Welcome

Ms. Elyse Murphy

My name is Elyse Murphy and I am excited to be back in Middleton! I grew up in Middleton, graduating in 2003. I left Idaho for Seattle shortly after graduation and spent a couple of years at the Art Institute studying graphic design.  While I love design work, I felt like I should be pursuing fine art, so I returned to Idaho to finish a BFA in Visual Arts at Boise State University.  At BSU I concentrated on drawing and painting classes and ceramics classes, but I love new materials so I also tried out some other classes like metals and printmaking.  In May of 2019 I also completed a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction at Northwest Nazarene University.  I live in Nampa with my husband, John, who is a barber, and my four boys, Johnny, Logan, Theo, and Monroe.

Classroom

I want my classes to feel like an inviting space for experimentation and growth in the arts.  To achieve this, I expect my students to come to class and thoughtfully complete assigned work and projects, with their full effort.  I also expect my students to be a part of the classroom community and take ownership of the studio.  My students can expect me to guide them through art history, technique, the artistic process, and critique, while giving them freedom to experiment and pursue their ideas.  Students can also expect me to always be available to help them, but I will not draw/paint/sculpt for them.  I expect of myself to be a positive role model, to continue professional development, and believe every student is capable of success in my class.  I think my role as a teacher is to facilitate the class, and the students’ role is to take responsibility for their learning. 

Art-making lives in both fun and seriousness, following guidelines and taking artistic license, play and work; together we will explore the process of creating art in a classroom studio environment, in a manner of respectfulness for all students, the teacher, and all materials.