Full Circle: Francesca Rosati ’15 Returns to Teach Art at Seattle Academy 

Among this year’s new faculty, Seattle Academy welcomes back Francesca Rosati ’15. After SAAS, Francesca attended Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and in 2019, received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting with a minor in art history. Francesca went on to complete RISD’s Master of Arts in Teaching. This intensive, one-year program prepares artists and designers for teacher certification in arts education for students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. We are pleased to have Francesca at SAAS teaching Visual Arts for 6th grade and Beginning Studio Arts open to students in grades 9 through 12.

In Visual 6, Middle School students build their visual language and experiment with different mediums, materials, and processes creating 2-D and 3-D projects. Right now, Francesca’s 6th graders are working on the Lost Childhood Project. Students interview an older relative or family friend about a toy or sentimental object from their past. From their notes, students recreate the object. “It’s not really about making a beautiful object,” explains Francesca. “It’s more about the translation of what you heard from the memory of this person and bringing it to concrete materials, and what that would result in.” Through this process, students are learning that art is inherently neither good nor bad. It is uniquely what you make it.

In Beginning Studio Arts, Upper School students are working on the Series Project. This four-week endeavor began with each student choosing a theme. Weekly prompts are used with selected themes to create four different pieces of artwork related in a series. Francesca notes, “It’s definitely exploring a bunch of different mediums and techniques and ways of doing things. But, it’s also allowing them to have a mindset of like – Oh! This is how an artist may work.” The prompts are open ended, which gives students the freedom to explore different paths and to discover what compositions will entail through the creative process. 

“In my teaching, I embrace many of the same practices that I do as an artist: curiosity, discovery, dedication, skill development, and constant learning. I aim to help my students understand that art provides us with opportunities to search for clarity and meaning in the world.”

Reflecting on her time as a SAAS student, Francesca’s first thought is the sense of family this community holds. She recalls experiences in Visual Arts, Advanced Acting, American Studies, and certain senior electives, as well as faculty who were influential on her development. As a new faculty member, Francesca comes full circle, bringing her creativity, talents, and vision back to SAAS, ready to inspire a new generation of students and artists.