Outstanding Faculty -
Charla Gaglio, Upper Division Arts

As a little girl, Charla Gaglio loved to draw and knew early on that she wanted to be an artist. She majored in fine art - painting at Colorado College and worked with her husband, Joel, as a textile artist for several years. Mrs. Gaglio decided to continue her education and went on to earn an MFA in Fibers from Colorado State University and then an Ed.M. from the arts in education program at Harvard University. While at Colorado State University, Mrs. Gaglio reflected on the impact that teachers can have on their students and became interested in teaching.

"Working with kids keeps you young. It keeps you asking the right questions and keeps you fresh as an artist. I learn from my students, and I ask myself the same questions about my art that I ask them."

Mrs. Gaglio teaches 3-D Design, Photography, Humanities, A.P. Studio Art and A.P. Art History courses. She loves the challenge of keeping art relatable to all of her students in grades 9-12 and finds working with her students to be inspiring. In her 3-D art course, Mrs. Gaglio encourages her students to build a monumental sculpture in order to go through the growth and self-discovery in that process.

Due to the smaller class sizes, Mrs. Gaglio is able to customize the course curriculum for many of her students, individualizing them to fit the students' interests and talents. As a result, her students finish her courses with amazing portfolios to show universities.

Mrs. Gaglio hopes that after taking her classes, students will realize that art has been a part of all cultures and can be a common ground.

"The arts are relevant. They reflect all of us. They are our cultural heritage and bind us together as human beings. While there may be many differences between cultures, the arts also us to see the similarities – the hopes, fears, and search for something greater than ourselves."

Mrs. Gaglio creates her own art whenever she isn't in the classroom and is represented by two galleries in the Tampa Bay area. She has developed a unique process of painting two similar paintings and then weaving them together. To view Mrs. Gaglio's work, please go to www.gallery-gaglio.com.