2025 Conference Proposals are now being accepted!!
November's PAEA Student Artist of the Month is Kaiden Keys!
Kaiden attends Pocono Mountain West High School and was nominated by PAEA member Kristen Miele-Beatty.
Kristen had this to say about Kaiden:
Kaiden is one of the most ambitious art students I have taught. They volunteer for every art service project, art competition, and exhibition available to them. They share their personal stories and spread understanding through their artwork. Exhibiting their artwork in the hallways of our school opens up social awareness conversations and provides LGBTQ visibility.
Kaiden had this advice to share with other artists.
Some advice I'd give to other artists is to always believe in yourself and your ability to create. You have a mind built full of wonder and imagination, don't suddenly put up walls of limitations because of someone's hate. I find art education to be an important subject because it gives students a place to fully explore their creative minds without the boundaries of strict instruction. It gives them freedom and doesn't set limitations on their growing minds, allowing them to rewind from the difficult curriculum they learn throughout the day such as math or reading where everyone needs to be on the same level of learning at the same time. In art, each student is allowed to be at their own pace and not face repercussions, with no judgment of "failure" everyone can create freely. For many students art class is a place of stress relief, where they can express their minds on a sheet of paper without it having to be cookie-cutter perfect. That's why I love art, everyone makes it at their own pace for their own reasons.