See what people
are saying about Ali!
“
I had the absolute pleasure of welcoming Ali Roland as a guest art educator in my classroom this school year. Her calm, organized, and thoughtful presence and her ability to connect with students on their level is remarkable. They eagerly anticipated her visits and the creative projects she introduced.
Ali is an excellent communicator and collaborator. Ali brought a phenomenal muralist to work with our students. The resulting beautiful mural was a meaningful reflection of the students’ voices and creativity. Throughout the workshop, Ali seamlessly shifted between supporting and leading, always stepping into the role that was needed with grace and confidence.
Beyond her professional strengths, Ali is simply a joy to work with—kind, encouraging, and full of positive energy.
–Kristin Larson, Red Hook High School Art and Media Teacher
“I had the absolute pleasure of welcoming Ali Roland as a guest art educator in my classroom this school year. Her calm, organized, and thoughtful presence and her ability to connect with students on their level is remarkable. They eagerly anticipated her visits and the creative projects she introduced.
Ali is an excellent communicator and collaborator. Ali brought a phenomenal muralist to work with our students. The resulting beautiful mural was a meaningful reflection of the students’ voices and creativity. Throughout the workshop, Ali seamlessly shifted between supporting and leading, always stepping into the role that was needed with grace and confidence.
Beyond her professional strengths, Ali is simply a joy to work with—kind, encouraging, and full of positive energy.”
–Kristin Larson, Red Hook High School Art and Media Teacher
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“Our participants in Ali’s therapeutic art classes are fully engaged and continually exploring new methods of creating and expressing themselves. Ali is patient and so very tuned-in to each individual and works to guide them at their own pace. If you are looking for a creative art therapy facilitator whose approach is warm, playful, and imaginative, while treating each client as a unique and beautiful human being, look no further than Ali!”
–Amy Recchia, Music Therapist Program Coordinator, Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health
“Our participants in Ali’s therapeutic art classes are fully engaged and continually exploring new methods of creating and expressing themselves. Ali is patient and so very tuned-in to each individual and works to guide them at their own pace. If you are looking for a creative art therapy facilitator whose approach is warm, playful, and imaginative, while treating each client as a unique and beautiful human being, look no further than Ali!”
–Amy Recchia, Music Therapist Program Coordinator, Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health
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“Ali Roland is a highly regarded arts educator and consummate creative arts facilitator, whose deeply empathic presence is both affirming and inspiring. Attuning, adapting, and assessing the needs of both individual clients and groups, Ali skillfully bridges the educational and healing dimensions of the expressive arts, and in so doing, is the quintessence of the adage: all art is therapeutic!”
–Lucy Barbera, PhD, LCAT, Director, Trauma-Informed Creative Art Therapy Certificate Programs
“Ali Roland is a highly regarded arts educator and consummate creative arts facilitator, whose deeply empathic presence is both affirming and inspiring. Attuning, adapting, and assessing the needs of both individual clients and groups, Ali skillfully bridges the educational and healing dimensions of the expressive arts, and in so doing, is the quintessence of the adage: all art is therapeutic!”
–Lucy Barbera, PhD, LCAT, Director, Trauma-Informed Creative Art Therapy Certificate Programs
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"Ali is a fun and effective educator with an uncanny ability to engage learners of all ages and levels through therapeutic arts expression. Through her impressive expertise with materials and techniques, as well as her playful and resourceful disposition, Ali can facilitate profound, positive, and transformative arts experiences for anyone regardless of ability or experience level. I feel lucky to have a teaching artist of her caliber involved in The Art Effect's Arts for Healing program."
-Mary Ellen Iatropoulos, Arts for Healing at The Art Effect, Poughkeepsie, NY
"Ali is a fun and effective educator with an uncanny ability to engage learners of all ages and levels through therapeutic arts expression. Through her impressive expertise with materials and techniques, as well as her playful and resourceful disposition, Ali can facilitate profound, positive, and transformative arts experiences for anyone regardless of ability or experience level. I feel lucky to have a teaching artist of her caliber involved in The Art Effect's Arts for Healing program."
-Mary Ellen Iatropoulos, Arts for Healing at The Art Effect, Poughkeepsie, NY
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“Ali's approach to the students was invariably authentic, honest, kind, and inspiring. Every child felt seen, heard, and valued. They loved working with her from the first day and their pride in the gorgeous mural they created is palpable.”
–Caitlin Appleby, School Culture Coordinator. Brighter Choice Charter School
“Ali's approach to the students was invariably authentic, honest, kind, and inspiring. Every child felt seen, heard, and valued. They loved working with her from the first day and their pride in the gorgeous mural they created is palpable.”
–Caitlin Appleby, School Culture Coordinator. Brighter Choice Charter School
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As I watched Ali work with my students to create a mural, I saw her expertise as an educator and as a compassionate human—fully engaged, showing them she’s there to fully support them as people and artists.
—Julie Shultis, Art Chair, Red Hook High School
As I watched Ali work with my students to create a mural, I saw her expertise as an educator and as a compassionate human—fully engaged, showing them she’s there to fully support them as people and artists.
—Julie Shultis, Art Chair, Red Hook High School
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As a parent and educator, I have been impressed with Ali's talents as an art educator—her years of experience, her creativity, and her willingness to meet students where they are. She has exposed my daughter to a wide range of artists and their perspectives. She is open-minded and kind. My daughter loved going to Ali's studio and making art!
–Christine K, parent
As a parent and educator, I have been impressed with Ali's talents as an art educator—her years of experience, her creativity, and her willingness to meet students where they are. She has exposed my daughter to a wide range of artists and their perspectives. She is open-minded and kind. My daughter loved going to Ali's studio and making art!
–Christine K, parent
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Ali taught me about art I didn't even know existed. I got to explore new art mediums for the first time. Ali is kind and caring. She is always there to talk to and she is really fun to do art with!
–Daphne K, former student
Ali taught me about art I didn't even know existed. I got to explore new art mediums for the first time. Ali is kind and caring. She is always there to talk to and she is really fun to do art with!
–Daphne K, former student
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Ali Roland was the reason our daughter fell in love with art, a passion that continues to this day and that Ms. Roland continues to foster. Our son and daughter take classes with her and we love and value her investment in them and their experience in the Ali Roland Studio. Her willingness to work with each of them individually in accordance with their vastly difference leanings, passions, and skills shows her commitment to each of them as individual artists.
–Sheila and Asher Baer, parents
Ali Roland was the reason our daughter fell in love with art, a passion that continues to this day and that Ms. Roland continues to foster. Our son and daughter take classes with her and we love and value her investment in them and their experience in the Ali Roland Studio. Her willingness to work with each of them individually in accordance with their vastly difference leanings, passions, and skills shows her commitment to each of them as individual artists.
–Sheila and Asher Baer, parents
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Ms. Roland’s art class is so much fun. I love how she allows me to use so many cool objects on my art projects and how she gets excited about my choices. I also like listening to music with her and reading stories about people from all over the world.
–Mason L, student age 8
Ms. Roland’s art class is so much fun. I love how she allows me to use so many cool objects on my art projects and how she gets excited about my choices. I also like listening to music with her and reading stories about people from all over the world.
–Mason L, student age 8
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When I walked into the art studio there was always a smile on my face. Ms. Roland is the best art teacher. She makes every class interesting. I love listening to stories about other cultures and using all her amazing materials to make my art come alive.
–Mia L, student age 10
When I walked into the art studio there was always a smile on my face. Ms. Roland is the best art teacher. She makes every class interesting. I love listening to stories about other cultures and using all her amazing materials to make my art come alive.
–Mia L, student age 10
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As colleagues—science teacher and art teacher—working together for 21 years, Ali and I continuously collaborated on projects. For example, she supported my AIDS/HIV health curriculum unit by creating a series of mixed media handmade quilts with her art students for the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. Her work was passionate, intelligent, and inspiring, culminating in six artistic and beautifully constructed quilts that were presented at the New York State World AIDS Day event and registered to the permanent collection of the National AIDS Memorial in Washington, DC. The art community needs more educators like Ali Roland to empower children to make a difference. Ali teaches children that they are art activists and change-makers while developing skills in art.
–Diane Duffus, former colleague
As colleagues—science teacher and art teacher—working together for 21 years, Ali and I continuously collaborated on projects. For example, she supported my AIDS/HIV health curriculum unit by creating a series of mixed media handmade quilts with her art students for the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. Her work was passionate, intelligent, and inspiring, culminating in six artistic and beautifully constructed quilts that were presented at the New York State World AIDS Day event and registered to the permanent collection of the National AIDS Memorial in Washington, DC. The art community needs more educators like Ali Roland to empower children to make a difference. Ali teaches children that they are art activists and change-makers while developing skills in art.
–Diane Duffus, former colleague
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Despite having experienced art camps for six summers as well as strong art instructors at her prior school, our daughter insists that Ali was the best art teacher she had ever encountered. Ali has an unparalleled ability to stretch the skill and imagination of her students with kindness and patience.
–Huda Scheidelman, parent
Despite having experienced art camps for six summers as well as strong art instructors at her prior school, our daughter insists that Ali was the best art teacher she had ever encountered. Ali has an unparalleled ability to stretch the skill and imagination of her students with kindness and patience.
–Huda Scheidelman, parent
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When Ali taught our children, she gave a project to our daughter and it turned into a multi-week passion project that involved our daughter, Ali, and a friend and incorporated clothing design and duct tape. It was fun, inspiring and certainly memorable and it was that passion for art that Ali gave our daughter that helped make a wacky idea a reality. Every time we talk, her artistic passion and belief in a fair and just society give me inspiration that there are people and educators out there who can positively help youth and adults get in touch with their talents and humanity.
–Neville Smythe, parent and former Dutchess Day School trustee
When Ali taught our children, she gave a project to our daughter and it turned into a multi-week passion project that involved our daughter, Ali, and a friend and incorporated clothing design and duct tape. It was fun, inspiring and certainly memorable and it was that passion for art that Ali gave our daughter that helped make a wacky idea a reality. Every time we talk, her artistic passion and belief in a fair and just society give me inspiration that there are people and educators out there who can positively help youth and adults get in touch with their talents and humanity.
–Neville Smythe, parent and former Dutchess Day School trustee
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Ali deeply impacted our daughters and equipped them with artistic tools and eyes that present themselves every day, from room decor/color balance and opposition, to finding flowers/twigs/leaves and creating 3D masterpieces, to looking at the fur of our tricolored puppies and finding negative/positive patterns and shapes, to remembering artists’ birthdays, to enjoying each and every day and finding something beautiful to smile about. Plus endless skills, strengths and confidence. You can't ask more from a teacher. Ali over delivers and brings the best out in ALL OF US.
–Danielle & George Banta, parents
Ali deeply impacted our daughters and equipped them with artistic tools and eyes that present themselves every day, from room decor/color balance and opposition, to finding flowers/twigs/leaves and creating 3D masterpieces, to looking at the fur of our tricolored puppies and finding negative/positive patterns and shapes, to remembering artists’ birthdays, to enjoying each and every day and finding something beautiful to smile about. Plus endless skills, strengths and confidence. You can't ask more from a teacher. Ali over delivers and brings the best out in ALL OF US.
–Danielle & George Banta, parents
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Ali shows great passion for art—she is well-versed in history, artistic movements, and a comprehensive range of artists and loves to share her knowledge and enthusiasm. Ali is very creative in her use of materials. In her hands, almost anything is fodder for art making.
–Elizabeth Hargrave, parent
Ali shows great passion for art—she is well-versed in history, artistic movements, and a comprehensive range of artists and loves to share her knowledge and enthusiasm. Ali is very creative in her use of materials. In her hands, almost anything is fodder for art making.
–Elizabeth Hargrave, parent
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Ali Roland is an amazing and passionate teacher. Her respect for the child as a capable learner truly draws children to feel confident that they can create art and find joy in doing so.
She generously shares her passion and her open heart inspires children to grow as artists and be curious. My son always looked forward to her classes. One of his sayings was, "Never miss a class with Ms.Roland"
–Bintou Hinds, parent
Ali Roland is an amazing and passionate teacher. Her respect for the child as a capable learner truly draws children to feel confident that they can create art and find joy in doing so.
She generously shares her passion and her open heart inspires children to grow as artists and be curious. My son always looked forward to her classes. One of his sayings was, "Never miss a class with Ms.Roland"
–Bintou Hinds, parent
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We got to do these amazing projects and they were so fun to make. Yayoi Kusama’s art was beautiful and I enjoyed learning about her.
–Jeremy H, third grade student
We got to do these amazing projects and they were so fun to make. Yayoi Kusama’s art was beautiful and I enjoyed learning about her.
–Jeremy H, third grade student
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I served as Alison’s direct supervisor during her years at Chapin and I would rank her among the top five art department colleagues I’ve had the pleasure of working with in over 40 years of art teaching experience and supervision. She brought tremendous imagination, enthusiasm, and warmth to everything she did in the classroom and beyond. Her bright smile and upbeat personality filled the room with creative energy and was evident in how she interacted with her students and coworkers. She takes particular pleasure in solving problems and inventing challenging and engaging ways for her students to explore their own creative ideas. Alison’s acute awareness of diversity issues contributed to an inclusive atmosphere making all her students feel welcome and capable. Likewise, she is an outstanding collaborator which made her fun and interesting to work with.
–Duane Neil, Art Department Chair, Chapin School, NYC
I served as Alison’s direct supervisor during her years at Chapin and I would rank her among the top five art department colleagues I’ve had the pleasure of working with in over 40 years of art teaching experience and supervision. She brought tremendous imagination, enthusiasm, and warmth to everything she did in the classroom and beyond. Her bright smile and upbeat personality filled the room with creative energy and was evident in how she interacted with her students and coworkers. She takes particular pleasure in solving problems and inventing challenging and engaging ways for her students to explore their own creative ideas. Alison’s acute awareness of diversity issues contributed to an inclusive atmosphere making all her students feel welcome and capable. Likewise, she is an outstanding collaborator which made her fun and interesting to work with.
–Duane Neil, Art Department Chair, Chapin School, NYC