artist teacher
About
Katherine Hess is an artist teacher in Germantown, Maryland. She has taught high school art for 20 years in Montgomery County, MD, for a variety of secondary arts courses from beginner to AP/IB levels, including studio and digital art. Currently, she is the Department Chair for the Art Department at Seneca Valley High School, and she only just recently finished her four year term as the Vice President of Communications for the Maryland Art Education Association. She is also the 2020 Maryland Art Educator of the Year.
Previously, she has served as an International Baccalaureate Visual Arts Examiner in the Eastern and Southeastern Regions and as an International Extended Essays Examiner for the International Baccalaureate Organization throughout the world. She’s also headed the Academy of Commercial and Fine Art at Northwest High School, developed Secondary Visual Arts Curricula for Montgomery County Public Schools, and helped to develop the first IB Middle Years Programme in Maryland.
Katherine uses drawing, printmaking, and digital methods to create layered pieces that tell stories about her life and the individuals in it. Regardless of the dominant medium she is using to tell her story, layering materials and images allows Katherine to convey the depth in personal narratives.
Katherine has displayed artwork in Maryland, Missouri, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and New York.
Education
2019, Post-Baccalaureate coursework, Interactive Media Design, Towson University
2003, MA, Instructional Systems Development, UMBC
1999, BA, Studio Art, Hamilton College
Artwork on Display
2019, Watts Up?, Rockville Public Library
2018, MCPS Art Teacher Exhibit, Yellow Barn Studio & Gallery, Glen Echo
2018, MAEA Art Educators PD Work, Towson University MFA Gallery
2018, Watts Up?, Rockville Public Library
2017, NAEA Member Exhibition, Virtual Gallery
2016, Seneca Valley High School Student/Teacher Artwork, Germantown Public Library
2015, Greetings from a Distant Land print exhibition, Brooklyn Art Library
2015, Seneca Valley High School Art Teacher Display, Germantown Public Library
2013, Artomatic@Frederick, Frederick
2012, Artomatic, Crystal City
2011, Artomatic@Frederick, Frederick
2011, Artomatic Takes Flight, Reagan National Airport
2008, Educators ArtLab Exhibit, Kansas City Art Institute
2006, Sharing Artistic Visions, Montgomery College
2002, From the Hamilton Print Studio: A 30-Year Student Retrospective, Hamilton College
1999, Senior Show, Hamilton College
Awards
2023, Sustainability Poster Contest, Staff Category (second place)
2022, Smiles for Snail Miles Killer Queen Black art award, Liquid Bit
2020, Maryland Art Educator of the Year, MAEA
2020, Soaring Eagle Award, Seneca Valley High School
2019, Maryland Secondary Art Educator of the Year, MAEA
2019, Watts Up? Poster Contest, Staff Category (second place)
2018, Youth Art Month Special Recognition, Council for Art Education
2018, Watts Up? Poster Contest, Staff Category (first place)
2017, Watts Up? Poster Contest, Staff Category (first place)
2017, Montgomery County Secondary Art Educator of the Year, MAEA
2011, Outstanding Student Achievement, AP Studio & 3D Design Portfolios, Northwest High School
2010, Outstanding Student Achievement, AP Studio Art Portfolios, Northwest High School
2009, Backdrop Artist Guru, Kappa Sigma Theta, Northwest High School
2008, “My Favorite Teacher Contest,” Montgomery County Gazette (finalist)
2008, Northwest High School Teacher of the Month, Northwest High School
2006, “My Favorite Teacher Contest,” Montgomery County Gazette (finalist)
2004, MYP Teacher Award, Richard Montgomery High School
1986, Odyssey of the Mind, Maryland, Bridging the Gap, Elementary Level (first place)
Organizations
2014–2022, Seneca Valley High School, Art Department, Department Chair
2018–2022, Maryland Art Education Association, VP Communications
2018–2022, Seneca Valley High School, Instructional Leadership Team
2007–2022, Maryland Art Education Association, Member
2007–2022, National Art Education Association, Member
2019–2021, Montgomery County Planning Board, Seneca Valley High School, Design Team
2016, 2018–2022, Montgomery County Public Schools, Visual Arts Curriculum, Developer
2010–2022, National Art Honor Society, Sponsor
2016–2018, Council for Art Education, Youth Art Month, Maryland, Flag Contest, Organizer
2016–2018, Maryland Art Education Association, Advocacy Committee
2016–2018, Maryland Art Education Association, Region 1 Representative
2016–2017, Council for Art Education, Youth Art Month, Maryland, Museum Display, Organizer
2007–2014, Academy of Commercial and Fine Art, Northwest High School, Coordinator
2008, African-American Cultural Technical and Scientific Olympics, NAACP, Montgomery County Maryland Branch, Judged Painting and Drawing
Presentations
2019, New Teacher Orientation, Montgomery County Public Schools
2015, Introducing Knitting and Crocheting to Students without Tying Yourself in Knots, workshop, Maryland Art Education Association Fall Conference
2014, “Focus,” "Strive," and "Soar.” Graffiti Style Words to Unify and Motivate On Level Art Students, workshop, Maryland Art Education Association Fall Conference
2013, Illustration and Influence: A “Blind Date” between a Studio Art and Creative Writing Class, Maryland Art Education Association Fall Conference
2012, If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Tweet ‘Em, Maryland Art Education Association Fall Conference
2012, Using Social Media in the Classroom, Middle School Art Teacher Training, Montgomery County Public Schools
2011, New Educator Orientation, Curriculum Training, Digital Art
2011, New Educator Orientation, Curriculum Training, Digital Photography
2011, Using Social Media in the Classroom, Secondary Art Resource Teacher Training, Montgomery County Public Schools
2003, Arts Assessment, Richard Montgomery High School
Publications
2017, Tilting at Whirligigs, MAEA Gazette, Maryland Art Education Association
2010, Powerful, TrayMedaca, Academy of Commercial and Fine Art, Northwest High School
2008, Rumors, TrayMedaca, Academy of Commercial and Fine Art, Northwest High School
2008, Future, TrayMedaca, Academy of Commercial and Fine Art, Northwest High School
Mentoring
2021, University of Maryland College Park
2019, University of Maryland College Park
2018, University of Maryland College Park
2017, Towson University
Non-Arts-Based Accomplishments
2021–2022, Board Treasurer of Effective Giving Quest
2020, Awarded Top Play, Indy Gaming League Killer Queen Black Fall Circuit Week 2
2014, Workplace Bullying, Workshop, NAAFA Convention, Presenter
2010–2015, NAAFA, Member
2002–2004, Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society of Education, Member
2000–2004, Mensa, Member
1999–2001, Project Management Consultant
1995–1998, The Spectator, Reviewer & Editorial Cartoonist
