Hello, my name is Peter Middleton and I started teaching at Black River in 2002.  Initially I was the only art teacher for grades 4 through 12, but as our student population grew, we now have three full-time art teachers working with K-12 students.  I started attending college in 1987 and earned an AA degree, then a BA degree from New College of Florida, a Masters of Fine Art degree from Western Michigan University and a Masters of Education from Grand Valley State University.  I am currently working on another graduate degree, working toward a degree as an Education Specialist in school leadership at GVSU.

I have exhibited my paintings and drawings both nationally and internationally.  I have been a collaborator in large-scale community-based projects since 1997, leading art installations and presenting throughout Michigan but also working in other states and abroad.  From 2006 through 2013, I co-owned BIGthink, a not-for-profit art teaching and collaborative group of science, art, and technology experts working with others on creativity, education, peaceful relations among people and community-based collaborative projects.

I most often teach grades 4 -12 at Black River, but mostly focus on high school level advanced art, AP Art history and AP Drawing.  I often propose and teach new classes at Black River to include these from the past years:  Chicago/Vienna with Dr. Dykhouse, Math of Art with Mrs. Pardue, and Utopic/Dystopic Studies with Mrs. Foreman.  Also, I have proposed original courses for G-Block electives to include:  Native American Tech, Western Civilization, The Lost City of Z, Ancient Civilization, and Topics in Art History.