Faculty Friday: Arthur Gross - Lower School Arts

"I love to share what I know and love learning from my students." Arthur Gross
Mr. Arthur Gross inspires creativity as our Lower School Art Teacher. He graduated Cum Laude from Alfred University School Of Art and Design with a major in Art Education with an Art History minor. After graduation, Mr. Gross opened a ceramics studio in Seagrove, NC, with his fiance. He has presented work at numerous shows and exhibitions in New York. Aside from ceramics, Printmaking and woodworking are two of Mr. Gross' favorite mediums, and he is energized by teaching young children how to access the world of visual art.  Some of the things Mr. Gross enjoys outside of the visual art world include trail-running, soccer, rock-climbing, skiing, cooking, and gardening.
 
Why did you decide to become a teacher? I love to share what I know and love learning from my students. Having a mother, two aunts and a grandfather who were all art teachers and artists helped.
 
What is your teaching philosophy? Teach students skills that can be applied to art, problem solving as well as other areas of daily life where creativity is essential. I only have two rules in class:
  1. You need to be working and having fun.
  2. No standing with your feet on top of the table
What are the qualities of an excellent teacher? Delivering information to your students in a way they retain it and don't even realize that they are learning.
 
What is the most difficult aspect of teaching today? Being recognized for your skills, talents and professional experience and not for how much schooling you've done.
 
What is the greatest success you have had in teaching? Getting a student who told me they hated school to tell me they love art class.
 
What inspires you? As an artist I’m inspired by other artists, craftsmen, and tradesmen especially my grandfather; a tool maker. As a teacher I am inspired by my students free flowing energy, creativity and lack of holding back.
 
How did you get in touch with Rabun Gap and ended up working there? My second job is landscaping, my other boss; Coach Fon, (coaches wrestling here) both his kids attend Rabun Gap, he wanted to follow my dream of teaching and told me about the lower school opening the following year and this sorta fell into place after that.
 
What did you want to be when you were young? A professional skier, too many accidents ended that dream.
 
What is one of your weaknesses, and how are you working to improve it? I give too much freedom to students, freedom can become chaos, leaving the room in a mess.  I'm working on teaching a specific skill and require students apply it to their own work each class rather than just having a chaotic free for all. However chaos is still fun sometimes!
 
What interests do you pursue outside of the classroom? My fiancé Sofie and I are outside all the time, currently we've been climbing every chance we get. Lots of trail running, hiking and camping.
 
What’s your favorite ’90s jam? I've been known to do a good karaoke rendition of Hero by Enrique Iglesias, I think it came out in 2001 though…
 
 
Back
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School is a private, coeducational day and boarding school for grades Pre-K through 12. Centrally located between Atlanta, GA, Greenville, SC, and Asheville, NC, we prepare young people for college, career, and a lifetime of leadership and service.