For All Access Arts teaching artist Aztrid Moan, creativity has always been closely tied to community. In 2027, they’ll bring that perspective to a new role as Artist in Residence for Arts Council Oklahoma City’s Teen Arts Council, helping guide the next class of young artists as they explore new disciplines, collaborate and develop their own creative voices.
Growing up in a family connected to the arts, Aztrid was introduced to Oklahoma City’s creative community at an early age. By the time they were 12, they already knew they wanted to find their own place within it.
“My parents and grandparents were involved in the arts community when I was growing up, so I was exposed to the arts from a young age,” Aztrid said. “I quickly fell in love with the creative community and everything it had to offer.”
Today, they are helping another generation of young people begin making those same discoveries through All Access Arts.
For Aztrid, one of the most rewarding parts of being a teaching artist is seeing the moment a student realizes how many possibilities art can offer.
“I love seeing them learn, experiment with different mediums, and explore all the possibilities that art has to offer,” they said. “There’s something so special about seeing their eyes light up with curiosity and wonder as they realize what they can create.”
Those moments don’t always come from completing a finished artwork. Sometimes the most important change is helping a student see creativity differently.
Aztrid remembers working with a student through the mentorship program at Artspace at Untitled and introducing them to screen printing. As they explored the process together, Aztrid watched the student begin to understand that making art didn’t have to mean working within a single medium or following one particular path.
“That day, I felt like I helped open their eyes to new possibilities and showed them that there are so many different ways to express themselves through art,” Aztrid said.
Over time, Aztrid has seen another change take place in their students: a growing willingness to take creative risks.
“The biggest lasting impact I see is the confidence to try something new,” they said. “Over time, I’ve watched students become more willing to experiment, take risks, and trust their own ideas.”
For Aztrid, that confidence extends well beyond an individual project.
“That confidence extends beyond art and becomes something they can carry with them in all areas of their lives.”
That philosophy will be central to their work as Artist in Residence for the 2027 Teen Arts Council. The program gives high school students an opportunity to experience different artistic disciplines while developing leadership, collaboration and project-planning skills within Oklahoma City’s arts community.
As Artist in Residence, Aztrid will help create an environment where TAC members can experiment with unfamiliar forms of art, learn from one another and gain confidence in the ideas they bring to the group.
Aztrid sees teaching as part of their own continued development as an artist.
“At the top of my list is continuing to grow as a teaching artist through the All Access Arts program,” they said. “I’m really looking forward to working with young artists and continuing to help them discover their creativity.”
They’re also looking forward to helping develop fall classes at Quartz Mountain and exploring new ways to create opportunities for young artists.
Now, as Arts Council OKC prepares to welcome the 2027 Teen Arts Council class, Aztrid will have the opportunity to help those students begin finding their own places within the creative community—much as they did growing up in Oklahoma City.
For Aztrid, it starts with giving young artists permission to experiment, take a risk and discover what they’re capable of creating.