Art Educator & Designer
WILLIAM BRIAN MATHES
BIO
My Story
My name is William Brian Mathes, an art educator within the School District of Philadelphia. I earned my Bachelor of Science Degree from Drexel University in 2001 for Graphic Design. The program was extremely challenging and prepared my class and I for the highly competitive nature of the business world. Upon graduation, I worked successfully for many well-known companies and gained a wealth of experience. After I met my wife, I made the choice to go back to school to earn my teaching certificate and began teaching in September 2006 in West Philadelphia, then South Philadelphia and am now in the highest ranked middle school in Philadelphia, CCA Baldi Middle School, located in the Great Northeast. Every year, I have been building my program more and more. Last year we created a mural in the library and pushed the boundaries of our sculptures to a whole new level. My goal is to become an even better educator, craftsman, artist, designer, sculptor and builder to prepare my students and my own children for the future. I subscribe to the philosophy of CANI — Constant & Never-ending Improvement.
PERSONAL WORK
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EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
EDUCATION HISTORY
Lifetime of Learning
Drexel University 1997—2001: Bachelor of Science Degree in Graphic Design plus 9 MBA credits
Philadelphia University 2003 —2004/2006: Earned 24 credits towards a Masters of Art in Digital Design
Moore College of Art & Design 2006 — 2007: Post-Baccalaureate in Art Education
Cabrini College 2009 — 2011: Masters of Education
Other areas of study:
1996—1997: Intro to Gracie Jiu Jitsu: Joe Ehoff (now Black Belt)
2002—2005: Official Gracie Indoctrination into the Gracie Jiu Jitsu system with the renown Migliarese Bros. at Balance Studios. I started to manage the Academy on the weekends and weeknights, taught the kid's classes and at times the adult classes, and created graphics for the "Best of Philly" Jiu Jitsu company.
April 2016 — Present: Working my way back into the BJJ lifestyle and assisting with teaching the kid's program
1991 — 1996: Attained a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do with the Cancelliere family (Red Tiger)
1986 — 1994: My father taught me to play the drums in 1986 and I started lessons in 1988 until around 1993-4
mid 1990's: Attended various art programs in my childhood, which included design, traditional animation, and traditional drawing at Hussian School of Art, the Art Institute of Philadelphia and the Abington Art Center
ART EDUCATOR
September 2011 — Present
Full-time art educator at CCA Baldi Middle School in Northeast Philadelphia. My program is a rigorous and extensive study of the visual arts from analog graphic design projects to the fine arts. Art history, as well as, modern art is the springboard for my units of study. I started the “Baldi Park” dinosaur team, which operated during advisory, lunch, class time and any periods where they could work on our life-size dinosaurs. We donated our 21’ T. Rex, 15‘ triceratops, and 8’ raptor to the St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in May 2015. That year we also created a 1:5 scale Brachiosaurus that was too big for the hospital and a 23’ tall Optimus Prime Transformer sculpture. During the 2015-16 academic year, our theme was I LOVE the 1980's & 90's, and my A-Team created both Jabba the Hutt and Little Mermaid scenes and finished the first library mural. Currently, our theme is Harry Potter, where the students are creating a Hungarian Horntail Dragon sculpture with Harry on his broomstick, as well as, another mural in the library.
ART EDUCATOR
September 2006 — September 2011
Taught at Morton McMichael Elementary in West Philadelphia from 2006 through 2008. Then I went to E.M. Stanton Elementary School in South Philadelphia. My program was an extensive study of cultures of the world through the arts. Units were based on one culture or country per semester. Along with conducting visual arts projects, I led classes in African djembe drum circles and would perform during school events and at other schools.
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
April 1999 — September 2006
Started as a print graphic designer with AAMCO Transmissions headquarters for my Co-op experience through Drexel University and then Magical Fox as a web designer. Upon graduation in 2001, I worked as a graphic/package designer for Thompson Multimedia Inc.'s RCA after sales division, which dealt with remotes, gaming accesories and antennas etc. Did conceptual work for packages, updates, and package inserts for Hewlett Packard. After RCA closed it's doors forever, I became a freelancer having done website work with Hoshino USA (Tama drums and Ibanez guitars), advertisement work for Pep Boys and Toll Brothers, identity and DVD work for Balance Studios Jiu Jitsu & Yoga, direct marketing with Rosa Direct, layout design for the Project Management Institute (PMI) and the Lincoln Financial Group, high-end custom proposal pieces for Aramark and the Vanguard Group. I did graphic work for the Stephen Gould Corporation, Promotions by Design, R&B auto parts (now Dorman) and many others.
During these formative years of professional working as a freelancer, supplementation was an imperative. I delivered wedding cakes for Tiffany’s Bakery at the Gallery Mall, bounced/security at the famous Finnigan’s Wake in Philadelphia and the Trocadero venue. Trying to make ends meet as a young man as not easy. The tales to tell… I could write a book! I survived being launched down three flights of stairs unscathed thanks to my Jiu Jitsu default and countless altercations on Spring Garden Street, which were a regular occurrence. Jiu Jitsu should be on every persons educational and physical diet, as it it has literally saved my life countless times. Being fearless of any person is quite empowering. My philosophy is, "I may not beat you, but rest assured that you will not beat me". MMA athletes, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Practitioners (a pure pedigree), Muay Thai fighters, Yoga adherents, and fitness seekers haven. Go to Balance Studios!