Carmen Mims was born in 1986 in Louisville, Kentucky. She currently teaches high school visual art at LEAD Academy Public Charter School in Nashville, through the Teach for America program. During her time at LEAD Academy, Carmen has started and developed the visual arts program. Highlights of the school’s visual art program include participation in regional art competitions and a field trip to the High Museum of Art, as a culmination of the 9th grade’s study of Surrealism.
Carmen received her BA in Studio Art from Vanderbilt University in May of 2009. While at Vanderbilt, she balanced working at the Sarratt Art Studios, curating the student gallery, and being a member of the university’s cross country and track teams. In April of 2007, she gave a talk on Jackson Pollock at the Centre College Art and Aesthetics Symposium in Danville, Kentucky.
Carmen was the recipient of the 2009 Margaret Stonewall Wooldridge Hamblet for her video Where We Go When We Tire. This video was also featured in the 2nd Kentucky Short Film & Video Showcase on September 15, 2009 at the 21C Museum Hotel.
In terms of collaboration in the classroom, one way she has her students collaborate on a weekly basis is through critique. Students participate in full group critiques as well as informal partner critiques throughout the art making experience. Carmen mentioned that collaborating is not always so easy with students, "'They want full control of their projects." This week Carmen's art class is hosting their own version of a task party. It will be interesting to see students interact and collaborate more during this activity. Carmen mentioned that she is both excited and hesitant to begin using collaboration in her classroom. "I think my students are definitely open to collaboration, it will just be new to them in an art setting."
In Carmen's personal art making, she wholeheartedly enjoys collaboration. In fact, most of her work is based on collaborations with her husband. Their art making relationship began in college, when he would critique her paintings. Then it evolved into working together on several video art pieces, 2009-2011. "The strengths he has with technology make it so we can accomplish more than I could on my own. He is also a great editor, and I'm not always the best at this!"
The Deliciously Happy workshops at LEAD Academy begin in January. The students will be working with paper puppets, choreography, and animation. Stay tuned for more exciting news from LEAD Academy in 2012!
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