Could you give a quick introduction about yourself?

My name is Teresa Parris Ford, two last names, no dash. My friends call me Teri. My first year here at Memorial Mr. Frontier started calling me TPF because that was how I signed my emails and I really liked that. So a lot of people at VPM call me TPF which is a little easier to say than Ms. Parris Ford.

I teach art. I have the most diverse schedule of all the art teachers as I don’t really have a specialty. I got hired to teach digital art, painting, and photography. For many years I was the metals teacher. This year I am teaching ceramics for the very first time, and drawing 1 for the first time in a long time. I’m teaching art experiences, peer partners art, painting 1 & 2, animation, and yearbook. 

Describe the styles of art and production that are your “specialty” in the Art department. 

So like I mentioned before, I don’t really have a specialty, at least not like the other art teachers. I was a middle school art teacher before coming to VPM and really enjoyed doing everything. My focus as an undergrad at UC Santa Cruz was drawing and printmaking but I took graphic design and learned how to use Adobe Illustrator the year it was invented on a Mac that looked like a box. It was the first computer I purchased in 1988. I was in the first class (1982) in high school to take programming using DOS on computers that had replaced old typewriters, so my interest in computer art has been around for a long time. I took a lot of photography classes in college because I loved hanging out in the dark room and those classes helped keep my GPA up. I wasn’t very experienced in 3D work until I started teaching metals. This year I spent my summer learning how to throw (ceramics) in preparation for teaching ceramics next semester and I’m super excited. It’s a lot of fun. I consider myself a “jack of all trades” or a renaissance artist of sorts.

What experience, artist, or piece of artwork inspired you to invest more time in art?

At UC Santa Cruz I had a college professor, Hardy Hanson, who encouraged me to draw self-portraits. As a young college student, I found myself not always recognizing the person I was drawing in the mirror. Every portrait looked different, each project I created had a different expression, and every drawing changed even though I continued to draw the same subject: me. I realized I could spend the rest of my life just drawing that single subject and never tire of finding something new with who I was. I found that the artists that influenced me most were other artists who drew themselves. As a printmaker, I admired Albrecht Durer, Katie Kollwitz, and Edvard Munch. As a woman of Mexican descent I was drawn to Frida Kahlo and later in life found Faith Ringgold to be an influential artist as well. These artists helped me to shape the way I thought about craftsmanship, expression of self, and creativity.

What are some cool collaborations/projects you have done with the school and/or other communities?

Mr. Frontier and I worked together to make the mural in the Field House foyer, which desperately needs an updated name change. I’m guessing it will be painted over soon. I worked with several students to create the mural in the entryway at Spring Harbor. I also worked with my professor at UW, Doug Marschalek, to redo signage in the A-wing foyer. I’m hoping to work with him again to do new signage in the school after all the construction is finished. 

What is next on the Art department’s agenda? Projects, renovations, new courses, etc. Anything new that VPM should be excited about?

We are offering AP Art for the first time next year. We need at least 25 kids to sign up for it to run but it would be an exciting opportunity for art students. We are still working on our new spaces really. Mr. Newland is trying to get a lot of student art framed and hung in the hall. We hope to have new posters of alumni who are in the arts working professionally. We are also working with a retired Design professor from UW to help us with signage in the building. I am very concerned about people finding the new gallery. I’d like to make sure we have good directional signage in the building to get people from the A-wing to the Art Wing.

If you could see in person or resurrect any piece of artwork, architecture, statues, etc. what would it be and why?

I’d love to see all the temples in Thailand with the big Buddha statues. I visited Angkor Wat in Cambodia a few years ago and would love to be able to visit the city during the 12th century when it was a capital city in its prime– full of people, not just tourists. I also want to see Mayan temples and art in Mexico someday. There is something so cool about seeing ancient architecture and realizing that people haven’t changed all that much– although I’m super glad we’ve progressed to include indoor plumbing and electricity in our modern living spaces.

Where do you see yourself in five years? 

I’ll be almost 64 years old in 5 years, living in Minnesota, and retired. I hope to have finished my book by then. Yes, I’m writing a book about a freshman who falls in love with their art teacher. I will be spending a lot of time traveling and maybe, I’ll be a grandma by then?

If you had to choose anyone to take over your responsibilities and projects for a week, who would it be and why?

Definitely my daughter, Monika. There are not a lot of people who I think could juggle all that I do. I know she could… but only for one week.

What do you hope to accomplish by the end of the year as an art teacher? 

My goal this school year was to get us moved in and feeling fairly back to normal. I know there is an aspect of the art department that will never be finished as we will constantly be moving to improve our spaces, improve our curriculum, and improve our offerings for students. Everyone in our department is committed to lifelong learning and growth both personally and professionally. This year I am planning to get our department back to doing regular field trips, regular art shows in our new gallery, and occasional open studios for students. We had an amazing field trip to Milwaukee a couple of weeks ago and I’m planning to get us to Chicago in the spring. Mr. Newland put together an amazing art show in the new gallery last month and we will have our first First Semester Student Work show next month. There is a lot of excitement going on in the art department. It is an amazing place to work (as well as to take classes in)!