THADDEUS JURCZYNSKI | VISUAL ARTIST
TURNING EVERYDAY OBJECTS INTO POWERFUL LEARNING EXPERIENCES
Thaddeus Jurczynski turns artmaking into a collaborative event, guiding students through projects that connect creativity with math concepts like geometry, symmetry, and proportion. A certified teacher with nine years in the Chimacum School District, he has worked with classrooms from Port Townsend to Taiwan, helping students design art that tells a story, builds teamwork, and transforms school spaces into places of wonder. His teaching style blends hands-on building with cross-curricular connections, creating inclusive environments where students of all abilities can succeed and feel proud of their work.
GRADE LEVELS
Pairs well with K–8 (especially strong with elementary classrooms).
ART FORMS
Lantern-Making • Puppetry • Celebration Arts • Geometric Sculpture
ARTS INTEGRATION & CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
Thaddeus’s programs support Washington State Learning Standards by integrating visual arts and math with core classroom subjects:
- Mathematics: Geometry, symmetry, angles, and measurement applied through artmaking.
- Visual Arts (VA:Cr1–Cr3): Design, construction, and craftsmanship using mixed media.
- Science (NGSS: ETS1, PS1): Materials engineering, physical properties, and hands-on experimentation.
- Social-Emotional Learning: Collaboration, creativity, and shared accomplishment through group projects.
Pairs well with:
- Geometry and math units
- Science lessons on materials and engineering
- Cultural studies and celebration arts
- STEAM initiatives
- School-wide art displays or festivals
WHY TEACHERS CHOOSE THADDEUS
- Integrates geometry, measurement, and pattern-making into creative projects
- Builds teamwork, problem-solving, and hands-on skills
- Creates inclusive, supportive environments where all students can shine
- Skilled at guiding large groups through projects that feel ambitious yet achievable
- Certified teacher with deep experience in both classroom instruction and collaborative art
THADDEUS' PENINSULA PERFORMS! PROGRAMS
Masks & Giant Puppets
Students dive into the art of performance and spectacle by creating expressive masks and large-scale puppets. Starting with tissue maché masks that can reflect animals, historical figures, or fictional characters, they then expand into collaborative “big builds” designed for parades or community celebrations. Along the way, they explore balance, proportion, and engineering, while bringing their creations to life through storytelling and performance.Minimum: 3–5 sessions • Grades: 3–8
Star Lanterns
Using toothpick bamboo and tissue maché, students create a five-pointed star lantern or a more complex geostar with sixty sides. The build includes connections to mathematical concepts like angles, congruency, and polyhedra. Minimum: 2–3 sessions • Grades: 3–8
Geometry Explorations
Part art studio, part science lab—students explore geometric forms and patterns through playful experiments and hands-on making. They fold and cut paper to create Möbius strips, anatomically accurate snowflakes, and other geometric designs, and then shift into soap-bubble experiments to observe spheres, cubes, tetrahedrons, and more. Along the way, they make connections to mathematical concepts like symmetry, angles, and surface tension.Minimum: 1–2 sessions • Grades: 2–5
