In visual arts classes, due to the nature of the subject, students will not be restricted to “right/wrong” oriented answers to problems but will be encouraged to present many divergent responses. In visual art, students are encouraged to make decisions and discover for themselves the results, as they will do in life after graduation.
Please note that students will participate in both individual and group projects, art research, presentations, and class wall critiques. The students gain experience in creative problem-solving, and critical thinking while exercising their imaginations. They practice speaking about their work and learn how to explain their creative choices.
We will be creating both 2D and 3D projects and will also experiment in various materials, including charcoal, watercolor, clay and acrylic paint. We will also be looking at an assortment of art through the ages to help us understand how art can reflect what is happening culturally in each age. Art is also an excellent way to learn how to open our minds to ideas that challenge us! We’ll learn to question, analyze and interpret different types of art, from the most famous of art to lesser known works.
Students will be required to create and maintain a portfolio of work that includes information from the class, sketches and finished work.
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