Lauren Rouatt is an artist and educator in New Orleans, LA. Inspired by the patterns, textures, colors, and cycles of nature, her teaching practice and art practice weave together and inform one another. Rooted in the belief that working with our hands brings us presence, joy, and learning, Lauren approaches her work with a focus on process.
Lauren's teaching practice integrates science education with a hands-on learning through artistic inquiry. Whether investigating color mixing, healthy ecosystems, or the magical diversity of plants and animals, Lauren integrates literacy into the classroom through reading stories to inspire and inform students' artmaking. As children explore clay, papermaking, printmaking, painting with natural inks, or textiles, she approaches teaching holistically, building on each child's strengths and interests.
Lauren's art practice has taken many forms, primarily printmaking, collage, and ceramics. Inspired by plants, animals, geometry, lifecycles, and intuitive expression, Lauren's work explores ideas in connection with science, philosophy, and mental health.
EDUCATION
Virginia Commonwealth University
Master of Art Education
& K-12 Teaching Licensure
Richmond, VA
Graduated December 2015
Tulane University
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art
Major: Printmaking
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
New Orleans, LA
Graduated May 2012, Cum Laude
EXPERIENCE
NOLA Nature School
New Orleans, LA
K/1st Grade Teacher
August 2020 - Present
Byrdie's Pottery Studio
New Orleans, LA
Wheelthrowing Teacher
May 2018 - present
Managing Board Member
November 2017 - present
Louisiana Children's Museum
New Orleans, LA
Studio in the Park Manager
August 2019 - August 2020
Planned, organized, and implemented process-based visual art programming for museum visitors ages birth-8 and their caregivers, inspired by the Reggio Emilia teaching philosophy.
Longue Vue House and Gardens
New Orleans, LA
Director of Youth Education & Programming
September 2018 - Present
Planned and facilitated garden education programming for schools, children, and families in Longue Vue's educational garden.
Previously: Education Manager, Summer Camp Director, Camp Educator
2015-2018
Mini Art Center
Teaching Artist
New Orleans, LA / 2016-2019
Facilitated open studio hours, toddler "flubber friday," summer and day camps, and afterschool classes.
Community Works
Teaching Artist - Printmaking
New Orleans, LA / January - May 2016
The Contemporary Arts Center
Teaching Artist (Visual Arts, Culinary Arts, Field Trips)
New Orleans, LA / 2015 - 2017
Bellevue Elementary School &
Douglas Freeman High School
Student Teacher
Richmond, VA / Fall 2015
Developed and implemented curricula to grades K-5, and high school Art 2, Art 4, and Art 5 students.
Clover Hill High School & Binford Middle School
Secondary Practicum
Midlothian & Richmond, VA / Spring 2015
Developed and implemented a unit for a multi-level video class. Developed and implemented an arts integrated curriculum in a middle-school Spanish classroom.
Discovery Camp
Co-Instructor - Recycled Papermaking
Richmond, VA / Summer 2014
EXHIBITIONS / PRESENTATIONS
Workshop Educator - Plastic Bag Rope
The Green Project
Ogden Museum of Southern Art
New Orleans, LA / 2018-2019
Taught several workshops in collaboration with "Trashtronaut" Brett Gardner to teach participants how to make rope out of plastic bags using a handmade rope-twisting device. Rope has been used to make jump ropes, plant hangers, Mardi Gras throw necklaces, and more.
Hand-Pulled; Hand-Thrown
5 Press Gallery / New Orleans, LA / May-June 2017
Antheia
Annunciation Hall Gallery / New Orleans, LA / May-June 2017
HER: Exploring the Talents of Women in the Arts
Magazine St Art Market / New Orleans, LA / February 2017
Vessels of Resistance
Potence Collective Gallery / New Orleans, LA / January 2017
Rebirth Arts Festival / Exhibiting Artist
as a part of GrassRoots Artists NOLA / August 2016
Exhibited an interactive installation and hosted a "Listen, Y'all."
storytelling event at Rebirth Arts Festival in Easton, CT.
Krewe of King James / Float & Throw Design Leader
2016-2018
National Art Education Association Convention
Presented Research / New Orleans, LA / 2015
"How did we get here? Personal journeys into art education." (with Buffington, M., Kahari, M., Ogier, E., & Williams, A.)
We Are Creatures / Puppeteer
Richmond, VA / Spring 2015
Disability Advocacy Day
Presenter / VCU / Richmond, VA / Spring 2014
Undergraduate Juried Exhibition
Selected / New Orleans, LA / Tulane University 2010, 2012
AWARDS
VCU Graduate Student Travel Grant Award
Awarded funds to travel and present research at NAEA convention
in New Orleans, LA
Spring 2015
RELATED EXPERIENCE
Virginia Commonwealth University
Graduate Assistant
Richmond, VA
Fall 2013 - Spring 2015
Assisted VCU Art Education professors with research, curriculum development, and teaching needs. Aided in the implementation of and data collection for CurrentLab, a research initiative devoted to
the development of digital arts education.
Visual Arts Center
Volunteer
Richmond, VA
Summer 2014 - Spring 2015
Art180
Volunteer
Richmond, VA
Spring 2014 - Spring 2015
Carver Elementary School
Volunteer Mentor
Richmond, VA
Spring 2014 - Spring 2015
The Museum of Modern Art
Intern
Education Department / Teen Programs
New York, NY
Summer 2010
CERTIFICATION
Post-Graduate Professional License, VA
Completed December 2015
PRAXIS II (Art: Content Knowledge)
Adult/Pediatric CPR & AED Certified