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Art Education Grad Karmina Chelson on Finding Joy in Art Education

Chelson will graduate in April 2023 with a BA in Art Education K-12

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Photo by Emma Olson/ External Relations

Karmina Chelson, an art education graduate, will be speaking at Convocation on Apr 28. Chelson became involved in the art education program through sheer inspiration that came after spending time praying to Heavenly Father.

Chelson noticed a change when taking art education classes and she wanted to stay. “I was more compassionate with others, more willing to engage in conversations that were uncomfortable and more patient with myself as I gained skills that set me on a path to serve others,” said Chelson.

Chelson’s mentors at BYU include Professors Daniel Barney and Mark Graham. Barney was able to validate Chelson’s ideas about education and expand her view of contemporary art. Graham was always encouraging and created unique learning experiences that helped with Chelson’s teaching.

She is also inspired by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. “As Heavenly Father is the Creator and Jesus Christ is the Master Teacher, I would say that they are my greatest role models,” said Chelson. “I strive to live my life to become more like them.”

As the seventh of ten children, family relationships are naturally a large part of where Chelson finds inspiration for her art. She is also inspired by literature. “We have been counseled to seek out the best books and I have tried to do that,” said Chelson. “Many of my artworks' ideas can be traced back to an author or poet that made me ponder.”

Chelson was homeschooled growing up, which led to feelings of imposter syndrome when it came to her work at a university level. Prior to her classes at BYU, Chelson had little formal training in art. “What does an unskilled and unknowledgeable student like me do? Throw herself in,” said Chelson. “With my art classes, I allowed myself to say, ‘I'm new to this and I am learning. It's okay if it's not great. If I work hard, I will get better.’" After experiences in the classroom, being a BYU Museum of Art as a student educator and a BYU Kindergarten Art Teacher, Chelson feels like she can contribute to conversations and keep these experiences in her “arsenal of wisdom.”

Multiple projects have inspired Chelson during her time at BYU. During the summer of 2022, Chelson had the opportunity to travel to Gallup, New Mexico to teach art on the Native American reservation with other students. “The professors and grad students enriched the experience for us undergrads as we worked together to create excellent art experiences, explored New Mexico and became a cohort of learners,” she said.

Chelson felt the strongest sense of belonging at her time at BYU as she worked with those of similar beliefs. “Being able to see the temple practically across from campus reminded me that the only things we take from mortality is experience and knowledge,” said Chelson. “BYU's aims inspire me to become a better student and teacher.”

Chelson plans to be an art education professor and one day write a textbook about the impact of art education. Her biggest aspiration in life is to share the gifts that she has been given by her Father in Heaven, to enrich the community she is in and provide her future students with a joy-filled education, just like BYU did for her.