Profile

I have always been passionate about art, even as a child I would love to come up with original ideas for drawings and paintings, and loved drawing portraits. I was a teenager when we moved to the United States, and the Art classes that I took at Leigh High School brought me so much joy. Engaging so deeply in the arts as an adolescent, helped me understand what a crucial role art can play in a person’s life, and discovered that in my future I  also wanted to use art to  inspire people,  and help them build confidence in themselves.

 I first attended Cabrillo College where I studied philosophy and psychology, and took many different painting and drawing classes, photography, jewelry making, ceramics, and bronze casting. I then attended San Jose State where I completed my Bachelors with a double major in Child Development and Art education. My student teaching was completed at a middle school in Santa Cruz, and from there I was an Art instructor at a Charter High School in Santa Cruz. I taught at Leigh High school for 16 years, and taught mostly 3D art over that time frame, instructing students in how to work with ceramics, jewelry, paper mache, stained glass, copper and many other mediums. I absolutely love teaching and feel truly blessed to be able to work with such great colleagues, students, and families of those students each year. I love seeing students discover the joy of learning about art, and seeing their confidence in their abilities grow, and the pride they take in their accomplishments. 

Samantha Cush

Art instructor