Connecting With a Local Artist

Students in Art II and Art III gathered around local artist Chandler Nelson Hubbard as he carefully painted over a photo of his father while he demonstrated the first steps of monoprinting. The questions slowly trickled in as students pondered their own projects, including if they had to paint the background of the photo and if they had to use realistic colors. 

LJCDS arts educators are practicing artists whose connections in the art world have afforded students access and exposure to a variety of perspectives from local and national artists.

Mr. Hubbard is Upper School visual arts educator Ivy Guild’s friend from college. They became fast friends when Ms. Guild took her first photography class at the University of San Diego, where Mr. Hubbard was the photography lab monitor. They have stayed in touch over the years despite living on opposite coasts for a time.

“I can show students any number of examples of contemporary artwork and tell them about the artists, but I think it is a much more valuable educational experience for them to learn from artists in their communities,” shares Ms. Guild. “Beyond learning new skills and meeting new people, students get to see real artists who have developed their careers here in San Diego.”

Mr. Hubbard, a photographer, printmaker and book artist, is part of the tight-knit San Diego artist community. Due to several concussions while playing football in college, he sustained permanent brain damage that affected his speech, motor skills and memory retention. This led Mr. Hubbard to explore how to remember his own life. He shares on his website, “My work becomes objects of memory. Photography and printmaking allow me to create a physical archive that acts as a memory bank, capturing the important people and places in my life.”

Before Mr. Hubbard’s visit, students learned about monoprinting, an art form that creates a singular image from a detailed oil painting that is transferred from a flat surface to paper. They made a color chart with oil paints in their sketchbooks and chose a photo for the project. Photos included pets and other animals, friends, nature scenes and buildings. Once students observed the process, they selected the desired colors and started painting on a clear piece of acrylic that was positioned over the photo they brought to class. Next, they laid a piece of paper directly on the painted acrylic and cranked them both through a press in the classroom to create a unique print ready for framing.

View some of the prints and the photos below.