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Julie Bibb is an art teacher who is constantly working to develop her own artistic skills.
“When I went to art school it was required of every one of my professors that they had to have work in a gallery or show every year. That’s something I bring to my students; I’m a teacher and a working artist.”
Mrs. Bibb, who had a class project featured in School Art Magazine in 2021, said she tries to do one painting in the classroom from start to finish during a semester.
“I try to do at least two serious paintings that are not commissioned each year. That way the students see the process and details and they can ask questions,” she said. “I’m using a different paint than they are. They’re using watercolors or acrylics. I’m painting with oil paint. They ask great questions about the differences, so my painting is sparking a conversation about materials and techniques and why I’m working on canvas and they’re working on paper. It’s been a nice teaching tool actually having them watch me make work.”
She sometimes lets the students vote on the next project to incorporate student interests into the pieces she creates in class.
“My paintings typically take 20-50 hours,” she said. “Not all art has to take a long time but my style does. We talk about pricing, too. How I price my work depends on the size, the type of paint, the length of time, how detailed. There are different variables.”
In addition to the pieces she works on during class to demonstrate techniques with various materials, Mrs. Bibb sells at least two dozen commission pieces every year.
The majority of her paintings are detailed still lifes from a photo. A recent piece from her line of social justice paintings was exhibited in a juried show in 2022.
Her most recent classroom project was a painting of Christmas cookies. She set up her still life using cookies from BWHS alumna Maddie Price ’19 of Bumbles Bake Shop.
“As a professional I only work from photography and I only work from my photography,” she said. “That’s a nice distinction I make for students, too. I’m not just finding a cool photo online to paint but am taking the time to set up still lifes myself.”
When she creates assignments for the students, she has either already done the project herself or she does the assignment with them.
“If I’m doing the project with them I’m setting a pacing bar and then I have a good example to show for each class,” she said. “They get to see where the roadblocks are and it’s fun for me because even though I teach a lot of preps I don’t do the same projects every year. I like switching things out.”
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