Lafayette woman shares her love for art with students

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - The YWCA will honor seven Greater Lafayette women at this year's Salute to Women Banquet.

After coordinating a gifted-talented challenge program for eight years and teaching art for 34, Susan Carr decided to retire early from the Lafayette School Corporation. However, early retirement has not kept Susan away from art.

"At the museum, I've been on the Education Committee. I've been past president and current co-president of the Art League. What we do is, we have speakers once a month and we, of course, look at art and try to encourage acquisitions. We help raise scholarship funds," said Carr.

Then in 2010, Carr wrote a grant to finance a study center at the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette for Art Smart: Indiana.

"We've republished these books Art Smart: Indiana. It's a fourth-grade curriculum that's tied to Indiana history," said Carr.

In 2011, Carr learned the new Oakland High School in Lafayette would not be able to offer art classes. Oakland High School is a school that allows students to earn credits as they complete the work and Indiana state requirements.

Carr decided to recruit volunteers and donate materials from the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette to create an art curriculum for the school.

"We've had fibers day, drawing and painting, we call it a different strokes, and we've had print making. And we'll have a metals day, jewelry-metals coming up next month," said Carr.

Carr said her students get to have class at the art museum and have the opportunity to speak to and learn from local artists. Carr volunteers her time to teach at Oakland High School. She said her students deserve the opportunity to learn about art.

Susan Carr, along with the other YWCA Salute to Women honorees will be awarded March 6, 2012.