About the Author
Susana Lasta, holds a Superior Professor of Painting (~M.F.A. with Thesis) from the National University of La Plata, Argentina 1969. She is an artist and art educator with over 40 years of experience in North and South America. As Art Consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area, she conducted educational research in elementary and middle schools. She identified several problems in the teaching of curricular subjects that cannot be solved by traditional education. In collaboration with NASA scientists, she implemented the use of space technology in education at Gilfford School in Redwood City (CA) and published "From the pocket to the outer space" (School Art, 1991). In "A Child's View of Art in Public Places" (commissioned by San Jose City Mayor Blanca Alvarado, and supported by Western Digital Co. 1994) she introduced grammar school students to sculpture creation and appreciation in consonance with the inauguration of three sculptures of downtown San Jose (CA). "Of Words and Colors" (1996) gave 7th grade students of Graham Middle School in Mountain View (CA) a vibrant synthesis of literature and visual arts. In 1998-1999, she created “Art and Social Studies for 6th Grade” also at Graham Middle School. At Meadows School in San Jose (1998) she created the first K-6 curriculum based on integration through art. After this successful school-wide program, the Franklin McKinley School District (San Jose), commissioned her to create, design and test a pilot program for the K-6 integration through art Curriculum (1999-2001). These programs were supported by teachers-training workshops conducted by Lasta. The ultimate products resulting from her research work are CITA (Curriculum-Integration-Through-Art) Programs, privately distributed to improve public and private education in the US and elsewhere. Recently, she has done advisory work in Spain.
