Our Amazing Art Program
Our Cre8ive Space
This Spacious, Welcoming, Inspiring space is where Ms. Kara bring her teaching magic to life and inspire young Monarch artists every day!
Art Supply
Your generous contribution make it possible to supply new and various of art materials every year
Student Art Gallery
Students explored a variety of art mediums inspired by the styles of different artists. Their creativity truly shined. More to come as we continue showcasing their amazing work!
Water Color Summer Paint Inspired by Pablo Picasso
Clarice Cliff Clay Art
Everyone's Favorite! Creative Foamy Art!
Oil Pastel Summer Art inspired by Frida Kahlo
Fun Halloween Art!
Cut-paper art inspired by Henri Matisse
Oil Pastel Fall Art
Chalk Pastel inspired by Bob Ross
How cute!! Valentine Art!
Pop art with Burton Morris
Meet with Ms. Kara White
https://linktr.ee/cre8iv_ms.kara
An accomplished artist with over 30 years of teaching experience. Has been inspiring our young artists here at MRES since 2009. She also founded our Cre8ive Space, a classroom dedicated for art education, with the support of MPTF.
The Creative Magic with Ms. Kara
My children bring home eye-catching artworks that reflect not only their creativity but also their understanding of the material and techniques. I can’t believe my ears when they go on talking about the featured artist, genre, and historical context. It is clear that Ms. Kara is an amazing art educator, though I never knew how she manages. Curious about her teaching magic, I was thrilled when I got the chance to observe her class in action.
The Magic of Integrating the Brain, Muscle, and Heart
“Good morning,” she greets the class with a calm, soothing voice. Once everyone is seated, she moves to the front of the classroom to bring her lessons to life. Ms. Kara’s teaching style is clear, effective, and seamless. She begins by going over the materials, then moves on to key terms and techniques, and then highlights the renowned artist who embodies the style. Although each lesson features different materials and skills, they build upon one another—for example, for the lesson today, they were comparing chalk pastels with the oil pastels from the previous lesson and referencing the artists they studied the year before. “Whoa!” The room becomes charged with excitement when Ms. Kara unveils her finished sample that the children are going to create that day. Within less than ten minutes, her magic is set. A vibrant yet focused energy filled the room.
After the introduction, the children begin their work while Ms. Kara creates another step-by-step sample alongside them, showing them how exactly each stage unfolds. Whenever she poses and shows them the piece, an excited "Woah!" ripples through the room. She continuously walks around the classroom, providing personalized encouragement and firsthand guidance to each student. I notice the room is intentionally organized into two U-shaped rows of tables, allowing her to deliver direct demonstrations to every student. Students are encouraged to think like artists—considering shadows and light, balance, depth, and perspective—and receive practical advice on how to express these elements in art.
In addition to teaching artistic techniques, Ms. Kara places great emphasis on ensuring students have enjoyable and memorable experiences of creating art. She carefully prepares the classroom that is inspiring and welcoming, and her instructions are meticulously organized so it is flawless. Her speech carries a pleasing, rhythmic tone that engages students as they work, which sinks into their muscles and memories. To reinforce important concepts, Ms. Kara frequently encourages students to repeat them – “What is this called again?” She uses rhythmic prompts like “Check! Check!” She sprinkles vocabulary like “juxtapose” and “foreground to background” while demonstrating specific techniques.
Raising Young Artists: Cultivating Creativity
After students had followed step-by-step instructions to replicate the sample piece, Ms. Kara handed them a blank sheet of paper and invited them to apply the material and technique for their own creation. Initially, I was surprised by this and doubtful; Copying someone’s work is one thing, but I would be hesitant if I were given a blank canvas and told to create anything I like. However, the students exceeded my expectations by producing one impressive masterpiece after another, each reflecting their unique individual style. One student drew fish, another student chose abstract designs, and yet another adapted the same template with distinctive strokes and colors. I was mesmerized and soon came to realize the lasting impact of Ms. Kara’s art lesson. Ms. Kara not only equips them with artistic skills and knowledge, but she also teaches them the joy of creation and enables them to produce their own work with confidence.
Celebrating Exceptional Art Education at MRES
Watching Ms. Kara’s talent in action was truly inspiring. She brings both deep expertise and exceptional teaching skills to her role here in her Cre8ive Space at Monterey Ridge Elementary. If you haven’t done so, try asking your child about their artwork when they bring it home; you might be surprised by their depth of understanding and confidence in their responses. New pieces of student artwork are constantly exhibited in the front office space for you to see. This academic year alone, students have already worked with a variety of media, including watercolor, air-dry clay, construction paper crayon, oil pastel, soft chalk pastel, and foamy art. At the end of each school year, we hold our annual Art Walk, where the impressive artwork from all grades will be displayed in one place. MPTF is honored to sponsor Ms. Kara and remains dedicated to supporting her work. Please remember, your generous contributions and support as part of the Monarch community have made this creative magic possible, and together, we can accomplish even more!
MPTF Newsletter Published in December 2025
Student artwork is proudly displayed in our front office, with pieces refreshed each season to highlight their creativity throughout the year.
Join us for our annual Art Walk held at the end of each school year as we celebrate Monarch’s amazing accomplishments!
