Garland Alternative Education Center high school art offers students an assortment of methods, techniques, materials, and philosophies that challenge student's understanding and appreciation  visual arts. A lot of emphasis is placed on therapeutic art that help students resolve conflicts, improve interpersonal skills, and reduce negative stress. Students build upon prior knowledge and apply knowledge of the elements while developing craft, drawing, painting, ceramic, and technical craftsmanship skills.

High School Art

Mrs. Peoples is the high school therapeutic art teacher. She is excited to be with this year's new students and faculty.

Mrs. Peoples has called many places home due to her military assignments with family but resided in Dallas,Texas for a great part of her life. Her travels in many countries gave her a great awareness of diverse culture. She remembers her father teaching her about famous artists and buying her the number art boards to paint. She knew at a very early age that art would be a part of her life.

Her experience in art ranges from art gallery showings, presentations and workshops to honorary awards in poetry and drawing. Mrs. Peoples has been acknowledged for painting by formal Vice President Al Gore and lawyer Vernon Jorden. She has also established a non-profit organization for the community of art.

Mrs. Peoples has been with GISD a long time and continues to enjoy working through daily challenges and encouraging creativity. She strives to align curriculum with the TEKS standards, promoting fun and excitement, personal development, increased coping skills, and enhancing cognitive functions.

Students work is featured throughout the year in exhibits on campus and in district art shows. 

Middle School Art

Ms. Jade Penick is the middle school, art teacher. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Art in Studio Art from Houston Baptist University. Ms. Penick believes that each student that enters her classroom will create art to become an artist.

She has been teaching art for three years with her third-grade students and feels rewarded by all that she learns from her pupils on a daily basis. Art is great therapy for everyone and her students get to express emotion in many mediums.

Ms. Penick's philosophy is: "Life would be stagnant without art because ingenuity requires creativity."

When studying the element of line, I like to use Zentangle as a fun project for creation.

The Zentangle method "increases focus and creativity, proves artistic satisfaction along with an increased sense of personal well-being". A process is a form of art meditation.