Lex K.

As a painting and drawing major at the Peck School of the Arts at UWM, you might not expect to find Lex teaching digital graphics skills to IOB’s students. That isn’t even the first surprising twist to Lex’s story. Lex’s first love is music! Jazz music to be precise. Unfortunately, when it came time to apply for college, they had missed some deadlines, so they decided to go with another interest – thus, the painting and drawing major.

OK, but how did digital arts enter the picture? Graduation requirements for the Peck School include taking art classes outside of your major, so Lex reached way out of their zone and took a digital arts class with Chris Wiley (IOB’s Director of Technology). Lex loves exploring, learning and relishing new experiences, so maybe it isn’t too surprising that they were so inspired by the class they added Creative Technology as a double major. Talk about multi-talented people.

Fast forward to last summer. “One day I was walking down the street and ran into Chris.  Out of the blue, he asked if I wanted a job. I felt so honored and trusted that he would ask me to work with these kids,” Lex explains. They didn’t hesitate to say yes. Lex was eager to share the digital and creative process skills they have worked hard to learn.

Lex explains that, as an art student, you can get lost. The further you go into your major, the more critique is involved. It’s easy to forget how far you’ve come and what you DO know when being critiqued.  “Mentoring at IOB has been a very rewarding experience. Everyone at IOB is so supportive and provides a lot of positive feedback.” Working with IOB has really boosted their confidence. “You never feel alone and are supported the whole time. It is a great mood booster and motivator!”

Beyond the supportive vibe, Lex really enjoys what they describe as the two-way street that the mentoring experience has been. Mentoring for Lex means drawing/ working on their own art project alongside the IOB student, bouncing ideas back and forth with the student. “What is really special is that not only am I helping the IOB students learn, but I am learning as well. That’s the two-way street. Sometimes as an adult, you get into a box. Working with kids who have such wide imaginations inspires me. I walk away from the workshops with all these great ideas.”

Inspired enough to consider art education as a possible future career. “It’s been a real eye-opener! Autism isn’t a hindrance. They just think differently. Each student has their own way of processing things, interests, and ways of celebrating.  The students’ art skills are amazing!”

Samples of Lex’s Artwork