Dr. George Szekely
Senior Professor
Area Head, Art Education
University of Kentucky

Since 1969, Dr. George Szekely has pioneered creative principles and methodologies in the field of art teaching. As an author and researcher, Dr. Szekely has won the Manuel Barkan Prize and the Victor Lowenfeld Award.

Dr.Szekely has authored ten books and more than one hundred journal and magazine articles. He is frequently in demand for his unique performance-style keynote presentations. Szekely’s contributions to teacher education are best exemplified in his Adopt-a-School project, the first-field based art education program in the nation, now a widely emulated and award-winning model for preparing future art teachers.

Dr. Szekely’s writings were among the first to emphasize the importance of children’s play and home art in artistic development and as a foundation of school art. Szekely’s writings and films create vivid portraits of significant creative moments in children’s lives and celebrate the artist in every child. In Szekely’s opinion, young artists forecast the art world of the future and require a timeless curriculum based on learning from children themselves. Szekely’s research continues to question the current wisdom of only presenting adult images, techniques, and ideas to art classes.

George Szekely’s life is a portrait of an artist-teacher, one who views teaching as an art media and an art room as a canvas. He discusses art lessons as creative pieces, envisioned and planned as art forms, requiring a full range of imaginative ideas and resources. In schools where an artist-teacher is appointed, everyone is positively affected. The art room becomes the most exciting place to go in a school. The art teacher becomes the most exciting inventor, adventurer, storyteller, and the most sympathetic collector. When young artists meet older artists, lifelong appreciations are formed.

For his lifetime contributions to art education, Dr. Szekely was named a National Treasure by the National Art Education Association and presented with the honor of becoming a Distinguished Fellow.

George Szekely has been an example of an artist-teacher, maintaining an active studio with a busy art exhibition and film screening schedule. He is a sought after speaker at state and national conventions, universities, and museums. George Szekely is a graduate of the High School of Music and Art in New York City, The Cooper Union (B.F.A.), Pratt Institute (M.F.A.), and New York University (M.A.). He received his doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University.