she/her/hers sarahweissart@gmail.com https://www.sarahweissphotography.com/ BIO I moved to the twin cities after completing my MFA in photography at Rochester Institute of Technology from the Imaging Arts program in 2016. Currently I work at the Praxis photo arts center as the Project Coordinator. My responsibilities include creating marketing materials book catalogs and organize the programing created for the gallery with the goals to help build the art community through learning, exhibition opportunities and art events. I am a proud co-founder of CollabArts Twin Cities a collaborative artist program that pairs artists to work together and culminates in an art event. In my own practice and research, I have been working as a visual artist in photography and fiber arts. I experiment with different substrates and installation techniques within photography I create works of art that are representative of my personal histories. Recently I’ve worked collaboratively with choreographer Ayumi Shafer to integrate the performing arts with my installation artwork. Our partnership gives audiences a path to find new ways to experience both visual and performative art forms. TEACHING PHILOSOPHY & MENTORSHIP My teaching philosophy is that Art gives us the tools to look inward and to experiment in how we express ideas. That introspection lets us develop our own unique way of seeing so we can express ideas differently. I believe cultivating the development of introspection is important in building your artistic voice. I think the mentorship program is a great way to allow students work with artists working outside the academic sphere. It can help expand the scope of what opportunities they can be a part of after completing their degrees. I have always enjoyed teaching and learning; my own practice includes monthly critique groups and photobook groups that help me further my artistic practice. I would encourage them to learn how to identify what helps them in their own practice and how to find those resources in the community. My life after graduate school has been largely about building a balance between a career and artistic practice in a new art community. I know I would have benefited from a mentorship program when I was in graduate school especially in those aspects.