Clark welcomes the new art teacher

Ever since she was little, Yeran Paronikyan, Clark’s new art teacher, enjoyed art and graphic design. “I knew when I was little I wanted to do something related to art. I love the concept and beauty of art,” she said. She enjoys painting in her spare time and loves to dance for fun.

Paronikyan attended National University in California for her master’s degree in education. She also attended California State University for her bachelor’s in design.

Before teaching at Clark, Paronikyan taught computer at other schools including Grant High School and Cleveland High School. She also worked as a substitute teacher.

“I enjoy teaching art because it’s creative, self-expressive, and I’m very passionate about it,” she said. One of her favorite artists is Salvador Dali, who is known for his famous piece, The Persistence of Memory.

“I think she is a great teacher because she is very skilled and very fun, but she also knows when to get focused,” said sophomore Tamara Mikayelyan. “She puts a lot of thought into her assignments. I also really like the deep discusses we have.”

Paronikyan also likes painting nature. “I really like painting happy things, like flowers,” she said. Paronikyan teaches two art classes: Painting/drawing and Design. “In my design classes, I am planing on them making a booklet and brochure that describe their artistic characteristics,” Paronikyan said.

She wants her students to explore their artistic talents and creative abilities. “I want them to graduate and explore art or design as a career, and as a passion,” she said. One of Paronikyan’s favorite quotes is by artist Pablo Picasso: “Every child is an artist.”