“Art is an integral part of any society.” For Julia Gibson, art is a foundational asset for each individual’s quest of self-understanding. It is a reflection of each person’s culture, and of all other cultures past and present. It is the product of mind and spirit, revealing the qualities that make us human. It puts all other learning into perspective.
Mrs. Gibson is quick to tell her students that art is created by people such as themselves, living and working in the real world. As her students, they claim their right to understand the language of art and the insights of those who communicate through art. They learn that art is highly approachable using the knowledge they acquire in class and their own feelings and insights.
For thirty years, Mrs. Gibson has combined her respect for students and her enthusiasm for artistic expression to give students a more complete and textured understanding of their world. She has taught art appreciation and studio art in private and public schools in Florida. She also served as an instructor at the Saint Leo University Distance Learning Program and the Saint Leo University Center for Online Learning. Outside of the classroom, Mrs. Gibson served as an assistant principal for Florida College Academy and as assistant curator of education for the Tampa Museum of Art. She was a contributing editor of the Treasures of the Czar exhibition curriculum guide that accompanied the display of Russian art at the International Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida.
As a member of the Florida Virtual School faculty, Mrs. Gibson is especially pleased to share her insights with a broad range of students throughout Florida. She believes that the Internet and online instruction offer access to a wealth of wonderful art from all around the world.
Mrs. Gibson earned her Master of Arts degree in Art Education and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts from the University of South Florida.
