Originally from New York, he moved to New Mexico in 2021 at the urging of his mentor, Santa Fe potter Romig Streeter. Along with art teacher Tanya Silva, Estrada is involved in an Albuquerque Public Schools project with the City of Albuquerque. Art teachers and children are collaborating with the city to enhance the downtown landscape. Students are creating unique designs that will soon adorn a trail through the area.
Further describing the project Estrada said, “I am interested in the lenses of visual culture and community-based art education when thinking about my teaching style, so this project is right up my alley.” The current plan is to transfer the kids’ art using sidewalk decals to make a trail from the two collaborating schools leading down to central Avenue to bring awareness to the vibrant community that exists within the area. There is a possibility of bins and sidewalks featuring art as well, it just depends on the decal testing.
Tanya Silva describes Estrada by saying, “Angel has brought such energy, engagement, and excitement to my art classroom. His eagerness to challenge students and himself is truly inspiring. It takes me back to the excitement I felt as a first-year teacher and inspires me. He has a natural talent for engaging students in arts. I can’t wait to see where his career will lead him.”
Estrada attributes his “education bug” from teaching ceramic classes and really enjoyed the steady community clay class to teach. At UNM, he has seized the opportunity to dive into both woodworking and metal work, with the hopes of learning 3D printing this semester. He hopes to have a small show featuring his body of work in December 2024.
Estrada has enjoyed being a part of a small, yet incredible department. “UNM has primed me in many ways to understand the deep learning that can go on in the art room and take my job in education seriously. I am optimistic that the connections and relationships I have forged through my program will lead to excellent career opportunities and friendships.”
Although this project extends past his student teaching at Lew Wallace, Estrada hopes to appear for the remaining sessions to see the project through to its end, which shows his own personal dedication to these students and the great things he will do in his future as an art teacher.
LEARN MORE about the Art Education area of study within the Department of Art by visiting https://art.unm.edu/programs/art-education
FOLLOW Angel Estrada on Instagram @angelo_estrada
READ THE FULL STORY on the UNM Newsroom webpage at https://news.unm.edu/news/unm-student-collaborates-on-art-project-with-local-elementary-school-city-of-albuquerque
