GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Nathan Kukla doesn’t teach art. He teaches students how to be artists, and how to think like artists.
Kukla, who is in his 25th year as an art instructor, knows how hard it can be for students to put themselves out there and showcase their creativity through art. He also knows how hard it can be to find that creativity in the first place.
“Everybody has that creativity inside of them,” said Kukla, who teaches at Northview High School in Plainfield Township, a suburb of Grand Rapids. “But it’s really about getting people past the fear of being creative, being worried what other people think. It takes a lot of courage to make something and put it out there for the world to see.”
As an educator, Kukla builds relationships with his students and tailors his delivery of instruction to each individual learner. Whether that means working one-on-one with students to help them find inspiration, or giving them the freedom to work outside the confines of the classroom, his goal is to help each student shine through their art.
“All the stuff that I do is to help students, and really to try and be the art teacher that I wanted, or that I needed when I was their age,” Kukla told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press. “I listen to their ideas, and I try and help them figure out a way to make that a reality.”
Kukla’s passion for guiding students in the classroom and his advocacy for art education at a statewide level has earned him recognition as the 2024 Michigan Art Educator of the Year, awarded by the Michigan Art Education Association (MAEA).
The annual award honors one Michigan art educator who goes above and beyond to set standards for quality art education, and who has an exceptional history of professional development in the MAEA at the regional, state and national level.
Kukla was nominated for the award by Sara Goodrich, who was a co-liaison for Region 9 of MAEA with Kukla. In her nomination letter, Goodrich praised Kukla’s work as a regional leader for the MAEA and said he has devoted himself to uplifting the talent of young, growing artists.
“I have never met anyone who works harder to celebrate the creativity and visual voices of all children,” Goodrich wrote. “For well over 20 years, Nathan has poured his life and love into building a visual arts program that focuses entirely on artistic growth and advocating for the passions of every student; his selflessness has driven him to take on any and all opportunities that support and promote the accomplishments and hard work of children.”
MAEA President Annie Howard said Kukla has stood out as an “unbelievable leader” who never settles for doing the bare minimum, and who does his best to help others succeed.
“Nathan makes his students shine and he makes his art colleagues shine, in his district and in his region,” Howard told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press. “He’s often the person that people ask questions to, that people go to, because he is so involved, so experienced, so organized and approachable. He’s a real problem-solver.”
Kukla earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education and his Master of Arts in Teaching and Curriculum Development from Michigan State University.
His teaching career started in 1998, when he was hired as an elementary art teacher at West Ottawa Public Schools. He spent the next 25 years teaching at West Ottawa and helping develop the district’s art program, until he was hired last year by Northview Public Schools as an art instructor for the high school.
For Kukla, teaching art is less about teaching artistic skills, and more about helping students think outside the box to find their own, unique creative voice.
“What I really try and focus on is individuality, and getting people to open up and talk about what their ideas are, what they’re interested in making,” he explained. “And that’s more challenging, but it’s much more rewarding at the same time, because then it’s their voice, not just that we did this step-by-step project, but that they actually made art.”
That kind of creative thinking can help students succeed in their careers later in life, Kukla said.
“That’s really what industries and businesses need, are people who can think creatively,” he said. “We have plenty of machines and programs and AI (artificial intelligence) now, that can follow a pattern. But to have someone who can think creatively, who can solve a problem in a different way or approach, is a real skill.”
In addition to the statewide award, Kukla was also recognized as the MAEA Secondary Art Educator of the Year. The association gives out annual awards to educators in four categories: Elementary, middle school, secondary, and higher education. The four finalists are evaluated on a rubric score, and the teacher with the highest score earns the title of Art Educator of the Year.
The married father of two children, found out that he won the Michigan Art Educator of the Year award during MAEA’s awards ceremony in late October, a surprise that left him “speechless.”
“It feels pretty amazing to be recognized,” Kukla said. “I’m also pretty humbled by this. I’ve never aspired for awards or recognition… My entire focus is helping students become creative or express their creativity. But it’s great to have the arts recognized.”
