Martina Feneziano has been appointed the new educator at the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum on a temporary one-year contract. She will fill that position while the gallery’s full-time educator Karly Garnier takes a maternity leave.
Feneziano, who was born in Ontario and grew up in Vancouver, getting her elementary and high school education there, is settling into the job at the EAGM with her first day on the job being Jan. 4.
The young educator said she attended the University of Ottawa and the University of Western Ontario in London, majoring in history, English and education and she has been teaching for the past four years in Brandon, Manitoba, and Hamilton, Ontario She has taught at the elementary and high school levels during those four years, including one year at a private boarding school. Her first job following her university graduation was at the Canadian Air and Space Museum in Toronto where she served as director of education.
The background in the air and space museum and her experience with teaching all age and grade levels, should serve her well in her present situation, she said.
The flexibility that was required in the past will be exercised again at the gallery.
Feneziano said her husband was appointed director/curator at Estevan’s Souris Valley Museum, so the two of them will be well positioned to compare and assist each other when required by job descriptions or at the direction of their supervisors.
“I will eventually go back to the traditional classroom, right now I’m certified to teach in Manitoba and Ontario,” she said.
Since it was her first day on the job, Feneziano said she couldn’t comment too extensively about what she intended to do until she got more familiar with the tasks performed by the gallery’s educator.
“I will begin by studying the past programs and how they evolved with Karly and will definitely stay with the successful projects she has developed and will stay on that course for at least six months, until I get familiar with everything,” she said, referring to the educational art programs offered by the gallery to school children as well as adults.
“I’m pretty excited. I can’t wait to start the programs and work with the kids. I know the preparation includes follow-up materials for the classroom teachers. It’s pretty interesting.”
Feneziano said she also trusted that if she ran into any snags or had major questions or concerns that needed addressing she’d be able to connect with Garnier, who has been employed in the role of educator at the gallery for the past few years.
Amber Andersen, the gallery’s director/curator is also available on a daily basis to provide information about the overall operation of the gallery and how it operates within the community.
Andersen said there is the expectation that Garnier will return to the educator’s post in December of this year or in early January of 2017.
