During an arts residency or workshop my focus is on inspiring students to think and see more broadly. As an artist and teacher, I delight in fostering excitement for the discovery of new ideas and the satisfaction of having a creative vision and carrying it out. My role is to stimulate, guide and champion my students’ efforts. I set the bar high and then enjoy jumping over it with them. Through original and engaging lessons, I model conceptual, visual and tactile skills such as drawing, painting, collage, and sculpture. In addition to working in the schools, I have developed workshops and taught all ages through institutions such as the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minnesota Museum of American Art, and the Science Museum of Minnesota.
Teresa has developed and led art programs with diverse adult and senior populations including community mural design, collage, drawing and painting, workshops for cancer survivors and lessons for patients at bedside.
More About the Artist
In the schools I work with classroom themes and adapt art lessons to topics of study. I enjoy working with all ages with a special affinity for projects with older adults and young children.
Inspired by the complexity of the natural world, artist Teresa Cox creates her artwork by combining dimensional paint, photographic and paper layers. She also works in the realm of community public art and has facilitated group drawing and brainstorming sessions, designed, and painted 15+ community murals, installed several public terrazzo floor commissions and two outdoor sculptures.
Teresa has developed and taught art programs with diverse senior populations including; community mural design and painting, workshops for cancer survivors, lessons for patients at bedside and one-on-one collaged stories in Hospice settings.
Learn more about Teresa in her June, 2013 Artist Spotlight interview.
In addition to the programs below, Teresa is available for mural projects.
Note that some projects identified as residencies can be made into shorter term workshops.
Program Offerings
Virtual and Remote Programs
Art Kit: Paper Design Collage
Create a vibrant symmetrical paper design inspired by circles, nature or shapes around you.
Materials in kit: Resource sheet, example sheet, 2 templates, white copy paper, pencil, scissors, glue stick, construction papers, metallic papers, tissue paper.
Found Object Collage
Where do ideas come from? How can we become more playful in our problem solving? Everyday objects can provide great inspiration! Look around your home for two small objects-anything pal- sized works well: a small stick, a sliced orange, a flower, or a button. We will make several new drawings based on a common object and use these ideas to build a simple, yet wonderful layered paper design.
Geometric Collage
This playful art lesson is an introduction to color relationships and composition using basic geometric shapes and is for anyone wanting to build or refresh their art foundation skills or develop more ease and confidence in generating ideas.
Painted Flower Collage
Learn a fun, layered process to visualize and create a still-life artwork using flowers and a vase as inspiration. In this lesson, we create simple line drawings of various plant shapes and textures. We will look at a historical artist and discuss color relationships, scale and composition. Students will work with magazine, construction, and painted pattern papers (watercolors with wax resist) to cut and compose into a vibrant and original flower collage.
Abstract Acrylic Painting
Inspired by geometric shapes, color relationships, composition, and the artwork of a historical painter. Students will work with a variety of shapes and transition from drawing into painting their own abstract pieces. This lesson includes drawing, color relationships, painting, sharing and discussion.
Workshops
Artful Portrait Collages
Access note: This residency is best for participants without significant visual, dexterity or cognitive challenges. (Artful Aging™)
In this workshop, participants will explore ideas of the self. We will look at painted portraits by well-known artists (Van Gogh, Kahlo, and others) for inspiration. Each person will select a famous portrait to guide their creative process. Our focus will be upon creating powerful self photo-portraits through posture, expression, color, and spaces which can be catalysts for reflection and reinvention. The self-portrait allows you to see yourself as others might see you or to explore ideas or fantasies of yourself. We’ll explore fundamentals of composition, expression, and color. Materials used during this workshop are paints, pencils, magazines, scissors, colored paper, markers and glue.
Murals: Paint or Collage
In this workshop we’ll develop ideas around a specific theme (circles, nature, design, or others). Each participant will either create their own piece of the mural (collage or paint) or rotate to work on different sections of the project. We’ll learn and explore the fundamentals of community art, drawing, color relationships, paint handling, collage and design. The finished mural may be assembled and exhibited on site or at another location.
Painted Flower Collage
In this workshop we will explore the flower and its limitless design possibilities. Always a beautiful and inspiring form-the flower comes in many varieties and can represent a sense of health, renewal, and beauty. We’ll also look at the work of various artists who work with still life as a theme. This workshop will explore art fundamentals, freehand cutting, and the beauty of the “mistake”. Each participant will loosely draw multiple plant designs and then create collages using their own painted patterns and vibrant art papers. Materials used during this workshop are pencils, markers, magazines, colored paper, paint, and glue.
Design Shape Workshop
In the Design Shape Workshop, students explore shape, pattern, color and form through experimental drawing and collage. They translate their finished designs into musical pop-out paper sculptures, flip books, stamp patterns, collages or watercolors.
Geometric Collage
This playful art lesson references a historical painter and is an introduction to color relationships and composition using basic geometric shapes. This workshop is for anyone wanting to build or refresh art foundation skills or develop more ease in generating ideas. This lesson includes drawing, color relationships, cutting, composition and collage.
Abstract Painting
This workshop is inspired by geometric shapes, color relationships, and the artwork of a historical painter. Students will work with five basic shapes and transition from drawing into painting their own abstract pieces. This lesson includes drawing, color relationships, composition and painting.
Plein-air Painting
In this workshop, we will draw and paint outside from the landscape. Referencing landscape painters, we will look at how they have used, color, shape, and value to create an image. Through observation and drawing we will find natural elements to compose a scene to paint. Each class will address different steps and techniques to draw, start and ultimately finish a painting in plein-air.
“Teresa was fantastic! She did an amazing job communicating with the elders, she is very patient and flexible, she worked very hard with each resident, staff and volunteers so that they could clearly understand the program and be creative. The Residents responded well, and where very amazed by their creations. Watching the residents really thinking and focusing on their art was wonderful!”
Activity Director, Older Adult Care Center
