Sheila Berenson: A Lifetime of Creativity in Art and Education

Sheila Berenson is an educator, writer, and visual artist based in Brookline, Massachusetts. Her professional journey spans decades of teaching, writing, and creating art, all guided by one consistent principle: curiosity fuels understanding.

Art has always been a part of Sheila’s life, shaping her approach to learning and inspiring her to connect with the world in meaningful ways.

Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Sheila earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a Master of Education in Reading from the University of Texas–Austin. Early on, she recognized that limited literacy skills could hinder students’ ability to grasp larger concepts, particularly in middle school science, her first teaching assignment. This realization led her to focus on fostering critical thinking and literacy in her students while integrating creative methods of her art world into the classroom.

Sheila also founded and directed a children’s museum in Kansas, creating opportunities for hands-on exploration that encouraged children to learn through curiosity and imagination. She later taught at the University of Kansas, Wichita State, and Framingham State University, including graduate courses in education in Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, Mexico, El Salvador, and Guatemala. Throughout her career, she has maintained a deep commitment to helping others engage with learning and creativity. Today, Sheila channels that commitment solely into her art, where her paintings, sculptures, and mixed-media works have been found in numerous juried exhibitions.

Her art can be explored further at www.sheilaberenson.com.

Q&A with Sheila Berenson

You’ve lived and worked in many places over the years. How have those moves shaped your outlook on creativity and learning?

As a younger adult I lived in several cities—including Nashville, Madison, San Antonio, Austin, Wichita, and Lawrence—which taught me adaptability and the ability to see the world from multiple perspectives. I later settled in Kansas City for long-term stability, and now I enjoy a retired life in Massachusetts.Art has always been part of my life, even during teaching, and each place brought unique visual and cultural influences that shaped both my creative work and my approach to education. Teaching students across ages and subjects required observation, flexibility, and creativity, qualities that I continue to bring into my studio practice.

What first drew you to education?

I didn’t come to teaching immediately. Like many young people, I wanted to make a meaningful difference in the world. I knew I connected well with children, and while at the University of Wisconsin, I was inspired by the philosophy of John Dewey, who emphasized personal meaning and inherent connectedness between subjects in the classroom. I began as a middle school science teacher but quickly realized that many students struggled with reading their textbooks, so I pursued a master’s degree in reading education since teaching students how to read well was the foundation for almost all other learning. Even then, art was present in my teaching as a tool to help students visualize concepts and engage with material in a deeper way.

You founded a children’s museum while still teaching. What inspired that?

I began the museum when children’s museums were first entering the US, and I immediately saw them as a way for my two sons—and other children in the community—to explore, play, and learn through hands-on experiences, as art and creativity were central to the museum’s vision. Even with the demands of teaching and parenting, I devoted myself to building a space that encouraged children to think, imagine, and experiment. This experience reinforced my belief that creativity is not about perfection but about participation, discovery, and expanding one’s understanding.

How did writing become part of your professional journey?

Writing emerged naturally from my teaching. I began contributing to professional journals, sharing creative approaches I had developed in the classroom. Later, after a period of recuperation from a long-term injury at home, I focused on writing for children and young adults, then continued the writing when I returned to the classroom, earning a dozen state and national awards for my work.

Your artwork now includes painting, mixed media, and sculpture. How did that evolution happen?

Art has been present in my life since childhood, but it became my primary focus after retiring. Moving to the Boston area, enrolling in various art classes and working under a local artist while joining a local makerspace, surrounded me with a wealth of creative people. I began experimenting with textures, colors, movement, and working with wood and metal, inspired by artists like Frank Stella, Judy Pfaff, Elizabeth Murray, Lee Bontecou, and Daniel Richter. Teaching gave me discipline and structure, while art allowed me freedom and expression. The two complement each other, guiding my ongoing exploration of curiosity and human connection.

What themes guide your work today?

Curiosity and connection are at the heart of my work. I want my art to make viewers pause, think, and consider the relationships between ideas, experiences, and emotions. Much like in education, I explore how knowledge and understanding intersect across disciplines. I’m also interested in how technology can reduce opportunities for imagination and the liberal arts, so my work encourages reflection and active engagement.

You’ve received recognition for both teaching and writing. Which achievements stand out most?

While receiving honors like the Midwest Technology Award from the International Reading Association was incredibly meaningful, the moments that stay with me are the personal ones. I think of unexpected comments, such as those from half a dozen moms who told me their second graders suddenly couldn’t put books down, or the high school student who admitted they had never finished a book before my class and now proudly celebrates having read several – those are the experiences that matter most to me since the crucial need to turn children onto reading was why I became a teacher.