Young minds are artist's canvas - Carrollton teacher shares vision through high school program
Author: ROBERT MILLER

Ted Kincaid, an art teacher at R.L. Turner High School in Carrollton , thinks "talent is a word that is highly overrated."

Mr. Kincaid, an artist who is considered by critics as quite talented in his own right, eschews the "T" word in regard to his students because he believes that "kids who draw better do so because they draw more."

The process is not quite that bare bones.

As Mr. Kincaid discusses his students, it's obvious that the other ingredients needed to unveil talent, whether he wishes to use that word or not, are generous portions of encouragement, enthusiasm and motivation supplied by a caring and dedicated teacher.

Mr. Kincaid provides those necessary ingredients, as do his peers on the Turner art faculty, Sandy Henry and Michael Tole.

The goal for the students is to "learn how to see. Art is more about how to see than about how to control their hands," Mr. Kincaid says.

"All students are required to have a fine arts credit. But by the end of Art 1, we hook them to go on and take our advanced program, in which they cover elements of art, art history, drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics.

"Every class meets every other day. We get them for an hour and a half so they won't have to race the bell. Because in an hour, they barely have time to get out their materials and clean up" before it's time to go.

The students can take painting, drawing or sculpture, and they are also allowed to mix and match.

"The beginning classes contain about 25 to 30 students, but advanced classes are slightly smaller - the interest is extremely high.

"We think the enthusiasm is absolutely incredible.

"Our classes at Turner are filled just as much before and after their class period as they are during. We're very good about offering after-school opportunities for the students to continue their projects," Mr. Kincaid says.

In drawing, for instance, there is "heavy emphasis on printmaking" and overall "we like to push the contemporary aspect. One of the weaknesses [about teaching art history] is that art history stops about 50 years ago," he says. "But art is a living thing, not in the past.

"By emphasizing contemporary visual art, we are pushing the boundaries. We want them to think outside the box."

Accomplished artist

Mr. Kincaid, who received a bachelor's degree in fine arts from Texas Tech University and his master's degree in fine arts from the University of Kentucky, majored in photography with an emphasis on printmaking. He also teaches a history of photography class at Texas A&M-Commerce each Tuesday night.

"My work is photographically based but looks like minimalist abstract painting" and is represented by a local gallery.

A Dallas Museum of Art profile describes Mr. Kincaid's work: "He creates sensuous atmospheric and formally arresting works using the photogravure process, a method that is a combination of photography and printmaking,

"In an intelligent and rigorous way, he explores the relationship between the mechanical, photographic and the hand."

Mr. Kincaid arrived at R.L. Turner only three years ago, after spending six years in the Dallas Independent School District at Cary Middle School and Roosevelt High School.

It was an "excited" call from Ms. Henry, a friend of 17 years, that led him northward to R.L. Turner.

He said she told him "they were building a visual arts program that included music, theater, choir, orchestra, band, a good fine arts program" that would expand the existing program at Turner.

The call was too enticing to resist. In fact, the three art teachers envision creating an art academy at the school.

"We have big plans and are pushing it forward. We are so fortunate to have a principal, Kim Holland, who is absolutely fantastic," offering wholehearted support.

The students at Turner are much like those in many public schools, "with 32 languages spoken on our campus, from all economic backgrounds."

The number of boys and girls taking advanced art is about equal, Mr. Kincaid said. "We have football players, kids from the drill team, special ed kids. They come from all parts of society.

"With some of our ESL [English as a Second Language] kids, it's like charades - it's fun."

And, he says, "I learn more from them than they learn from me."

Increased interest

Regardless of their backgrounds, more students are pursuing advanced art each year - and some are even pursuing it in college.

"Many seek AP [advanced placement] in college," Mr. Kincaid says. And one of our kids got a scholarship working with John Pomara at University of Texas at Dallas. He is a painter, a very high-tech painter who works with a computer, time and space."

Mr. Kincaid doesn't just challenge his students; he continually raises his own sights, too. Last year, he applied for and won a DMA Otis Dozier travel grant of $5,500.

But after Sept. 11, he decided to postpone the visit to Prague, Czech Republic, where he planned to study the birthplace and works of the Czech modernists, in particular Jose Sudek.

Mr. Kincaid says Mr. Sudek, who died about 30 years ago, was highly influential in formulating his aesthetic awareness.

He emphasizes that the grant is not for him to paint but is meant to serve as "inspiration" to enhance his work and to share with his students.
 

Caption: PHOTO(S): (JOHN DAVID EMMETT/Special Contributor) Ted Kincaid, an art teacher at R.L. Turner High School, discusses a sketch with Patrick Clark (left) and Shante Gonder. The goal for the students is to "learn how to see," Mr. Kincaid says.


The Dallas Morning News - Sunday, September 22, 2002