9 Innovative & Inspiring Art Teachers to Follow on Social Media

We're big fans of teachers—and for good reason. For many of us, early inspiration began within the welcoming walls of an art classroom, under the encouraging eye of an art educator. And while we can't step back in time to revisit our in-school days, we ‌can‌ explore the amazing world of art education by highlighting a few of our favorite social media–savvy art teachers.

With that in mind, we rounded up nine inspirational educators to follow on Instagram. These innovative, inventive and all-around awesome art teachers might just encourage you to release (or rediscover!) your inner artistic genius.

Let's get inspired!

‌Who she is:‌ Rebecca, who has more than 20 years of experience as an art educator and homeschooling mom, created Studio Sprout to provide online arts education and lesson plans for fellow teachers and parents. Her lesson library includes guidance for everything from 3D sculpture to mixed media and painting.

‌Why she's awesome:‌ Rebecca's focus isn't solely on creating vibrant, fun art projects—it encourages kids of all ages to explore social justice, empathy, compassion and activism through artistic endeavors. On the Studio Sprout Instagram page and beyond, you'll find artistic inspiration centered around environmentalism, indigenous rights and more.

‌Project to try:‌ Help kids and grown-ups alike boost their confidence with Rebecca's artistic affirmation project, which calls for adding self-love statements to brightly colored posters alongside self-portraits. Phrases like "I am smart" and "I am unique" might sound simple, but they can have a big impact.

‌Who he is:‌ James "King" Antwine is a Brooklyn, New York–based visual artist and high school studio art teacher who's sometimes known as Mr. ArtistPERIOD. His Instagram account highlights day-to-day work with students and provides inspiration for fellow art teachers throughout New York City and beyond.

‌Why he's awesome:‌ James' work extends beyond the classroom. He also serves as director of art camp programs at the Brooklyn Museum, where young attendees learn about everything from animation to Egyptian art history to photography and mixed media.

‌Project to try:‌ Take a cue from James' students with a family crest and coat of arms project, which offers artists the chance to represent their heritage and background through drawings, thoughtful color combinations and meaningful symbols.

‌Who she is:‌ South Carolina–based art teacher Khadesia, known to students and followers as Mrs. Latimer, encourages young learners to "put their passion on display" through her Busy Brushes Instagram account. Her social media posts offer a fun mix of art tips, relatable videos for fellow teachers, art-centric activism and student project features.

‌Why she's awesome:‌ Mrs. Latimer isn't just an art teacher and social media sage. She's also an author! Along with fellow teachers Paula Liz, Anjali Wells, Abigail Birhanu, Lori Santos and Tamara Slade, Khadesia published a book of more than 30 art project ideas titled ‌Anti-Racist Art Ideas for Kids‌ in May 2023. Talk about putting passion into action!

‌Project to try:‌ Imaginations will run wild (in the best way possible) with one of Mrs. Latimer's favorite projects: dragon eye air-dry clay key chains! She clarifies that she's not the originator of this whimsical idea, but it's a major hit with students.

‌Who she is:‌ Known as Coach T., Caitlyn teaches art to fourth graders in Massachusetts. She helps young learners "build their art muscles" by working with a variety of practices, ranging from paper-folding to weaving to contour line drawings. She shares many of her techniques and learnings on Instagram and offers an impressive online library of free art lesson plans.

‌Why she's awesome:‌ Coach T.'s vibrant personality and sense of humor shine through in every project she shares—including her Taylor Swift parody video, "Art Room Problems," which hilariously highlights the day-to-day challenges and triumphs of life as an art teacher.

‌Project to try:‌ Ever heard of paper pottery? It's a Coach T. favorite and just as unique as it sounds, calling for artists to form cups and containers using long strips of paper, which are then sealed using Mod Podge. The results are colorful and one of a kind!

‌Who he is:‌ As his account name suggests, Nevada-based Andrew Kizcek of Elementary Arts offers tips, tools and inspiration centered around teaching elementary school art. Visitors to his Instagram account and website will find everything from uplifting quotes about creativity to art class resource posters.

‌Why he's awesome:‌ In addition to preparing for the coming year, Andrew spends each summer vacation working on an oversize art supply to display in his classroom. Think: giant colored pencils made with help from a 3D printer and massive highlighter markers. His own creativity shines through in his classroom decor and organization.

‌Project to try:‌ Andrew offers a free printable "memory book" that stands in as a yearbook for younger students. With space for coloring, autographs and more, it's the perfect memento for kids and teachers alike.

‌Who she is:‌ Maria Galloway is an artist and art teacher who lives and works in—you guessed it—Los Angeles! Through her Art Teacher in LA Instagram account and accompanying resources, she guides followers and students through projects from piñata-making to clay "pinch pots."

‌Why she's awesome:‌ Maria and her colleagues bring art to the community by offering in-person art classes through her Southern California studio, Viridian Art. Classes are available for kids and adults alike, so there's room for everyone to expand their creative abilities.

‌Project to try:‌ What's better than beautiful art? Beautiful art that looks good enough to eat! Viridian Art's YouTube channel offers a fun tutorial for creating 3D pumpkin pie sculptures using papier-mâché—but this technique could be adapted for all sorts of foodie art projects.

‌Who she is:‌ Yaz Gaté, known as Miss Yaz to her students, teaches art classes for all ages in Melbourne, Australia. Her "art hangs" allow studio visitors to hang out while learning about techniques ranging from collage work to spray paint. The vibe is inclusive, and Miss Yaz, who shares colorful updates on Instagram, is always willing to answer questions and provide guidance.

‌Why she's awesome:‌ Don't live in Australia? No worries! Miss Yaz offers art education via Zoom and provides plenty of online resources through social media, YouTube and her vibrant website. Companies can even book "corporate art hangs" to help employees relieve stress and improve team connections through creativity!

‌Project to try:‌ Miss Yaz guides students through the creation of "pixel art," which calls for the careful arrangement of small, colorful tiles to create unique images and shapes. While this project is often completed with plastic, ceramic or glass tiles, you can re-create it in a pinch with colorful construction paper pieces.

‌Who she is:‌ Keisha Casiano is an art educator and content creator based in Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas. Her Instagram account shows off her creative spirit, highlighting everything from beautiful ceramics to annual art shows featuring student work. It's hard to look at her feed without feeling inspired!

‌Why she's awesome:‌ Keisha doesn't shy away from introducing her young students to a variety of media and materials. She guides young artists through working with clay, paper, paint, textiles and more—all while allowing ample space for innovation and creativity.

‌Project to try:‌ Make DIY home decor or embrace your inner royalty with a handmade clay crown like the ones Keisha's students created. There's so much room for innovation and unique design work on these crowns. We think they're downright whimsical!

‌Who she is:‌ Ashley Blevins is a Raleigh, North Carolina–based elementary school art teacher and mother who shares glimpses into her colorful classroom on Instagram. Her fun spirit and passion for encouraging creativity are evident in every post—in fact, we almost wish we could return to our school days to enroll in her class!

‌Why she's awesome:‌ In addition to teaching, Ashley designs and sells unique T-shirts and other products that are largely inspired by her passion for art education. Her colorful designs feature inspirational quotes, likenesses of famous artists and more.

‌Project to try:‌ Curate a mini art museum with one of Ashley's most innovative projects. Students can create tiny prints to represent their favorite artists or themes (or maybe even their own artwork!), then display the works as they see fit while developing an appreciation for art exhibitions. Fun!

Are you feeling inspired? We hope this exploration of social media's most impressive "art teacher influencers" has sparked your creative spirit. Whether you're a seasoned crafter or you've never even picked up a paintbrush, these art educators reinforce the power, beauty and downright ‌fun‌ of lifelong learning.