The Arts are an integral component of a comprehensive school curriculum. I am a firm believer in the value of an arts education and its role in eliciting creative and critical thinking. To create is to live. I offer an abundance of energy and passion in my art classes, and it is contagious. My goal is to connect with each student throughout the lesson. Inspire them, provide positive reinforcement and enhance the skill set they currently have to create wonderful works of art. I aim to develop inquiry-based projects that encourage students to think on a higher level of learning, meeting/exceeding the standards relevant to their grade level. Through leading questions, I guide them in translating their creative thoughts into words and beautiful art. Throughout this process, the students will gain a deeper understanding of how and why artists create work that incorporates the Elements and Principles of Art. The students will become more aware and conscious in their own creative decision-making, skills that will be useful in many aspects of life.
A Pennsylvania native residing on the North Shore of Oahu since 2008, Steven Kean is an art educator and artist working primarily in the woodcut method of relief printmaking. He has experience teaching at the elementary and high school levels and has been a teaching artist with the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum since 2017. Kean’s ‘Modern Surf Art’ has been showcased internationally as well as on various platforms throughout Hawaiʻi and the continental U.S. Steven has collaborated with Vans, Olukai, Kahala MKT by Foodland and most recently Hawaiʻi Tourism Japan. One of the highlights of Kean’s career was being selected as the official artist for the 2017 Vans World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach. He is passionate about the arts and art education and is always on the lookout for new sources of inspiration in the islands.
The Artistic Teaching Partners (ATP) Roster is an adjudicated directory of Hawai‘i professional teaching artists qualified to conduct in-depth residencies in educational settings. Each artist or arts organization has a page in the directory with contact information, a short bio, and an artist statement. The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts draws from this roster for arts education programs including Art Bento at the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum and Artists in the Schools.
