Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to MaryJo Rosania-Harvie. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

MaryJo, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I worked on a two year collaboration with CITYarts’ 50 States of Peace initiative. CITYarts’ Pieces for Peace Exhibition of artwork from youth around the world, traveled to the Pati Eiffe gallery at Moravian University where it as celebrated with over 100 works created in workshops with students from the Bethlehem Area School District (BASD).

In collaboration with the school district, student artwork was displayed in the Eiffe Gallery and we held a reception for the public, the students and families. The over 100 artworks then travelled to the Bethlehem Area Public Library for a month-long exhibition.

Student’s visions then became the inspiration for a community mural, conceptualized by muralist Matt Halm, a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts rostered teaching artist & Bethlehem resident.This partnership was made possible by a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, in collaboration with ArtsQuest & the Banana Factory Arts Center.

In collaboration with the City of Bethlehem Parks and Recreation, Northside Alive, & CITYarts we selected Bernie Fritz Park as the perfect site for the Bethlehem Peace Mural. During April & May, 2024, Mr. Halm met with Moravian University students and visited BASD schools to make this mural a reality. In 2023, students from William Penn & Thomas Jefferson Elementary Schools, and Northeast Middle School participated in peacebuilding art workshops facilitated by Tsipi Ben-Haim, CITYarts Founder, Creative, & Executive Director, Dr. MaryJo Rosania-Harvie, Moravian Art Education, and Dr. Cathy Coyne, Moravian Public Health.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a Professor of Art and Art Education Coordinator at Moravian University in Bethlehem, PA. Before this position, I was the Chief of Artistic Programs and Events and Co-Principal at the Lehigh Charter High School for the Arts, a public charter high school for the arts. For 17 years before that, I taught art at the high school level. When I had the opportunity to return to the classroom at Moravian, I was ready to focus on creating a culture of collaboration and community in my art education and studio courses. Students are encouraged to focus on the process while developing lesson plans and projects and when working on their artwork. My pre-service art educators create student-centered lessons emphasizing inclusive practices and are encouraged to engage in their own reflection along the way.

In every education setting, I have learned something new that shaped my work in art education. Early in my career I discovered the value of collaboration in the classroom. As a teacher, we can help our students by facilitating connections through collaborative art making, critical thinking, and planning. We are each other’s best resources, and art classrooms provide the perfect setting and tools for building compassion and inclusion. Throughout my career, this has shaped my teaching philosophy.

I have a Doctorate in Transformational Teaching and Learning from Kutztown University and a Master’s in Fine Arts from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. I am certified in K-12 Art Education, Early Childhood, and Education Administration in NJ and PA and also has a BFA also from Kutztown University. My studio work is an interdisciplinary exploration of identity through a variety of media, including drawing, video, photography, costume design, installation, and performance. My scholarship in education focuses on the impact of past experiences related to learning, and on educator identity and practice, and belonging in the classroom.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My creative journey is driven by the desire to build community and make connections through art. Once I discovered the joy of working in a studio environment, I was drawn to it. This lead to my desire to be an art educator, and to provide a creative and safe space for youth.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

When I became a teacher, it forced me to think about my own learning and struggles as a learner. When doing this, I was also able to shift my perspective and understand how important my role is in the lives of the students I worked with. I vowed to be the teacher I always wanted and needed. As the years have passed, this has become more and more important to me. My doctoral research examined the educational experiences of educators, both positive and negative, and how they impact the educator we become.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.maryjorosania.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moravianarteducation/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryjo-rosania-harvie-mfa-edd-09a7004/