Christine Orihuela

Visual Arts Teacher
Film Club Moderator
Started 2017
I love watching the artistic growth that takes place over the course of the year. The same student that swore they couldn't draw, leaves class with the confidence and understanding that she is in fact, an artist.

What is your role at Flintridge Sacred Heart?

Visual Arts Teacher

What do your students call you?

Ms. O, it's short for Ms. Orihuela.

What made you want to work at Flintridge Sacred Heart?

I attended an all-girls Catholic school for high school and knew that returning to that environment would feel like coming home.

What has been your proudest professional accomplishment?

My proudest professional accomplishment is writing my master's thesis and realizing my voice and place in the field of art education.

What has been your favorite teaching moment at Flintridge Sacred Heart?

I love watching the artistic growth that takes place over the course of the year. The same student that swore they couldn't draw, leaves class with the confidence and understanding that she is in fact, an artist.

What excites you most about your work here on the Hill?

All of the kind, enthusiastic people that make up this community make it an exciting place to work. I especially enjoy collaborating with my visual and performing arts colleagues on our quest to be better artists, teachers and human beings.

What is Flintridge Sacred Heart's best kept secret?

It's not really a secret, but there is so much beauty around us: the lizards scurrying on the walking paths, the blanket of clouds as you drive up in the morning, and the way the mountains act as guardians from sunrise to sunset.

What do you love about the all-girls environment at Flintridge Sacred Heart?

It is incredibly special for me to be a woman, leading other young women on the path to find their truth. The level of community, compassion, and courage that I witness every day is inspiring.

What's your favorite spot on campus?

My favorite spot is my classroom. The view is spectacular!

When not in the classroom, where can you be found?

When I'm not in the classroom, I'm most likely at home: drawing, cooking, gardening or doing odd projects.

What's your favorite place in the world?

Any quiet, beautiful place where I can disconnect from technology, sit, and draw.

What are you surprisingly good at?

Dancing! It was my first love before I ever took an art class and it is still one of my favorite ways to release energy, center myself, and get in a solid workout.

What book, movie, work of art, piece of music, etc. can you not imagine life without?

This is tough! There are too many to list but I always circle back to the life and work of Kathe Kollwitz as a source of personal and professional inspiration.

What did you want to be when you grew up (at age 12)?

I wanted to be an interior designer! It was actually my major in college for a little while, but as soon I picked up a paint brush it was game over.
 
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FLINTRIDGE SACRED HEART

440 St. Katherine Drive
La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
626-685-8300

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Flintridge Sacred Heart, a Catholic, Dominican, independent, college-preparatory, day and boarding high school, educates young women for a life of faith, integrity, and truth.

Flintridge Sacred Heart admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
 

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