For 14 years Mrs. Duckworth has taught art classes, including sculpture and photography at Victor Central Schools. Originally going to school for graphic design and advertising photography, she eventually realized that she loved kids because of how great her own are! This led her to go back to school to become a teacher. She has found that art helps create a better mindset for her students and allows for personal growth.

As a teacher, she has learned how to understand others better and build a community within her classroom. She describes herself as caring, and others such as myself, describe her as accepting. Kids often feel welcome to stay with her during lunch or study halls, and are free to be themselves around her. She views teaching as a way to teach kids to be more accepting of other students in situations with peers.

In the photo above, Mrs.Duckworth stands next to her newly painted mural of vines with the sign “work in progress” taped to the wall. She stated that she-along with everyone- is a work-in-progress and that this mural symbolizes change and growth, whether in the classroom or as an individual. Also, her love for the outdoors inspired this creation and she has 25 plants in her home, all with names.

After being in the art field for so long, she views it as a safe space, where people can be whoever they want and come together as a whole while sharing their love of art.

When she was younger, Mrs.Duckworth said she “didn’t really think about others outside of her own world, and that no matter where I teach it broadens my perspective of others and allows me to have empathy towards them.”

As an artist and individual, often your experiences and the people you’re around shape who you are. Mrs. Duckworth’s friends and family helped her discover her passion, like her uncle, who told her that her photographs were really good, which made her think about her natural talent.

Her love of art started at just 4 years old when her mother took away her use of crayon privileges after a coloring accident at a friend’s house. As a kid, Mrs.Duckworth always colored and drew things, which helped her discover her love of art. Even so, her mother thinks she went into the artistic field because of her lack of crayons, which fueled her need to create. To Mrs.Duckworth art is special because no piece of artwork is ever finished and it is an opportunity to change for the better.

Like herself, Mrs.Duckworth’s family is very creative and passionate about art. Her husband Brain is a carpenter that builds sets for commercials, and occasionally helps Mrs.Duckworth with putting ideas together. Her two children, Elliot and Liam, draw in their free time and Elliot created a mural on the back of her door with a sharpie. Neither of her children have taken any art classes before but they are very talented. Liam is in high school and Elliot is in college to become a teacher.

A fun fact about Mrs.Duckworth is that as a child she never wanted to get married and she never wanted to have kids because she wanted her freedom. Now, she has “..over 150 kids” in her classes and a family, all of which rely on her in some way.

Overall, Mrs. Duckworth loves her job and has changed as a teacher. She loves photography, though she hasn’t taken any photos in awhile, and creates art almost every day. She continues to inspire kids daily, and is a wonderful person to be around.