Register by Oct. 1st to receive you conference t-shirt!
Have you registered for the WAEA Fall Conference yet?
It's right around the corner and we want to make sure you don't miss out on some amazing workshops and opportunities. Register NOW before your favorite workshop gets sold out! Learn more about the WAEA Fall Conference at our Website!
In order to limit our carbon foot-print, our gas bills, and extend our connections on the drive in...and ensure transportation and lodging is not a barrier to your conference attendance, we have created a ride-share/room-share.
We have provided the Ride-Share and/or Room-Share Survey to bridge connections across our regions.
Once submitted, you will receive the link in your email to the spreadsheet in order to connect with others.
(WAEA will not be held responsible for the connections made, the laughter shared, art discussed, and the collaboration that ensues from this curation of requests.)
The Washington Art Education Association’s Fall Conference is one of the largest professional development opportunities in the state of Washington that is exclusively developed for art educators and artists. Participating in exemplary professional learning workshops and sessions with other pK-12 art educators, museum educators, researchers, scholars and university professors, teaching artists, administrators and more provides a unique opportunity to collaborate and learn from other professionals in the field, as well as share the successes of your own school and communities.
Within the myriad of concurrent sessions offered at the WAEA 2023 Fall Conference, there are sessions specifically targeted to meet any professional development goal—including strategies for enhancing student achievement, interdisciplinary learning, assessment, ED&I, curriculum, and instruction. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to preview instructional resources and materials that are not available elsewhere.
Learn More About The Fall Conference Keynote Speaker, Preston Wadley!
Preston Wadley is Professor Emeritus of Fine Arts at Cornish College of the Arts, a beloved art educator and longstanding member of the local artistic scene. Wadley moved to Seattle from his hometown of Los Angeles to study with Jacob Lawrence, and received a BFA and MFA in painting from the University of Washington. His incorporation of photography into book arts is both technically unique and conceptually rich; he is a philosopher at heart.
“Abstract thinking is the ability to understand concepts that are real, such as truth, freedom or anxiety, but are not directly tied to physical objects and experiences. In other words, abstract thinking is the ability to absorb information and make connections to an expanded world. A primary goal of my art is to catalyze this type of intellectual activity as one engages the work.”
–Preston Wadley, from his Artist Statement
--Image credit: Winifred Westergard
Our first volunteer event will be Swag Bag Stuffing at Shannon Brennan's on October 14th! It turns out that is also Tacoma Working Artists' Studio Tours! We will prep bags early then head out to the studios!
We cannot make this conference happen without amazing volunteers like you!
Silent Auction
Cascade High School
Saturday, Oct 21st 9am - 5pm
We will be hosting a silent auction at our Fall Conference where ALL proceeds will go to WAEA scholarships!
So What Can I Donate? Anything you think others would find useful or worthwhile! You can find some examples below.
Gift cards
Gift baskets
Art supplies (new or lightly used)
2-and-3D art and other art-related items
Simply bring your donations with you to the Fall Conference & we will collect them when you check in! Email any donation questions to copresident2@waea.net. Thank you SO much for your interest and donations.
Become a Vendor or Sponsor at the Fall Conference?
Vendor Fair: October 21st, 8am - 5pm
The vendor fair is an important part of the conference and gives attendees the opportunity to learn about a business/school, try out purchasable materials, and learn about the wide array of products available to them. We hope to see you there for this wonderful opportunity!
Preston Wadley is Professor Emeritus of Fine Arts at Cornish College of the Arts, a beloved art educator and longstanding member of the local artistic scene. Wadley moved to Seattle from his hometown of Los Angeles to study with Jacob Lawrence, and received a BFA and MFA in painting from the University of Washington. His incorporation of photography into book arts is both technically unique and conceptually rich; he is a philosopher at heart. 
