Every year, Revere High School students graduate to embark on the next new chapter of their lives. Bob Pierson was one of these students, leaving Revere in 1981 to become an architect. Fourteen years later, however, a familiar face returned to the district: this time as an art teacher.
For the last twenty-nine years, Bob Pierson has served as a high school art teacher and later the art director for Revere Players. His job is not the only experience he has with the district as from kindergarten until graduation, he was a Revere student.
Despite his position today, Pierson had not always strived to be an art teacher. His family recommended he go to a career center and obtain some architecture-related skills, pushing him to pursue architecture in college. Pierson complied, finishing his time at the career center before graduating from Revere High School. He then went off to Kent State University to continue this line of work. His freshman year of college, however, proved difficult as his strong suit was not mathematics.
“I started out thinking I wanted to be an architect. When I went to Kent, my math skills were not real strong, honestly, and the first year was kind of rough for me in the level and difficulty of the work,” Pierson said.
Despite this, he persisted, and during his sophomore year, he succeeded in another aspect of college: art classes. He moved into a fine arts dorm, meaning students often worked on art in the halls. As such, Pierson learned from a peer that not only could he take evening art classes, but that people could major in art, a revelation that would alter Pierson’s life entirely.
“I happen[ed] to be in an art dorm, . . . [and] I saw a kid doing charcoal drawings in the hallway. I said, ‘Wow, what are you doing that for?’ He goes, ‘Oh, I’m an art major.’ I literally said, ‘You can major in art?’ I wasn’t even aware that that was an option for me. So he goes, ‘Yeah, you should take drawing class,” and I took an evening drawing class. . . . The first thing they . . . said [was] ‘alright everybody, do a contour’. . . . I did one, and the teacher liked it. [I] got some praise, and I kept taking art classes,” Pierson said.
After realising that art was his true passion, Pierson dropped architecture and instead focused on majoring in the arts, obtaining his bachelor’s degree in 1986. It would not be until nine years later that he began working at Revere, as he had not yet obtained a master’s degree in art education. In the meantime, Pierson worked as a camp counsellor, at the May Company (or Macy’s, as it is known today) doing fashion and dressing mannequins, before heading to the Arhaus Furniture store.
“My sister was working at the May Company in Cleveland. . . . She said they’re hiring people [to do] visual merchandising. . . . So I ended up dressing mannequins and bust forms and menswear, and I did that for two years at the May Company. And then again, someone else told me of a job opening in Arhaus Furniture to do furniture display, and I got hired there for more money. . . . I ended up being a Regional Display Manager for all of the Arhaus furniture stores,” Pierson said.
Though he worked in furniture for eight years, these jobs were not his end goal. Pierson did not see himself doing retail display for the rest of his life and instead chose to go back to school to obtain a degree in education.
“I got my interest in art education; then I had an art degree but no teaching certificate. So I returned [to school] around the time I turned thirty, I decided I didn’t want to do display work for the rest of my life. . . . I want[ed] to return to the classroom. And so the classroom I returned to was my old high school,” Pierson said.
Going back to college after nine years to obtain a master’s is no small feat, nor is it cheap. This was no worry for Pierson, as his motivations to obtain a degree stemmed both from his enjoyment of sharing his knowledge with others and his love of being around people.
“I had that success of . . . sharing whatever I know how to do with other people. . . . I’m a people person. I like being around people. In the summer, I do carpentry projects, . . . I’ll make artwork, but those long, quiet periods get a bit quiet. For me, I like being around people and sharing what I know and seeing other people pick things up. . . . There’s a lot of satisfaction in teaching,” Pierson said.
When Pierson turned thirty, he set off to graduate school to get a master’s degree in education. After graduation, a position at Revere opened, the school that Pierson had not set foot in for the past fourteen years. Once the opportunity arose, Pierson took it as his parents still lived in the area; the position seemed perfect.
“My mom and dad still lived here, and when this job came up, they were very excited about me moving into the area. And it was like everything converged. Timing-wise, it was the right job at the right time for the right reasons,” Pierson said.
Before working at May Company, Pierson took a bartending job at a theatre soon after obtaining his art degree. And though he worked as a bartender, he also assisted in creating scenery for upcoming shows. This experience allowed Pierson to gain experience working with set designs, ultimately leading him to be the perfect fit to work as the artistic director for Revere Players.
“At the Carousel Dinner Theatre in Ravenna, I learned how to be a bartender there and . . . they needed help with scenery there. . . . [The play designer] designed this stuff there, they would come before the shows, and then pencil stuff out from a sketch. I got to see his whole process and I helped him paint and I helped the stage carpenter build furniture and I saw how they did theatre. I did a couple of shows there,” Pierson said.
Whether it be in the offered art classes or working on the scenery for Revere Players, Pierson encourages students’ creativity and promotes expression through art no matter the level. Even for students who are afraid to take classes, Pierson still suggests they take classes; after all, high school is a time when students can challenge themselves.
“If kids are hesitant to take art classes, . . . they should take Elements of Art . . . as early in school as possible so that they can get some foundation skills. . . . You’re in school, to try new things . . . and challenge yourself. . . . Take some art classes. If you can’t take some art classes, be involved with the play. . . . There’s lots of opportunities to make stuff and be successful,” Pierson said.
Sarah Zustin, one of Pierson’s colleagues and fellow art teachers, sits in the classroom beside him. The two have worked with each other for the past three years, with Pierson being a role model for Zustin after she transitioned from lower grades to the high school.
“[Pierson has] been a pretty big role model for me starting as a high school teacher, because I started my career [as a] third through fifth grade [teacher]. So coming to high school level was a huge change. So he’s been extremely helpful. . . . [He] helps me navigate the school, navigate high school art, and what’s needed to be taught and how it’s to be taught,” Zustin said.
Whether it be introducing new techniques to students in class or assisting new teachers in learning the ropes, everyone sees Pierson’s helpful attitude. Ryley Ferris, a student in Advanced Placement (AP) Art, has had Pierson as a teacher for two years. Every day during class, Ferris experiences first hand Pierson’s helpful nature.
“Something that I’ve noticed he does [is] if he goes up to a student, . . . the first thing he’ll do is be like . . . ‘Maybe you can bring this up a little bit.’ Like, if your highlights aren’t bright enough, he’ll just be like ‘Oh, this looks really good, but maybe bring that highlight up’,” Ferris said.
To take AP Art, one must first take drawing and design. Pierson’s teaching style is all about building the fundamentals of one’s work before diving into it all. Thus, Pierson assigns projects that use the techniques from the previous lesson.
“[Pierson] builds these fundamentals and then expands upon them and it really makes sense,” Ferris said.
Pierson allows students to not only embrace their art, but themselves, too. His being true to himself inspires others to follow suit, and his ability to chime into conversations with others encourages students to do the same.
“Mr. Pierson is just always walking around, and if he overhears a conversation, he’s not afraid to chime in. . . . It just makes you a lot more confident, socially even, and it’s very comforting seeing . . . somebody older and so seasoned and experienced [have] a good, solid life. . . . He’s a quirky weirdo, but he’s a fantastic person. And it’s just comforting knowing that you can be kind of strange, but that’s not a bad thing,” Ferris said.
Ferris is at school only part of the day, meaning that taking an art class prolongs her day in the school building by an extra hour. Despite this, Ferris enjoys spending an hour daily focusing on art in Pierson’s class.
“I’m just happy to be learning and it’s an elective. I didn’t have to take an art class this year . . . [or] stay in this building longer, [but now] I can have that set time of the day where I just get to be in there and do art and be in that room with [Pierson],” Ferris said.
Changing majors, finding your passion and returning to work at the school one once attended are acts that Pierson is no stranger to. As time goes on, Pierson will continue to inspire and assist students as they explore the world of art with him.
