The Art Institute of Austin recently reached out to art educators in Austin and Round Rock, inviting teachers who still practice art professionally to exhibit their art in a gallery for both current students and the community to view. Ms. Brittany Skillern was the only art teacher from the Westwood campus to participate. Although she was reluctant to showcase her art at first, she ultimately chose to participate, both because she wanted to promote her art and so that she could gain an experience she could share with her students.

“I feel it’s important to put yourself out there and continue exhibiting and seeing new artwork and networking, especially if you’re going to be a teacher of art — to practice what you preach and promote yourself, too,” Ms. Skillern said.

The work that Ms. Skillern submitted was Illuminated Intimacy, a mixed media piece composed of watercolor, ink, and colored pencil. Although Ms. Skillern has also recently experimented with abstract art, the piece mainly reflects her preference for realism. Ultimately, Ms. Skillern was able to win Best in Show despite the variety of impressive art also on display.

“I was shocked, because I didn’t really think they would call my name.” Ms. Skillern said. “There was some really high caliber art. It didn’t really surprise me though, that there would be such skill level.”

Despite being the only Westwood art educator to participate, Ms. Skillern was still able to draw support from her husband, Mr. Justin Jackley, an art teacher from Round Rock High School who also exhibited his art. Her husband first encouraged her to showcase several of her pieces in the event. Having him by her side greatly encouraged Ms. Skillern, since Mr. Jackley has more experience than her in art shows.

“It was definitely his support that made me really want to enter [the showcase],” Ms. Skillern said. “He’s way more prolific and does a lot more art shows than I do, so he really encouraged me to enter more things. [His encouragement] made me feel more comfortable and that I really wanted to exhibit.”

Ms. Skillern invited her students to attend the show, because she wanted them to get out more and since her work would be included in it.

“I encourage [my students] to do lots of different things outside of schools, like going to museums or art shows; I promote lots of different things,” Ms. Skillern said. “[The show] was one of the things that I told them about.”

Ms. Skillern was actually surprised that the Art Institute wanted to host a show, since this was the first show where the participants had to be art teachers in order to exhibit.

“I supposed it was to build more of a network with the teachers who are instructing students that would someday come into their program, and so they wanted to build more of a community with the art educators in general,” Ms. Skillern said.

Usually, the art shows that teachers participate in, such as the ones at Texas State, are open to all artists. The exhibits specifically request works from art educators, but as part of a general call for art. Although the showcase at the Art Institute was able to attract approximately 20 educators, open-entry shows generally have even larger numbers of participants and exhibits.

“I liked it, but I felt like it excluded different artists that might have entered otherwise,” Ms. Skillern said. “But, it was kind of neat to know that every other artist there that you were talking to was also an art educator.”

From now until Nov. 18, Ms. Skillern’s work, along with the other Austin and Round Rock art teachers’ works, will be displayed in the gallery.