Lacey Reuter | Teaching Artist Portfolio
I am a teaching artist whose work is largely inspired by my students. I offer curricula in a multitude of media to a wide range of ages and abilities. I founded and run Rainbow Parrot Art, through which I have developed and taught more than 300 original art projects over the past 10 years. I also create art education videos on YouTube, where teachers use my lessons to teach thousands of students around the world every day. I want students to experience joy and connection while gaining the skills to express their brilliant ideas.
Documentation of Teaching Practice — 10 items
Andy Warhol-Inspired Photo Collage
Supersized Sculptures Inspired by Claes Oldenburg
Montage: Artists at Work
Weaving with Fabric on Cardboard Looms
Montage: Alma Thomas-Inspired Paintings; 3D Paper Engineering; Hundertwasser-Inspired Architectural Designs; Orca Whale Paintings.
Plaster Bird Sculptures
Montage, clockwise: Replicating Monet’s San Giorgio Maggiore in Acrylic; Dada-Inspired String Painting; Squeegee Paintings; Helping a Student with Her Plaster Bird Sculpture.
Montage, clockwise: Monet-Inspired Paintings with Adult Students; Starry Night-Inspired Paintings with Adult Students; Papier-Mâché Minions; Teaching My Family How to Paint Cactuses.
Montage of student artwork, clockwise: Aquarium Illustration; Dream House Escape Car from Bluey; Birthday Cake Towers; Otter Mansion Illustration; and an Enchanted Forest set design incorporating artwork by more than 400 students in grades K–8.
Montage of student artwork, clockwise: Hundertwasser-Inspired Architectural Designs; Paul Klee-Inspired Letter Art; Chinese Dragons; Dada-Inspired String Painting; Designer Shoes.
Artwork samples — 10 items
A selection of original sample artworks I created for art lessons I have developed and taught over the past several years.
A selection of YouTube thumbnails from art tutorials on my channel, Rainbow Parrot Art. View my channel here.
One of my students suggested that I create an “Otter Mansion” drawing project, so I did! (Colored pencils and alcohol markers)
Paintings
Danse Macabre, 5' × 5', gouache. This painting was inspired by Camille Saint-Saëns’s 19th-century symphonic poem Danse macabre, which depicts a whimsical nighttime scene in which Death comes to life, plays his violin, and summons the dead to a wild dance. The revelry continues until daybreak, when the rooster crows and the dancers disappear. From background to foreground, the entire painting was created with one continuous line.
Dancing in Nikes, 5' × 7', oil. When I was 19, I had the opportunity to spend a summer painting in Tahiti. I became fascinated by the vibrant local tradition of dance and by the way Polynesian culture seemed to blend traditional and contemporary life so naturally. I created this painting while living at the University of French Polynesia. From background to foreground, this entire painting was created with one continuous line.
Main Panel, Harlem Renaissance Series, 5.5' × 11', oil. I first became interested in the cultural history of Harlem at age 16 while listening to Ella Fitzgerald’s “Take the ‘A’ Train.” I spent the next year and a half reading everything I could find about the Harlem Renaissance and creating this five-panel series as a tribute to the extraordinary cultural movement and its lasting impact on American culture. This main panel celebrates the many forms of art and culture that flourished during the period. The background pays homage to Harlem Renaissance painter Aaron Douglas, incorporating his signature concentric circles and African-inspired silhouettes. From background to foreground, the entire painting was created with one continuous line. The series is currently on long-term loan to The Evergreen State College Tacoma campus. I retain ownership of the work and am not currently represented by a commercial gallery.
Visual Art, Harlem Renaissance Series, 5' × 5.5', oil. This panel depicts several of the leading visual artists active during the Harlem Renaissance and includes some of my favorite quotations from their work and writings. Among those depicted are Aaron Douglas, Augusta Savage, Palmer Hayden, Archibald Motley Jr., and Laura Wheeler Waring.
Literature, Harlem Renaissance Series, 5' × 5.5', oil. This panel depicts some of the most prominent writers and thinkers of the Harlem Renaissance. Among those represented are Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Claude McKay, Nella Larsen, and Wallace Thurman.
Theatre Panel, Harlem Renaissance Series, 5' × 5.5', oil. Depicted in this panel are Paul Robeson, Josephine Baker, Charles Gilpin, Florence Mills, and Ethel Waters, among others.
Music Panel, Harlem Renaissance Series, 5' × 5.5', oil. This panel features some of the legendary musicians who were active during the Harlem Renaissance, including Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, Fats Waller, James P. Johnson, and Jelly Roll Morton.
Teaching Artist CV
Lacey Reuter
Teaching Artist / Visual Artist
Tacoma, Washington
info@rainbowparrotart.com | 646-853-9795
www.rainbowparrotart.com
Selected Teaching Experience
Founder & Art Instructor, Rainbow Parrot Art
2014–Present
Develop and teach original visual art curriculum for students in grades 1–5 through school-based after-school programs and summer art camps. Programs include weekly multi-session classes and intensive 4–5-day camps. Created and taught more than 300 original art projects over the past 10 years across a wide range of media.
After-School Art Instructor, Hope Lutheran School
2018–Present
After-School Art Instructor, Saint Charles Borromeo School
2019–Present
After-School Art Instructor, Charles Wright Academy
2022–Present
K–8 Art Instructor, Holy Rosary School
2014–2017
Private Group Art Instructor
2019–Present
Lead small-group painting experiences for adults in relaxed, accessible settings.
Online Art Education
YouTube Content Creator, Rainbow Parrot Art
2020–Present
25,000 subscribers and more than 3 million lifetime views. Art tutorials are used by teachers and students around the world, reaching thousands of students each day.
Selected Artistic Practice & Public Display
Harlem Renaissance Series, five-panel oil series, long-term loan, The Evergreen State College Tacoma Campus
Danse Macabre, gouache
Dancing in Nikes, oil
Original sample artwork and curriculum artwork, Rainbow Parrot Art
Education
American University of Paris, Paris, France
B.A. in International Affairs, cum laude
Strong focus on Art History
additional portfolio
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