story
I believe creativity is a skill we all possess. Yet the dominant forms of education do not adequately value these skills. By encouraging and developing imagination, creativity, innovation, critical thinking and intuition, students are better equipped to thrive in life. This is why I started Roots + Wings School of Art and Design.
I moved with my husband and our two young children to Asheville in 2006. I was disheartened that in a city that so deservedly prides itself for its vibrant culture of creativity, and talented artists and artisans, that so little art education opportunities were being offered to the local community – especially children. As a mother and educator, I know that children have a boundless capacity for creative expression. But if it is not nurtured, it will wither. Roots + Wings School of Art and Design was founded in 2009 to rise to that challenge.
Like many businesses, the COVID pandemic (2020-23) really tested us. In order to still meet our core mission and high standards, we needed to overhaul, evolve, and reevaluate every facet of our school.
The downturn stretched us financially, and in the process, we lost a host of important programs, a wealth of qualified staff and other programs that had to shift and morph. Our world, our school, life itself, had changed in ways I could not fix. To that end, I closed Roots + Wings School of Art and Design at the end of the 2022-23 school year.
As I look back over the last 14 years, I am very proud of what Roots + Wings and our talented and dedicated staff has meant to the thousands of kids that have come through these doors as preschool students, after-school & in-school programs, summer creativity camps and community programming. I truly believe that we’ve given our students a new appreciation and confidence for their own creative voice, in whatever form that may take.
As we move beyond June 2023, I will carry on our foundational creative work with schools, educators and businesses locally, regionally, and beyond. My dream is to continue to inspire unique ways that students of all ages can creatively grow and experience the power of art and design to promote positive and significant changes within themselves and their communities.
You can read more about my education work at www.gingerhuebner.com and my studio artwork at www.gingerhuebnerart.com
Thanks for visiting our site - connect with me anytime!
manifesto
We believe
creativity changes lives
We believe
in the power of curiosity
in the importance of play
in the necessity of taking risks
in pushing ourselves to be our best
We believe
everyone has a creative voice
failure is an essential part of the creative process
in making new discoveries everyday
in the importance of providing safe, healthy spaces for learning
in shaping confident individuals
We believe
working across multiple generations closes impossible gaps
collaboration builds life-changing relationships
creativity can bring about positive changes to our communities and ourselves
We believe
we are all capable of greatness
original logo 2009
logo at closing in 2023
