Marie-Claire is facing forward and smiling. She has long blonde hair and wears glasses and a white shirt.Marie-Claire Graham Valdez

2021, Ph.D., Art Education
Director, Young Artist Programs for Community Art, University of Texas at San Antonio
LinkedIn: Marie-Claire Valdez

About 
Marie-Claire Valdez has been teaching since 2004, beginning her career in community-based art programs at the Southwest School of Art in San Antonio, Texas. There, she led free weekend programs for youth, fostering a love for the arts. She earned a B.F.A. from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she developed a passion for sound art, installation art, and a variety of fine arts practices that enriched her teaching.

Following her time as a teaching artist enhancing public school art programs, Marie-Claire pursued a Master of Arts in Teaching at Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas, graduating in 2015 with expertise in curriculum design and best teaching practices. She later completed a Ph.D. in Art Education at UNT's College of Visual Arts and Design in 2021. Her doctoral research explored innovative uses of technology to enhance arts education through gaming, alongside examining the phenomenology of community art education.

Currently, Dr. Valdez’s research focuses on community arts practices in the borderlands. She has shared her work as a speaker and through publications for The Texas Art Education Association and the International Society for Education Through Art. As the director of Young Artist Programs at UTSA-Southwest, she oversees over seven youth art programs, driving the expansion of community-focused youth arts initiatives.

Tell us about a defining moment in your professional career, or a particular moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory?
During the 2016–2017 school year, I taught Art 1 and Art 2 at Oliver Wendall Holmes High School, a Title 1 low-income school in San Antonio. My students were fantastic—eager to discover how art could connect to their lives. Despite working in an outdated math classroom with over 30 students per class and insufficient chairs, tables, and space, we found ways to thrive. With less than $300 for supplies for the entire year, I got creative, successfully writing and winning multiple grants to fund art projects and cover material costs.

My life as a classroom teacher was vibrant. In the mornings, my room became a safe haven: a space for prayer for my Muslim students, a spot for others to eat breakfast, and a hub where students worked on their paintings. We hosted visiting artists, and I had the chance to teach one of my passions — sound art — exploring the intersection of music and visual art with my students. Often, our classroom became a place of art therapy, where we tackled complex life issues through creative expression.

Amid all this, I realized I needed to grow further as an educator to serve my students better. I kept a running list of questions about teaching and learning in the arts and decided to pursue an advanced degree. I applied to the Art Education Doctoral program at the University of North Texas, was accepted, and began at the end of that formative school year.

My time at UNT was transformative. It not only deepened my understanding of innovative approaches to art education but also shaped me into a leader in the field, equipped to make a greater impact on the lives of my students.

Can you tell us about a time you felt brave for making a creative decision?
"Creativity takes courage," said Matisse. It took courage for me to admit that I could become a better educator and take a leap of faith by going back to school. Pausing a career that supported my family to further my education was daunting, but it was a step I knew I had to take.

During my time at UNT, I thrived in both my coursework and dissertation process. I genuinely enjoyed every class and the relationships I built with peers and professors. The experience challenged me to think beyond the constraints of traditional education and imagine the possibilities of adopting innovative methodologies and research-based approaches in art education and educational philosophy.

This journey required bravery — not just to face the unknown but to believe in myself enough to become the educator I had once hoped to have. My goal was to push myself to be the best role model I could be for the next generation of educators, equipping them to tackle the challenges of teaching in the arts with creativity, resilience, and courage.

Has there been a magical moment in your career at which you knew you had made the right decision to work in an arts- or design-related field?
The magic for me is hearing from former students that I helped to make them feel valued, heard, or inspired. Creative people are able to go through so much torment, pain, and deep inspiration — going to the edge and extremes and then coming back sharing those insights through the arts. Knowing I was a positive light somewhere on their creative journey is the greatest of accolades.

As a creative, where did you really learn your craft?
I started as a young woman teaching art as a volunteer, then as a paid staff member. This was an old-school master-apprentice style system where I would learn techniques from masters in the subject (ceramics, paper making, quilling, assemblage, etc). Then I would be an assistant with an adult or youth class or shadow and learn from a master teacher. Once I demonstrated I could weave or do pinhole photography, I could help teach. Then, once I mastered helping as a teaching assistant, I would be able to teach a class on my own. This style of learning was hands-on and immersive, which I believe to be the reason I have such a strong background in so many areas in the arts.

Is there a mission driving your creative journey?
I am a champion of how essential the arts are to the human condition at any age. My mission is accessibility for the arts — creating community arts programs where everyone can be included.

Was there a moment, class, or professor that has had a lasting impact on your career?
Dr. Tyson Lewis has been instrumental in shaping how I want to be in the world as a professor and as a director. He always seamlessly juggled running the show, teaching all things, conferencing and publishing, and being a positive, kind human being. He is truly my role model.