Plenary Speaker
José Montoya, California State University Sacramento, Professor Emeritus
Using Art to Nurture Creativity in the Classroom
Mr. Montoya will share his fascination with art and storytelling, focusing on how the arts can be a motivator to students of all ages, from pre-school all the way through college and beyond. Mr. Montoya will discuss his “Barrio Art Program,” share some of his strategies for teaching, and read from his poetry.
José Montoya is one of the most influential Chicano bilingual poets in the U.S. His work has been published in many well-known anthologies and magazines, and he was appointed Sacramento’s first Poet Laureate in 2004. Previously, he co-founded the Rebel Chicano Art Front, an artists’ collective internationally recognized for its mural and poster work and for its synthesis of creative expression and community activism. Montoya’s own work depicts everyday barrio life and urban types through visual art, poetry, and song lyrics. He has taught art at every level of the public school system, from preschool to graduate courses for prospective teachers. Most notably, he taught for over 25 years at California State University Sacramento, where he retired in 1996. He continues to remain active professionally, and his artwork continues to be displayed in exhibits locally, nationally, and internationally.