After serving as a Teaching Assistant and Adjunct Professor at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture in Philadelphia, Mr. Christopher Boyer joins the Art Department, focusing on teaching 2D art.
Mr. Boyer brings over a decade of career experience to the upper school’s art studios.
“Before grad school at Tyler, I was an artist living and working in New York City for about ten years,” Mr. Boyer said. “I worked in art studios mostly in Brooklyn and Queens—producing works for other artists and myself for shows in New York and all around the world. It’s exciting to bring that knowledge to my students.”
Mr. Boyer recalls some of his first moments experimenting with 2D art while in high school.
“I think about my time painting in high school and my art teacher giving us a bucket of oil paint and saying: ‘have at it.’ I want my students to just get involved with the material—with the nature of oil painting,” Mr. Boyer said.
Mr. Boyer sees mentorship as a foundation for arts education. While completing his B.S. in Painting at Indiana Wesleyan University and his M.F.A. at Tyler, mentor relationships played a key role in developing his craft.
“I am still friends with my professors from my undergrad years, and that kind of mentorship is something I’ve understood as such an important thing for me,” Mr. Boyer said. “Building those [relationships] is what I aim to do here.”
Mr. Boyer will direct his students with a similar appreciation for mentorship and forging connections, building on his experience as an Adjunct Professor at Tyler.
“The key to each class was getting to spend one-on-one time with each student on individual projects in the studio,” Mr. Boyer said. “It’s really fun to see students grow and allow their concepts, ideas, and craft to grow before your eyes.”
Outside of the classroom, Mr. Boyer enjoys athletic pursuits and exploring.
“I was a four-sport athlete in high school and played soccer in college, so I have a relationship with sports, [in addition to] the occasional hike and taking the train up to see shows in New York City,” Mr. Boyer shared. “And of course, spending as much time working in the studio as I can is important.”
“No one knows anyone’s potential. It’s all about a growth mindset for me.”
Mr. Chris Boyer
Sometimes, the world’s technical hubbub can render perceptions of the arts as secondary. The school’s dedication to artistic practice is among the features Mr. Boyer admires about the community.
Mr. Boyer will guide his students through art as a process—learning lessons applicable both to their craft and their conduct as people and problem-solvers.
“Art is not about a perfect product from the beginning. It’s really about learning to fail so that you can grow and learn to problem solve,” Mr. Boyer said. “It’s a huge journey.”
And as Mr. Boyer begins that journey with students, he wants them to remember their goal as artists: to grow.
“No one knows anyone’s potential,” Mr. Boyer said. “It’s all about a growth mindset for me.”
