An Illustration of Mr. Sorensen
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The walls of the F building are plastered with beautiful canvas paintings, pastel drawings, and stunning photos. It seems that everywhere one turns, there is someone with a paintbrush in hand, ready to learn. Yet there is one incredibly talented teacher who stands out in this crowd. Mr. Robert Sorensen has been teaching for about 16 years, and he loves what he’s doing. “It’s an area where I feel that I can share my expertise, but at the same time I’m learning from my students,” Mr Sorensen said.
After tackling huge math problems, and being stupefied by science, students love going to Mr. Sorensen’s class to feel its homey and creative environment. “Although I had him over three years ago,” senior Patrick Smith said, “I still remember how encouraging and enthusiastic he was. I wasn’t the biggest fan of art, but I loved going to his class.” Mr. Sorensen teaches honors art, advanced art, silk screening, and photography. “I believe that students enjoy Mr. Sorensen’s classes very much,” fellow art teacher Mrs. Larsen said. “Students get to explore their own ideas at their own pace and develop their ideas into completed works,” another teacher, Ms. Sammis, said. One of Mr. Sorensen’s favorite classes to teach is honors art because the natural base of the class is drawing and painting, “It’s an area where I feel that I can really share my expertise,” Mr. Sorensen remarked.
Mr. Sorensen doesn’t only teach his incredible artistic skills, but he also draws, paints, and sculpts incredible pieces in his free time. “[Art] was always a part of me,” he said, “I was one of those kids in elementary school who was constantly doodling.” Mr. Sorensen shows his skills by drawing, painting, sculpting, and photographing along side his students. “I love it all,” Mr. Sorensen commented when asked about his favorite material, “When I’m painting with oils, it’s an incredible medium, and yet I love working with clay. It’s so difficult to pin down.”
Before he became a teacher, Mr. Sorensen was an illustrator. He did drawings for both children’s books and books for young adults. He illustrated a series of Native American children’s books, and did some drawings for Scholastic. It was after his career in illustrating that his sister, Ms. Lynda Sorensen, suggested he sub at DHS. “I said, why not be a substitute,” Ms. Sorensen remarked, “He later found that he loved it. He loved working with kids.” During his time teaching, Mr. Sorensen studied with a Native American potter throughout one summer and he learned a lot. “I perceive my brother as being deeply connected with clay,” Ms. Sorensen said.
So why did this amazing artist decide to start passing on his abilities? “I always enjoyed working with young people,” Mr. Sorensen said. He shows his passion for working with kids in his worthwhile and fun classes, “Teaching is an innate ability that comes from within,” Mr. Sorensen added. “My favorite part about teaching is working with my students. It is a reciprocal atmosphere where the interchange is quite often a mutual learning experience.”
Teaching runs in Mr. Sorensen’s family. Many of the students at DHS have heard of, talked to, or even been taught by Mr. Sorensen’s sister. Ms. Sorensen is an English teacher, and has been at DHS for many years. “I remember when [my brother] was in elementary school and he would draw Fred Flintstone over and over,” Ms. Sorensen remarked. “One of my favorite things that he did was an exhibit at the University of Bridgeport,” Ms. Sorensen said. The exhibit included a plethora of watercolor painting that Mr. Sorensen had done of his dog, Sundown. “I remember the emotion he was able to put into the paintings,” Ms. Sorensen commented.
Mr. Sorensen grew up in Stratford, Connecticut. He attended school there and was always interested in art. He was inspired in many ways, but one of his favorite artists is Henri Matisse. “It is the freedom with which [Matisse] used color, shape, flattening of space, and some Eastern traditional designs, which helped us see art in a different way…in a more modern (contemporary) way,” Mr. Sorensen commented. Mr. Sorensen studied undergrad at the University of Bridgeport and graduated in 1984, and later attended Wesleyan University for his graduate degree in art. But he didn't spend every minute of his time drawing or painting; to fulfill a requirement he took a course in African drumming. “He’s an incredible percussionist,” his sister commented.
In his free time, Mr. Sorensen spends a lot of time with his son, Alex who is 13 years old. They love to snowboard together and have gone on many of the trips with the DHS Ski and Snowboard clubs. They also go to family gatherings with Ms. Sorensen and her daughter.
Want more about the art department? Read about ceramics teacher Ms. Currier
