Walk through the hallways and corridors of almost any elementary school in America, and you’ll find colorful displays created by the teachers and their students exhibited on bulletin boards and murals outside their classrooms.

For instance, outside of Ms. Knapp’s classroom, you’ll find the letter “A” arranged to look like the head of an alligator, with the open end of the A becoming the alligator’s open mouth. A for Alligator.

Outside of Ms. Weiss’ music classroom, you’ll find she’s made her bulletin board look like the keyboard of a piano, and the bulletin board outside Ms. McCleaf’s classroom has a camping theme, with big letters that say, “Let’s Learn S’more.” On the board you’ll find a campfire and tents with tent flaps made of construction paper. You can open up the flaps, and inside you’ll find a photo of the student who created it.

The bulletin boards are cheerful, colorful and creative. And so it goes throughout the school.  Elementary schools are happy places that celebrate the joy of learning. 

But stroll through its hallways and you’ll see that Lake View’s new art teacher, Erica Pullin-Beam, has taken the cheerful, colorful, creative murals to a whole new level.

Ms. Erica, as her students call her, teaches art to kindergarten, first-grade and second-grade students, and the art concepts at that level are still introductory, still fundamental. During the first two months of school this year, the art students at LVP have learned what a dot is, what a circle is, as well as vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines. Which, when put into practice, is enough to create some pretty amazing art.

Pullin operates with the theory that kids that age are inherently creative and artistic.

“I show them a new art concept, demonstrate what it is and let them go,” she said.

“After that, the best thing I can do is get out of the way and let them express their creativity how they want. If I make them follow too many rules, or make it too rigid, I run the risk of alienating them from this thing they love. I think kids fall out of love with art and creating art if it turns into just another thing where the rules are more important than the thing itself.”

After the art students have finished an assignment, Pullin gathers their individual pieces of art and arranges it into a larger piece of art, which she designs. The larger piece of art she displays on the walls of Lake View further emphasizes the art concepts the students have been learning. There are examples of 3D art, circles, and horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines.

Lake View Principal Brian Henderson says the colorful, creative hallways, and the enthusiasm Pullin brings to art room, have added a great spark of joy to the school.  

"She has absolutely transformed the interior of our school,” said Henderson. “Walk down any hallway. It's an explosion of color and shape. It makes me so happy, every day. I am so grateful to have Erica here as our art teacher."

And the students get a kick out of seeing the walls of their school covered with their art. 

“It lets them experience a higher level of pride in their artwork and their abilities, and gives them an added level of ownership in the school,” said Pullin.

They get to see first-hand their art displayed with pride in a public space, with other people enjoying it.

“The joy art brings to other people is one of its greatest values,” Pullin said. “I think it’s an important part of their education to see that.”

This is Pullin’s second year teaching at Lake View. Last year she taught kindergarten. When she heard the art teacher position was opening up, she leapt at the chance. 

“My childhood dream was to be an art teacher,” she said. “But I didn’t pursue it because at the time I was getting my degree, a lot of schools and districts were getting rid of art programs. It just seemed like an impractical decision.”

To qualify for the position, she needed to earn an art certification. 

“I studied for a month straight,” she said. “After I learned that I had passed the exam, I couldn’t wait to tell Mr. Henderson and get started.”

And so far, it’s everything she dreamed it would be. She loves making art and introducing a new generation to the world of art and creativity. 

“I want to stay at the elementary level,” she said. “I love the enthusiasm they bring to art and to learning. It’s pretty infectious.”

Pullin is also known for the costumes she wears to school. She has dressed as a shark, an angel, an apple, a T-Rex and a skeleton, to name a few. Last year she dressed in costume 160 out of 180 school days. The costume she wears usually coincides with the letter of the alphabet her kids are learning that day.  

And, as you’d expect from an artist and art teacher, Pullin creates all the costumers herself. A great many of them get fabricated the night before she intends to wear them. 

“Oh, I wish I was a seamstress,” she laughs. “That would make it so much easier. No. I mostly use felt and a hot-glue gun. But it turns out okay. I also spend a good bit of time browsing the Halloween aisle for costumes and accessories.”

Pullin is married to Myles Beam, who teaches sophomore English at Page High School. They have four kids.