Artist residency in schools grades 6-12 and other educational/community settings.

Recent Residencies:

McGuire Visiting Artist, Blake Upper and Middle Schools, McKnight Community Arts Program / Como Park Senior High School, Light & Vision Residency / Oak Hill Montessori.

I am interested in exploring with young adults questions of identity, utilizing the photographic portrait as a primary tool. While students learn how to interpret photographs through various writing exercises and group interaction, they also learn about themselves, society and cultures. I keep the process of portrait making flexible to make a meaningful connection between the class curriculum and the activities of the workshop.

Exploration of identity through the photographic lens
The making of an individual portrait is accomplished by pairing students, using digital, traditional, or disposable cameras to make photographs of their partner. Students learn composition and various photographic tools before making final portraits.

Exploration of cultural identity, Faces of New America
Faces of New America is a collection of portraits of young immigrants, which provides a powerful tool for meaningful connection to classroom curriculum and issues related to cultural identity.
See images & description,.

Teachers’ Quotes

"Thank you so much for the outstanding learning opportunity you provided for my students and for me. You guided students into meaningful discussions about identity, immigration, culture, coming of age and more. I have never seen these students have such a thoughtful discussion and dive so deeply and eagerly into art work. Your photography and your energizing discussion were truly inspirational for my students. You have a wonderful way of urging student to explore inside themselves to uncover their identity. My students and I really enjoyed our time with you."

— Melissa Nagan, Art teacher, The Blake Middle School

"Jila Nikpay was the first visiting artist I‘ve hosted in my Digital Cinema course at Blake, and I learned as much from her as my students did, if not more. She had a direct, concise way of communicating her ideas and lessons. My students clearly have made use of her teachings. I truly enjoyed working with her and I would welcome the opportunity to do it again!"

— J Jolton, Media Arts instructor, The Blake Upper School

"It was a pleasure to have Jila come to my classes; she has a natural ability to connect with kids. After only a short time in the room, Jila established an easy rapport with the students and got them excited and interested in dialogue. She was able to engage them in high level conversation about race, identity, and belonging."

— Kathy Haddad, English teacher, Kennedy High School

Listed on the COMPAS roster of Writers and Artists in the Schools (WAITS) and the Minnesota State Arts Board's Arts in Education residency programs.

To learn about the Minnesota State Arts Board’s Arts in Education program, visit http://www.arts.state.mn.us/aie/ or call Senior Program Officer Amy Frimpong at (651) 215-1607.

To learn about COMPAS, visit: http://www.compas.org/pages/waits.html or request a roster handbook, call Director of Education Daniel Gabriel at 651-292-3254.