Sunnye McGraw has taught at Prep for 19 years. She holds B.A. and
a M.A.E. degrees in Art Education from the University of Southern
Mississippi. She has done additional study with Sammy Britt, Alan
Flattman, Bob Dunnaway, Ann Barron, Debra Brown, and Wyatt Waters.
Ms. McGraw grew up wanting to take art lessons because her school
did not offer such classes. The fact that she did not have the opportunity
to take art in high school made her first impression of Prep indelible
when, as she drove into Prep for a track meet once, she saw art
students sketching outside. At that point, she knew she wanted to
be an art teacher.
Ms. McGraw sees the infinite possibilities of
creativity, and these serve not only as challenges but as
sources of motivation. She sees her role as an arts educator
as rewarding as she initiates the creative process, provides
direction and motivation, and then shares in the results.
She truly believes the words of Picasso, “Art washes
away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” As research
increasingly verifies the importance of the arts in education
as enhancers of emotional, social, and academic skills, Ms.
McGraw enjoys her role in the process of shaping successful
adults through the arts.
As an artist Ms. McGraw appreciates creative
use of texture, color, and light; she also finds pleasure
in painting and printmaking. Her favorite painting that she
has produced is a large oil painting of her daughter Shelley
playing in the sand at the beach. In addition to her own creative
works, she especially cherishes the e-mails, phone calls,
and letters from alumni that she receives. She sees these
as affirmation of her intent as an educator. The lady who
would cover her kitchen floor with paper and provide her toddlers
with paints to create masterpieces continues to provide the
means for creative expression for the students of Jackson
Prep.
She is Art Gallery Director, and teaching Art II
and Advanced Art classes, which include the Advanced Placement
students. In addition, she teaches an After-School-Art program
and summer workshops for elementary and junior high students.
During her career, Sunnye has been a member of the
National Art Education Association, Mississippi Art Education
Association, the International Network for Performing and Visual
Arts, presented at the Jackson Association of Independent Schools,
and served several years as the Mississippi Private School Association
State Art Chairman. She has attended various professional conferences
sponsored by these organizations. She is a native of Yazoo County.
Her daughter, Casey, a recent graduate of Jackson Prep, is a sophomore
at the University of Mississippi, where she is planning to study
graphic design and marketing. Her daughter, Shelley is presently
a tenth grader at Prep.
“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday
life.” Picasso
