My Name is Cole Leighton. I completed my BFA in Art Education from the University of Southern Maine in May 2020. My concentration was in ceramics and I got a minor in book arts, but I enjoy working with several different mediums. I have been teaching art in the Westbrook school system for the last three years.
I came to teaching art on a bit of a winding path. In 2011 I received my B.A. in Sociology, also from the University of Southern Maine. It was during my time in that program that I started taking art classes, and was able to merge my passions for art and social activism, which opened up a world of possibilities for me. After completing this degree program, I worked at a few different organizations as an educator, and it was then that I realized my love of teaching. In 2017, I had the opportunity to return to school to combine my enthusiasm for teaching and for art in the art education BFA program.
I enjoy reading non-fiction, playing outside with my dogs, watching documentaries, woodworking, creating art, and exploring nature in my free time.