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2016 EDUCATION MAGAZINE
LINCOLN DAILY
NEWS.COMMarch 1, 2016
Colors pop throughout the building in murals
and intentional art displays. A display case in the
cafeteria shows off creations of students. In this
environment, it is no surprise to find a vibrant and
flourishing art program led by 19-year-veteran
teacher Greg Hoffert.
A Lincoln native and LCHS graduate, Hoffert
attended Illinois State University after graduating
from Lincoln College. Though he initially wanted
to pursue graphic design, he found himself drawn
to the freedom of visual art and it’s instruction to
kids.
Hoffert reflected, “I said, hey, I love art and I want
to be around art and hopefully inspire others to
love it or at least appreciate it.” Hoffert has spent
his entire teaching career at CEL.
In one location at CEL, a dozen things hanging on
a string along the wall draw attention. Hanging
artwork on a string is not unusual at school, but it
is particularly interesting for this grouping since
it is a display of paper boxer shorts. Each one had
unique repeating patterns called tessellations, all
done in the style of the artist M.C. Escher. Then,
hanging in the windows of the art room facing the
hall are geometric projects that look like stained
glass windows in a distinctly Frank Lloyd Wright
style.
“It’s not just coming down and coloring. There’s
a purpose. I want them learning about an artist
or the elements of art or how to use the materials
in the right way,” Hoffert explains. “I built the
curriculum from the ground up on artists that I
enjoy and I plug in the stated goals and standards.
I find certain artists interesting and I like their
work. I think that comes out in my teaching and
the kids will be more interested too,” he said.
Hoffert goes on that all his lessons go back to
specific artists and their styles, including the
relevant history.
Teaching all levels of students at CEL requires
some agility. Hoffert has Pre-K through 8th grade
through out the day with varying schedules. The
Pre-K kids are looking at the art and works of Eric
Carle and making collages. The second grade is
looking at the art of Henri Matisse as they build
their cutting and gluing skills working on their
collages. The eighth-graders are working with
paper Mache to create their own monsters. In
this picture Hoffert holds two examples of their
ongoing work.
On the wall is a very large portrait. At
approximately 6 feet across and 9 feet tall, it
dominates that corner of the room. It is done in
grayscale and made of 60 square sheets of paper
containing 25 two inch squares of varying. shades
of grey. The students worked on it separately, not
knowing what it would be until it was assembled.
Once assembled it was a giant face, Hoffert’s in
fact, in the style of contemporary artist Chuck
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