Students in Emerson’s art classes need someone to motivate them and help them through their creative process. Teacher Cheyenne Wilson has been with Emerson for five years and continues to uplift and inspire her students every day.
Wilson teaches not only Art II Advanced, but also Art III, Art IV, Advanced Placement (AP) 2D and Partners Art. She is 26, and her original path in life was criminal justice. So why did she become an art teacher? How did she become the person she is today— so well known and loved in Emerson?
“I started to really enjoy [art] once I started to take the classes in college,” Wilson said. “It wasn’t intentional… but now I get to make a safe space for students.”
While this beginning may seem odd to some, it’s partially why she is so influential to the students of Emerson and how she encourages people to follow their own path. In the classroom, Wilson uses a unique style of teaching that encourages her students to do their best with their artwork by encouraging and supporting them in their decisions, but also giving them the tools that they need to succeed and grow as artists.
“I ask probing questions… helping you think for yourselves,” Wilson said.
Student Hazel Perrin, 11, said, “Especially when it came to [the Visual Arts Scholastic Event], she had also given me comments about what I could do better in my artwork, and I could be open with her.”
Outside of the calm and welcoming personality of Wilson herself, she strives to make her classroom a space where students feel like they belong. This is achieved by providing a welcoming environment that also serves as a place to hang out and have fun.
“Specifically, in my room, I give students a home who don’t typically have a home. I end up with random straggler students who don’t know where to go, and sometimes that can be athletes, artists, musicians or people who just need some place to sit… It’s just kind of a safe space,” Wilson said.
She also inspires her students with her artwork, not only providing them with an idea of what the assignment should be based on or look like, but also showing them the fixed mistakes that they may make. Her work is extensive, having been an art teacher for five years, but even the older pieces are great examples.
“What she makes also has made me want to do more for my artwork— make it look better,” Perrin said.
At the end of the day, Wilson models high-quality art for her students, giving them motivation to improve their skills. As a result, she continues to be an inspiration to Emerson’s students in every way she can.
