Tucson artist, teacher puts on show with students

“It’s just been a blur of an enjoyable time,” she said.

The Tucson artist and teacher spent those years at Green Fields K-12 School, an independent school on the northwest side, where she inspired several students to discover their own artistic potential while continuing to create her own.

Now, Buckman, whose work often portrays nature and feelings inspired by it, is putting on an exhibit at the Contreras Gallery downtown with some of her current and former students. The show opened Saturday and will continue until Jan. 2.

The show is called “Burning Bright.” The title is a phrase from William Blake’s poem, “The Tyger.” Buckman said she chose the title as a “reference to the personal expression of each artist” in the show.

Four former students featured in the show are professional artists in various disciplines.

Amanda Barr, who graduated in 1991, is a mixed-media artist in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Lisa Kanouse graduated in 1994 and now works primarily in acrylic painting. Winner Berger, a 2010 graduate, dances and creates art in New York City. Maja Nostrant, who graduated in 1993, paints, knits and works with wood.

“Art was not taught to them,” Buckman said. “Art is rooted deep within each of their personalities, and it is this that I hope will continue to burn bright.”

Art is also rooted deep within Buckman, 66.

She’s a native of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where she grew up with, was inspired by and studied art.

“My family always encouraged me to explore and do all kinds of creative activities,” she said.

She had the freedom to explore and investigate, she said. And that’s what she wants to give her students.

“It’s not so much about teaching students to do art,” she said. “It’s really having the students have the experience of the process.”

At Green Fields, there is an atmosphere that encourages students to be independent and creative, she said. Students are seen as individuals with their own creative potential, rather than a collective.

Buckman is a master at bringing out those potentials, said Becky Cordier, head of the school who has worked with her for nearly 30 years.

“She is sort of the epitome and model for all of our teachers who take a learning journey with our students,” she said.

Maggie Alexander, one of the current Green Fields students who is showing her work alongside Buckman’s, said she wasn’t particularly interested in art when she first came to the school.

But after spending time with Buckman learning how to paint, she began to bond with it and is now considering a career in design, the 17-year-old high school senior said.

“Green Fields has just been a great outlet for me to express my artwork,” she said.

“Ms. Buckman has been a huge inspiration to me for my artwork.”

And the teacher who inspired Alexander has no immediate plans to retire from art or teaching.

“As I feel right now, I don’t see stopping in the near future,” she said.