Marya Alford – Art Specialist
Hello, my name is Marya Alford and I am the art teacher at Open Magnet Charter School. I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts at Otis College of Art and Design in 2003 and received my Master of Fine Arts at USC in 2005. As an artist, I work within a variety of mediums including photography, drawing, writing, film, sound art, sculptures and works on paper. I am currently working on a public artwork for LAUSD that will be permanently installed in a park along Wilshire Blvd. at the site of the historic Ambassador Hotel. I work at Open School two days a week (Wednesday and Friday) and I see each student about 12-24 times a year (45 – 90 minute classes).
I am interested in teaching students not only a historical backing for their artwork but also a variety of different forms of art and techniques. I would like each child to experience art on an individual level while also enabling it to engage in discussion of their work and the work of others. The children at Open School practice within a mixture of art forms including collage, sculpture (clay, found objects and paper), earthworks, drawing, painting, photography, and sound, among many others. I would like students to be able to appreciate the art they produce and understand its value in the world.