Liz Ebanks
Teaching Artist/Instructor
NATIONAL ART TEACHER AWARDEE (K-12)
Character Design, Storyboards, Murals, & Videos
• World Class Animal Role Models
• Florida Heritage
• Community Leadership
Liz Ebanks’ art blog has empowered over 2000 children and families to overcome the title of disability and adapt to share their gifts with the community through murals, storyboards, and videos. Everyday kids jump out of their wagons to make their mark as wheelchair muralist exploring mobility and creativity. Kids thrive on her unique adaptive techniques while mastering the canvas. Fear and anxiety become displaced by exhilaration and a new perspective of success.
Liz Ebanks Multi-disciplinary classes integrate creative writing, environmental stewardship, and illustration. Children of all abilities excel while working in small teams on interactive thematic units. Her vision as a mentor is to build a partnership between the children and the endangered animal heroes that have been successfully rescued, rehabilitated, and released into the wild. Different learning styles are engaged in to her unique Multi-Sensory Approach. Independence and concentration are achieved through positive role play.
Ebanks has exhibited her work at the Florida State Capitol Building, Neiman Marcus, USF, Sun Trust Bank, and Pac Sun. Ebanks’ passion to help animals is evident in how she details each creature’s personality and story in all of her artwork. The artist’s stunning paintings reflect her attention to researching each subject in its natural habitat. She focuses on color and value to communicate natural lighting. After earning her B.A. from the University of South Florida the fine artist dedicated herself to earning her Florida Teaching Certificate. As a fifth generation artist, her whimsical paintings have been featured in the St. Pete Times, Tampa Tribune, and Wildlife Art Magazine. Recently, Ebanks was awarded a scholarship to attend Ringling College of Art and Design’s Summer Teacher Institute in Sarasota, Florida. At Ringling the mentor will develop her Digital Animation and Bookmaking Skills to immerse her art students in technology.
As the State Representative for Florida in 2010, Ebanks was honored as one of five nationally recognized teachers in Washington, D.C. by VSA, an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center for her inclusions. Ms. Ebanks was commended at a Congressional Reception for her dedication to understanding each student’s personal challenges and unlocking their hidden ability to adapt and excel.
Earning over 1000 lesson plan readers, the mentor was commended for her signature inclusion techniques with Special Needs children. Her Rainforest Explorers created Froggy Valentine’s to boost hospital patients spirits. Together the students created a new art movement fusing traditional Japanese Gyotako printmaking techniques with collage. The young artists read about the worlds ten most endangered frogs. As environmental stewards they contributed to preserving the ecosystem by leading the recycling and collection program at the school.
Previously, Ebanks and her high school students collaborated on a mural of Winter the dolphin triumphing over the loss of her tail. She lead the high performing class to show the mural at State Capitol Building, Office of Education; Tallahassee, Florida. The teacher challenged students to read several books about Winter’s dedication and perseverance to overcome adversity as an orphan.
In 2011, Ebanks linked her Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival students with the Florida Highwaymen landscape paintings and their stories of overcoming being ostracized and the lack of gallery representation during the 1950’s. The children celebrated their heritage as landscape painters by showcasing their work in the National Art Educators Association Conference and competing in the 2011 All Kids Can Create Contest. The pastel sunsets were a renewed symbol of Florida’s beauty, resilience, and fragility. Guests are encouraged to discover the traditions of the Florida Highwaymen by viewing their artist statements.
Last year the art teachers’ halo fell off into 3-D assemblage at the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts Children’s Tent. Find out which monster stole your eraser, spilled the coffee, and reset the alarm clock. Look out Poke-a Peek-a-Mites, Thingamajigs, and Do Hickeys these monsters were gobbling up all of the oil pastels. Discover each creature in the “Inspired by Degas’ Ballerina Exhibit.” The misfits were last sited creeping into the Gold Donor Room of the Tampa Museum of Art and scribbling on Raymond James’ Portrait.
This 2012 celebrate “Oh the Places You’ll Go” with fun puppets inspired by Dr. Seuss. Imagination and adventure connected children to communicate their potential to achieve as evidenced in a ranking of #1 in WA, D.C. on Artsonia for their Artist Statements. Young artists showcase their success in designing these wacky characters and backdrop scenes. The children discovered how they can confidently set goals and overcome “bang-ups” and “hang-ups” with creativity, respect, and community.
Thank you, for showing your support. As a National Art Teacher Award Recipient, Ebanks’ art classes are perfect for camps, birthdays, schools, and special events. To inquire about Liz Ebanks AWARD WINNING CHILDREN’S ART WORKSHOPS, adult private art lessons, or commission an original oil painting email a request to: Liz@RescueTeam.com
