By Darla McCammon
and DeeAnna Muraski
Guest Columnists

Darla McCammon and DeeAnna Muraski

WARSAW — We’re back in the classroom this week with an art teacher who teaches at Eisenhower and Harrison Elementary Schools in the Warsaw Community School District.

Kaitlyn Murphy graduated from Warsaw Community High School and then attended Wheaton College, earning her Bachelor of Arts. After college, Murphy freelanced as a designer and illustrator; however, she felt led to teach. She completed Taylor University’s Transition to Teaching program and taught eight years in the school system.

Murphy loves to inspire all of his students, even those who feel they might not be good at art. She tells them, “Even great artists have room for improvement.” She shows students how they can turn even their mistakes into masterpieces. While allowing room for creativity, she also aligns her lessons with the art skills, elements, principles, and terminology required by the Indiana State Standards.

Murphy loves that art teaches children the beauty of creating and looking at the world in new ways. Children can turn this into an expression of what they see and feel. Budding students also learn hand-eye coordination, dexterity and attention to detail. Murphy encourages the teamwork aspect by having them help each other clean up their art supplies, do group critiques, and do group or whole class collaborative work. Murphy also begins to learn as he sees things from the perspective of his students’ small eyes and big minds.

Murphy’s preferred medium is watercolor and colored pencil. She freelances outside of work to keep her skills current and trendy. In the summer of 2024, he was able to receive a Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship, which allowed him to travel along the coast of Maine and Prince Edward Island to paint en plein air (en plein air). Her favorite artist is Norman Rockwell and especially his “The Four Freedoms” artwork, which she got to experience in person.

To go

Norman Rockwell Museum: Located in Norman Rockwell’s hometown of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, it’s an 11-hour drive from Warsaw or catch a plane to Fort Wayne. Rockwell’s “Four Freedoms” are intact and all together at the museum. Rockwell created them in response to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s State of the Union address, reiterating the importance of these four freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. Visit the site at nrm.org. Along with Rockwell paintings and memorabilia, the current exhibit features artist Anita Kunz’s series of portraits of influential women throughout history. The museum’s address is 9 Glendale Road, Route 183, Stockbridge, Mass. It is open from 10am to 5pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and is closed on Wednesdays and public holidays.

Darla McCammon is an artist, columnist and author. DeeAnna Muraski is the Executive Director of Operation Read USA Inc. Email the mother/daughter team at (email protected).