Barbara Cantatore

I have been painting my entire life, not as a profession, but as a passion. As I get closer to leaving the field of teaching, my goal is to focus on my painting, which is currently evolving. I would love to start seriously showing my work, and continue to grow as an artist. My style has been mainly representational, but I am experimenting with what I would consider somewhat disrupted realism, or a cross between realism and abstract.

I am an artist and an art educator. For the past twenty years I have been teaching art at the middle school level in Westchester County. I love sharing my knowledge of art with my students and watching them develop their creative talents. Previous to art education, I worked as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator in advertising and publishing. Teaching art has been much more rewarding for sure. Although my careers have taken me on various artistic paths, my true passion has always been painting. I work in oils (my favorite medium), acrylics and watercolor. When I'm not teaching or painting, I find creative inspiration by visiting art museums and galleries, as well as enjoying the plethora of culture at my finger tips in NY City. I have 2 adult children who are both following creative paths. My son is a filmmaker, and my daughter a singer song writer and musical comedian. They are also great sources of inspiration for me creatively. Edward Hopper has always been one of my favorite artists. After becoming a member of the Edward Hopper House in 2023, I participated in two artist members juried exhibitions. It would be an honor to be part of this fall 2024 exhibit as well. 

Teaching Experience

Art Teacher: Currently employed at Windward School, White Plains, NY since September 2011. Teaching Middle School Art. Also teaching art in Windward's summer program.Art Teacher: Valhalla Middle/High School, Valhalla, NY. September 2006 to June 2011. Taught Middle School Art, High School Studio Art and HS Yearbook.

Art Teacher: Soundview Preparatory School, Yorktown, NY. September 2004 to June 2006.
Taught Middle School Art and High School Foundation Art.

Art Teacher:
Westchester Community College Center for the Arts, White Plains, NY,
2009 - 2013 summer employment. Taught children’s Mixed Media and Drawing & Painting classes, ages 6 to 15.

Art Teacher: Private Picassos, a Brooklyn based art education program offering after school group and private art instruction, 2012 -2015.

Art Teacher: The Pelham Art Center, Pelham, NY - Taught elementary children’s pastel class, after school program fall 2009, and vacation art program winter 2010.

Computer Graphics Teacher: (Summer 2004) Computer Graphics teacher for Summer Institute for the Gifted, an academic day camp for elementary aged children, held on the SUNY Purchase College campus. Courses taught: Graphic Arts as a Marketing Tool and Computer Presentations.

Professional Experience

Art Adjudicator & Program Coordinator, NY State Art Teachers Assoc. Portfolio Project, Spring ‘06, to Spring '10.

Art adjudicator for student portfolios grades 4 through 12, SUNY Purchase College.

Research Assistant, Graduate Art Education Dept., College of New Rochelle 

(Spring 2003) Employed as a research assistant for Dr. Patricia St. John, Associate Professor of Art Education, Graduate Division, College of New Rochelle.

Freelance Graphic Designer/Art Director (1990 – 2002)

Skills include design and art direction of collateral, promotion materials, point-of-purchase materials, FSI’s, direct mail, brochures and package design, as well as art
direction for photo shoots.

Clients include: The March of Dimes, Playtex Apparel Inc., Conair Corporation, Peppers & Rogers Marketing Group, It’s About Time Publishing, Parise Design,
Source Marketing, The Guild Group, and Vigilante; a division of Leo Burnett Company.

The Guild Group, White Plains, NY (12/86 – 1/90)

Promotion Advertising Agency

Art Director: responsible for creative design and management of consumer and trade materials from initial concept through final production coordination.
Experience includes layout design, typography, illustration, 4-color photography supervision, and mechanical production supervision.

Telephone Marketing Programs, New York, NY (10/84 – 9/85)

National Yellow Page Advertiser - Production artist; mechanicals, type specing and layout design.

Education

Graduate Studies Master’s Degree in Art Education, May 2006 College of New Rochelle, Art Education Graduate Program, New York State permanently certified to teach art K-12

Bachelor of Fine Arts (1984) School of Visual Arts, New York, NY - Major: Illustration and Design

Associates Degree (1981) Pratt Phoenix School of Design, New York, NY - Major: Illustration, 1981

Achievements

Artist Member of The Edward Hopper House Museum since 2023.

Member of the New York State Art Teachers Association, 2002 to present.

NYSATA Portfolio Project Adjudicator 2006-2011. Coordinator 2014 to 2017.

Exhibited in the 2005 White Plains Woman’s Club Annual Juried Art Show. Prize winner in the category of oil paintings.

Exhibited paintings in College of New Rochelle’s Graduate Spring Exhibits 2003, 2004, and 2005.

Private commissions for murals, house portraits, still-life paintings and decorative painting for interiors.

Member of the White Plains High School PTA, September 2004 to June 2010.

Member of the Eastview Middle School PTA, September 2001 to June 2006.

Member of the Church Street Elementary School PTA, 1995-2006.

Church Street PTA Newsletter Editor, 1996-1998.

Church St. Challenger Newspaper; Graphic Layout Artist, 2001-2002.

Member of The Woman’s Club of White Plains, 1997 to present. Junior Board Member, September 2001 to June 2003.

Girl Scout Leader for White Plains Troop 2267, September 1998 to June 2004.

NY

United States