Fostering Creativity in Every Person, Without Exception.

 

The House of Gaia is pleased to announce that Juliet Araujo from JuJoStudio will serve as our new director of visual arts education and lead teaching artist. For over three decades Juliet has brought her dynamic art classes for children and adults to many communities including Martha’s Vineyard, MA; Santa Fe, NM; Hartford, CT; and for the past twenty years to Naples, FL. 

A long time friend and colleague of Lulu Carter and frequent visiting teaching artist at Outside the Box and House of Gaia, Ms. Juliet is returning to the classroom/studio after a recent sabbatical to pursue a PhD in aesthetics and art theory.

 

Beginning with the addition of her unique Group Art Classes, Special Workshops and Art Camps, our center will continue to support families by nurturing their creativity talents within an open ethos of care extended by the variety of programs to be facilitated by our new director. Juliet explains, "Since Gaia is a non profit 501(c)(3)committed to multiplying joy in the world it’s mission is focused on planting many seeds to engage present and future generations in thinking critically, aesthetically and passionately by fostering self expression in every person without exception. This prioritization of inclusivity is what excites me most about this position because at Gaia people are always people first and art always makes a difference. 

 

In the midst of raising four children together with my partner of 20 years, I came to teaching quite earnestly through life experience- first as a parent, second as an artist and finally as a professional art educator/scholar.  Unified by my role as an artist/researcher/teacher, I continue to challenge myself to keep learning more about life through art, and art through life. My most recent sojourn into academia as a PhD candidate keeps me fresh by challenging my critical mind and technical skill-sets in the intersubjective flux between student and teacher. Over the years my students have always been my best teachers, and it is beside each and every one of them that I have come to honor the human heart as the highest organ of intellect and creativity. It is with a spirit of gratitude and hope for the future that I return to the art studio/classroom to teach to learn and learn to teach at House of Gaia. As the poet Maya Angelou writes, “When you learn, teach. When you get, give.” Combined with enthusiasm and a steadfast commitment to be the change I want to see in our community, I am always already grateful for another opportunity to engage with artists of all ages who want to keep learning about art."

Juliet’s BFA in painting from Pratt Institute beside her MA in art education from the University of Florida provide a unique foundation for her current doctoral research in aesthetics and art theory at the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts. Her interdisciplinary approach to visual arts education and artistic practice focuses on historical and contemporary art, critical pedagogy, and social activism.

All her programs include hands-on projects designed to harness the extraordinary power of the arts to raise educational outcomes for all learners and enrich overall quality of life for our communities. 

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