Brandan Ellars

About me:

Since an early age, art has been a part of who I am. I have been creating for as long as I can remember. In becoming an educator, I took a very non-traditional route. After spending a year at Muskingum University and two years at Otterbein University, I finally received my Bachelor's of Art in Fine Art from Wilmington College. I spent my time at all three with a concentration in Photography and Graphic Design.

In 2004, I opened up my own photography business, which is going into its 17th year of business. In 2010, I started substitute teaching in the Washington C.H. City School District. In 2013, I decided that I wanted to pass on my passion for art to others, so I enrolled at Notre Dame College of Ohio and completed their teaching licensure program for my K-12 Visual Arts License. It was also during this time WCH offered me the opportunity to teach full time in the high school art room while working on my education license. After finishing my K-12 Visual Arts License in 2015, I was approached by a few people at Great Oaks to consider applying to be the instructor in the new Digital Arts and Design program at the Laurel Oaks Career Campus. Soon after starting at Laurel I enrolled at Bowling Green State University to get my career tech teaching license in their graduate program.

Outside of formal education, I have spent countless hours in professional development within the art and design industry where I have received several certifications. I am a proud member of Professional Photographers of America, Ohio Art League, and several other smaller non-profit organizations.

What I love about teaching...For me teaching is more than sharing information about my industry. The part I enjoy most are the connections that are made with the students as they journey through the process of becoming a creative professional. I love that I can pass on my experiences and knowledge on to them and hopefully be just a small part of their successes in life. I enjoy the daily challenge of empowering students to be creative thinkers and lifelong learners.

The best part of my classroom...
I think the best part of my classroom is the culture. We have created space where students feel comfortable, supported and continuously challenged creatively. It is a place where students know they can express themselves creatively and learn what it takes to be successful at the next level.