This fall, Kingswood Oxford brings an exhilarating welcome to Upper School visual arts teacher Samantha Berman!
Ms.Berman brings a rich background in the visual and performing arts. Raised in Simsbury, she earned her undergraduate degree in Studio Art and Art History, with a minor in Dance from Skidmore College. She later earned her Master’s degree in Art and Art Education from Columbia University.
Ms. Berman has always had a strong passion for art. She believes that art can guide us to many different things. “Art teaches us how to be vulnerable, how to express ourselves, how to collaborate, how to see things from different perspectives,” Ms.Berman said. “It can teach us how to creatively problem-solve, it can improve our confidence, focus, perception, and help us understand the world around us!”
Prior to KO, she lived in Rome, Italy, for three years teaching at St. Stephen’s School, an American international school that is only a 15-minute walk from one of the world’s seven wonders, the Colosseum. There Ms. Berman taught International Baccalaureate art, sculpture, painting, drawing, and foundations.
Aside from Italy, she taught at Leman Manhattan Preparatory School and the Clinton School in New York City, teaching more IB and art electives.
Here at KO, she teaches Foundations, Painting I, Painting II, and Advanced Studio, and will be teaching Studio Art Lab next semester.
Coming to KO she has loved getting to know everyone, especially students. “I think you guys just have a lot of joy to share,” Ms. Berman said, “and I think it’s awesome and infectious.”
Being a creative person for as long as she remembers, she constantly explores new types of art. Primarily she considers herself a painter, although she also enjoys etching ink for a drawing material, sketchbooks, painting, ceramics, digital graphic design in Adobe Illustrator, and digital photography.
Ms. Berman has many current project ideas including a series of floral paintings connected to her time in Rome, and someday illustrating an oracle deck inspired by different plants and flowers.
Aside from art, Ms. Berman is running Choreographers’ Showcase this fall and has an extensive history in dance. From growing up at Alice Carella Dance Studio on New Britain Avenue, and the Dance Slipper in Southwick, Mass, to Skidmore where she focused on modern, jazz, and a tap group she was president of, it’s safe to say she has plenty to bring to KO.
Ms. Berman has also done an exceptional amount of travel. In total, she has visited 16 U.S. National Parks, 33 countries, and six out of the seven continents.
She has hiked on trails throughout Europe and led New York City students on Catskills backpacking trips through the Duke of Edinburgh program.
When it comes to television, podcasts, and books, nature is one of her favorites. She loves learning about sharks, whales, and other ocean life in an assortment of nature documentaries. She recommends listening to “Ologies” with Allie Ward, and the books “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer and “Just Kids” by Patti Smith.
Ms. Berman has loved getting to know everyone on campus so far, and we can’t wait to see what she will bring to her first year and many future years at KO!
