By Mikayla Weiss, Sports Editor
Mrs. Kristen Parker has been teaching at Moreau Catholic High School for 11 years. She teaches visual arts, ceramics, drawing, and painting. Here we get to learn more about her life with an exclusive interview featuring Kristen Parker.
Mikayla Weiss (MW): How long have you been teaching?
Kristen Parker (KP): 17 years. I’ve been here for 11 years.
MW: What did you want to be growing up?
KP: I didn’t want to be a teacher because I had a parent who was a teacher, and it looked really hard. Honestly, when I was little, my ambitions were to own a pet store. I wanted to be around animals all the time. When I was a teenager, I wanted to be an animator.
MW: What was your first job?
KP: I worked at a frozen yogurt shop when I was 16. And then I worked at an arts and crafts store when I was a senior in high school. After that, I was a camp counselor. Even before all that, I was a babysitter since 4th grade.
MW: What led you to become an art teacher?
KP: When I went to college for animation, I realized the lifestyle of an animator wouldn’t have much downtime. It was so intense. Even in college, it was deeply competitive. I decided I wanted to focus on graphic design after. During college, my jobs were always working with kids in some way. Now that I’m an art teacher, it makes so much sense. I realize now how it all lined up and works naturally for my personality and skills.
MW: Where did you grow up? How did you end up here?
KP: I’m from LA. I went to college in the Bay Area. First, I went to Sonoma, and then I went to San Jose. My last year of college was abroad in France for a year, so when I came back, I knew I could go anywhere, but I wanted familiarity and to be near friends. At that time in my life, I wanted something different beyond the LA vibe. I prefer it here.
MW: What were you like as a 15-year-old?
KP: I was pretty sporty and artsy. I did a lot of art outside of school, and I played sports. I liked being active and outside. I would often run or rollerblade around the Rose Bowl with friends and family.
MW: What changed when you became an adult?
KP: Where you spend your time changes. Your priorities are different. I’m lucky I’m still around art. I’m still creative because I create and design the projects for the kids.
MW: Has your style changed over the years?
KP: My young art self’s style was always trying to be perfect and clean, but then I realized, I can be loose and more playful. My confidence grew each year in art school, and eventually I learned to let go of the fear of making mistakes. At the same time, I learned that it comes down to practice, drafting and planning. When projects are really well planned, your art is going to go well.
[A project Mrs. Parker did]
MW: What is the most challenging thing about art?
KP: I think it’s a process, and you need to really take time to do things well. If you think something is going to happen in a few minutes or an hour, it’s not. It’s hours of time. Being curious, asking questions, how did that happen, why did that happen? Having the motivation to keep practicing. You need the motivation and interest to do well. It’s already hard, so you need to want to do it. The time it takes is why it’s challenging. Anybody can do it, though.
MW: What were your hobbies growing up?
KP: I was always playing outside. We played until the sun went down. When I was inside, I was doing art stuff. I loved school and even loved getting homework and completing workbooks when I was younger. I was also reading a lot. I was reading all of the time. I also made my own cartoon comic strips and went around trying to publish them for the newspaper.
MW: Do you still have the same hobbies now?
KP: Now I do a lot of gardening, and I’m with my dogs and my family. I still do my own artwork. I have a pottery shed outside in my backyard with a wheel and sink. I have a little less time than I used to, but am enjoying this phase of life.
MW: What’s your favorite art project you’ve done outside of school?
KP: For about 10 years after college, I worked on murals, and there were many I was proud of. Currently, though, I’ve been finding myself on the pottery wheel or sewing in my free time.
Bonus question:
Mikayla Weiss (MW): In the spirit of Valentine’s, would you mind sharing how your typical Valentine’s Day is spent?
Kristen Parker (KP): Normally, I go out with my husband. Last year, my husband and I had a date at the place we got married at. We’re not big gift givers on Valentine’s, so we wrote each other small little cards.
After learning more about Mrs. Parker, we learned that it’s important to choose a path that will make us happy. We may not know yet where we are going to end up, but the point is to stay motivated, curious, and keep going to find out what’s ahead in your adventure.
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