Celebrating a Legacy: Nancy Walkup

Eldon Katter, former editor-in-chief of SchoolArts, 1994–2005
Twenty years ago, when asked if I thought Nancy Walkup would be able to handle the demanding, multitasking job of SchoolArts editor, I answered, “Yes, without a doubt. She will be good at the job.” Well, I was wrong! Nancy was more than a good editor. She became a really, really, really great editor—an editor-in-chief who remains loyal to SchoolArts and Davis Publications after: (1) twenty years of making hard choices with easy touches, (2) two hundred months of respectfully meeting publication deadlines, (3) two decades of highlighting best practices and paradigm shifts, and (4) seven thousand days of mastering the art of attention to detail, while at the same time focusing on the big picture. Well done, Nancy. Congratulations, and thanks for teaching me how to do the Cajun Two-Step.

Frank Juárez, current editor-in-chief of SchoolArts
I remember being invited by Nancy to a Davis Publication reception at the 2016 National Art Education Association Convention in Chicago, Illinois. It was at this social event that I was invited to become a contributing editor for SchoolArts. She saw something in me that ultimately impacted my desire to continue writing and to become an advocate for SchoolArts. Nancy brings out the best in art educators!

Rama Hughes, SchoolArts author
What subject could you discuss forever without getting bored? Before I met Nancy Walkup, no one could listen to me talk about art education without their eyes glazing over. Lucky for me…

I met Nancy in 2011 at the NAEA Convention in Seattle. After our introduction, she invited me to a breakfast. I didnʼt go. Nancy eyed me suspiciously the next time I saw her. “You said you would be there. But don’t feel bad.” She stuck a sticker on my badge and introduced me to her colleagues at Davis.

Nancy knows now how eagerly I shy from social functions. And I now know her talent for drawing people out, for celebrating us, and for connecting us with one other. In that gentle tug of war, she won. She introduced me to dozens of teachers, writers, artists, and publishers whom I now consider friends. Those friendships are founded on our shared passion for art education and on our shared fondness for Nancy.

After I presented at NAEA this year with Frank Juárez and James Rees, Nancy said that she felt like a “proud mama.” She deserves that pride. She nurtured me and countless others from isolation to camaraderie. I mark the day I met Nancy as the day when I stopped feeling alone as an art teacher. I cannot thank her enough.

Melody Weintraub, SchoolArts author
I first began writing for SchoolArts back in 2011. Since that time, I have been published over thirty times in the magazine, and Nancy has become one of my dearest friends. I am grateful for Nancy’s guidance, professionalism, kindness, and how she has always made me feel a significant part of the SchoolArts family.

Nancy’s interest in my lessons not only inspired me to write more, but it also inspired me to teach lessons worth writing about. Nancy encouraged me to make my articles practical so that teachers could easily implement them. She also encouraged me to take lots of good photos of the process in my classroom. I now have a treasure trove of photos of student work that I continue to use for my articles.

I treasure so many conversations, adventures, co-presentations at NAEA, dinners, and museum tours that I have shared with Nancy, and I look forward to the new adventures that lie ahead. As Nancy turns a new page on her career, I am quite sure that she will continue to inspire art educators around the world and make a positive impact on the future of arts education.

Leigh Drake, SchoolArts author
Nancy has been such a shining light for art education. I thank her for allowing me the opportunity to showcase my students’ work and the lessons we created. I have always enjoyed getting to see her at national conferences and being with the SchoolArts family. Thank you, Nancy, for everything you have done for me, my students, and the art education community. You will be greatly missed. Enjoy your retirement!

Nicole Brisco, SchoolArts author
Nancy, I cherish your mentorship and that you saw potential in me, not just in the classroom, but as a writer. Your leadership in TAEA, NAEA, and with Davis Publications motivates me to be a better art educator and shows me that there is still so much more to come after I leave the classroom. You are one of a kind, and I strive to make a profound difference in others as you have with me. Thank you for being you and walking this journey with me.

Craig Roland, SchoolArts author
I have so many fond memories of working with you, Nancy, on various arts education projects over the years, it’s hard for me to choose just one. But one memory that does stand out is the time we attended the installation of One Million Bones on the National Mall in the summer of 2013. This large-scale social arts project involved thousands of artists, teachers, students, and community participants from around the globe in hands-on art-making and education to raise awareness of atrocities going on around the world. I am grateful to have shared moments like this with you over the years.

Jane B. Montero, SchoolArts author
I am forever grateful for the support, encouragement, and wisdom Nancy has shown toward me. Getting to know her more than solely as the editor of SchoolArts has been an absolute joy. I will always carry her positive words with me as I continue to write articles for publication. After my first article was published in SchoolArts, Nancy said to me, “Keep sending me articles and I will keep publishing them!” And she has remained true to her word. Her praise of my writing was a gigantic boost of confidence and opened the “writing” door for me. So, thank you, Nancy Walkup! You have made my career more satisfying than ever imagined.

Kasmira Mohanty, SchoolArts author
In 2017, I submitted my first article to SchoolArts Magazine. I did so “knowing” my article wouldn’t be selected for publication and gradually forgot about entertaining the idea that I was a writer in any capacity. Much to my astonishment, I received my first article contract shortly after my first submission. I discovered in that moment that I had been confining myself to a limited definition of who I was and what I was capable of. Under Nancy’s thoughtful guidance and encouragement, I’ve written fourteen articles to date, became the 2021 Media Arts Intensive host, and was a guest on K12ArtChat the podcast. She has been an extraordinary mentor and advocate from day one. She has given me and countless others the tools and confidence to reach beyond perceived boundaries to help touch the lives of numerous educators and students alike.

Nancy embodies a spirit of nurturing and care that permeated every aspect of her position as editor-in-chief. She not only shaped the magazine but also, through her editorship, fostered a community where creativity flourished and where every voice was valued. Her approach was not just about publishing articles: it was about championing the importance of art in education and ensuring that educators had the resources and support they needed to inspire their students. Nancy’s legacy is not only in the pages of SchoolArts but in the hearts of those she influenced, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of arts education.

Read more tributes to Nancy at SchoolArts.com/NancyWalkup.