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A Conversation with Artist-in-Residence, Courtney Lebow
Courtney Lebow (she/her) is one of the Visual Arts Center of Richmond’s Spring/Summer 2025 Studio Access Residents.
Teaching and utilizing her love for the visual arts as a vehicle for human connection is her ultimate professional goal and passion.
Courtney has been working in art education for the last decade. She received her Masters in Art Education from Virginia Commonwealth University in December 2018, and taught high school art full time for six years at Hanover High School, leading the art department and leaving a legacy of six murals and a thriving art program.
Courtney is now continuing her own art making practice, and was recently accepted into the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), where she will pursue her Masters of Fine Arts Studies.
You can also find Courtney vending at local markets, or leading art workshop offerings in local community hubs.
We sat down with Courtney partway through her residency to hear more about what inspires her and what she’s been working on. Find a transcript of this embedded video below.
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It’s like being a kid in the candy shop with this residency! It’s so fun.
This opportunity has given me the opening to really step into being an artist, as well as being an educator. I think a lot of teachers struggle with balancing those identities because you’re giving so much of your creativity and your support to your students.
I got my start as an art teacher here [at VisArts], so it’s really special to my heart. I also did the Make Space program – shout out Danielle, who’s in art school now, love you forever! She’s such an awesome artist. This place is really where I got established. And then from here I went to grad school and I got my Master’s in Art Education, taught for a long time, and now I’m back. It’s such a cool “full circle” moment to be back as a professional artist when I got my my start here as a teacher.
There’s a surreal quality to my work. I’ve been kind of mashing up all of these interesting graphics together. One thing I really want to communicate is kind of a sense of like, joy and wonder. I feel like, especially in this time in history, everyone needs some joy and wonder, and maybe an intersection of fun, charm, humor and a deeper introspection of self-inquiry.
I think art from your your real world, your community, really does mean more, sometimes, than a famous artist from art history.
Sources of inspiration? I think first and foremost, I mean, this is such a “teacher answer,” but all the amazing students I’ve had over the years. I keep all their cards and all their art pieces that they give to me. I have a whole art gallery in my home with pieces students have given to me. It really means a lot to be an art teacher.
Learn more about Courtney + her work: Instagram: @rainbow.flypaper / Website: thatcoolartteacher.com
Interests and opinions expressed by artists-in-residence are their own. Learn more about VisArts’ organizational values and code of conduct.