Visual Arts Faculty

Kyle Clark

Director of the Visual Arts Conservatory, AP Drawing, Foundation Drawing, Life Drawing

Kyle Clark joins the BTW Visual Arts Faculty as the Director of the Visual Arts Conservatory with 24 years of teaching experience from Irving ISD and Plano ISD. He received his undergraduate degree in Advertising Art from the University of North Texas in 1992 and his Masters in Education from Parsons School of Design in 2000. He currently teaches Foundation Drawing, Life Drawing and Advanced Placement Drawing. He has participated with his own artwork in many exhibitions in Abilene, Irving, Plano and Dallas.

He has been an Advanced Placement reader since 2007, most recently named a Table Leader for the College Board and has taught Advanced Placement courses for twenty years. He has also taught drawing classes at Texas Christian University, Irving Arts Center and the Dallas Museum of Art for their summer programs.He has also been a grant participant of the Advanced Placement Strategies Program and the O'Donnell Foundation as a lead teacher. His students have been exhibited at the Dallas Museum of Art and other various locations around the area.

jameclark@dallasisd.org | 972-925-1245 | Room 170

Cassie Benzenberg

Assistant Director of Curriculum, AP 2D Design, Foundation 2D Design / Draw + Design / Books + Fibers

Cassie Benzenberg joined the Booker T. Washington Faculty in 2003. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Arts Studies at the University of North Texas in 2002 and recently completed her Master of Arts in Art Education from The Art of Education University. Her capstone research focused on creating space for conceptual art making skills in the secondary art room. She currently serves as the Visual Arts Assistant Director of Curriculum and teaches Foundation 2D Design, Fibers and Advanced Placement 2D Studio Art and Design.

As assistant director, she facilitates the ongoing development of a revolutionary curriculum in visual arts and coordinates arts school visits and masterclasses each year. Developing and nurturing partnerships in the Arts District and community is a highlight of her service to the Dallas Independent School District. She is a quilter with an emphasis on traditional blocks created with modern color combinations and patterns. As an artist-teacher, she believes in creative problem solving, products of play, and risk-taking.

cbenzenberg@dallasisd.org | 972-925-1279 | Room 172

Krystal Read

Assistant Director of Visual Arts Conservatory, Draw + Design, AP Art History, Printmaking

After graduating with a B.F.A. in studio art at Smith College, I began a career in museum education at the Crow Collection of Asian Art. Two years later, I returned to school to complete my M.A. and M.F.A. in printmaking at the University of Dallas. I have since taught college-level art classes for Collin County Community College, El Centro College, and University of Dallas.

I am also a practicing artist and exhibit my work on a regular basis. I look forward to sharing my range of experiences and passion with my high school students.

krread@dallasisd.org | 972-925-1231 | Room 052

Juan Cruz

Painting, Integration of Abilities, Portfolio

Juan Cruz is a Dallas-based artist and educator that creates sculptures, paintings and drawings. He’s had the opportunity to exhibit at Brookhaven Community College, Richland Community College, 500X, Latino Culture Center, Ash Studios, Texas Wesleyan University, University of North Texas and Mary Tomas Gallery. Cruz graduated with an Associate Degree of Arts from Brookhaven Community College and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of North Texas.

In 2016, he assisted Alfredo Villanueva and Ash Studios in their social and cultural practice program. In 2018, Cruz worked with the city of Dallas and received the Cultural Artist Program (CAP) fund. At the end of 2018, Cruz studied abroad in Florence, Italy. In 2020, he pioneered the first virtual workshop with the Dallas’s Office of Arts and Culture.

Juan Cruz currently teaches painting at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.

juacruz@dallasisd.org | Room 068

Leslie Eames-Pierce

Jewelry / Portfolio / Fashion Design

Leslie Eames-Pierce joined the Booker T. Visual Arts Faculty in 2012 as the Ceramics and Jewelry instructor. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Arts at Sam Houston State University in 1999. After moving to the Dallas area in 2000 to work with Trinity Ceramic Supply, she also began teaching private pottery classes at local studios.Her background in the ceramic retail and industrial business led her to education as she regularly promoted and presented ceramic education at teacher conferences and professional development in the Dallas area. As an artist and an educator she enjoys working with multiple mediums, creating everyday wearable jewelry as well as functional ceramic works.

leames@dallasisd.org | 972-925-1218 | Room 168

Jessica Bell

Intro to Sculpture / Scuspture / 3D Design I / 3D Design II

Jessica Bell's innovative and creative approaches to art are a reflection of her upbringing in upstate New York. Jessica's has several degrees: an A.S. Degree in Fine Arts, a B.S. Degree in Art Education from SUNY Buffalo State, a M.S.Ed in Arts Education from SUNY New Paltz. Jessica also received a C.A.S. from SUNY Fredonia in TESOL while working as a full-time educator in upstate New York. For several years Bell has traveled abroad to Spain as an instructor and obtained a C.S. from Universidad Castellan in Spanish, and her latest is a C.A.S. in Graphic Design from SMU.

As a part of her professional accolades, Jessica has presented at state and national art conferences in New York & Texas. She has participated in the International Banner Exhibition, presented at the USSEA Conference on "The Importance of Quality Arts Curriculum”, was a guest speaker at the NYSAFLT Conference presenting "Approaches To Teaching Foreign Language Through The Arts”, and presented “Solutions for teaching art in Urban School Districts” & workshops on portfolio development. Bell is active in the art scene and shows her work in various galleries. Her CV can be viewed at jesslbell.com

Through her academic and practicing artist experiences, she has had the opportunity to work with a diverse population which assisted with the development of a grant funded program that offers free art classes to the East Dallas Community. Outside of her community involvement, Bell works on murals, commissioned art, and graphic design work for various companies. As the latest step in her career, Jessica is bringing her enthusiastic approach to art and expertise in education to Booker T. Washington.

jessbell@dallasisd.org | 972-925-1284 | Room 070

Emmanuel Gillespie

Ceramics / 3D Design

Emmanuel Gillespie, a visual artist with over two decades of experience spanning painting and sculpture was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. A graduate of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, with a deep-seated commitment to scholarship, Gillespie possesses an educational background that underpins his creative career. Through a fusion of traditional and innovative techniques, his recent work highlights moments in time and their importance within the framework of humanity. Gillespie received his Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of North Texas and later earned his Master of Art degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Currently an arts educator with over 20 years of experience, Gillespie has completed several public art projects in Dallas. Some most notable works include site-specific sculptures for the Bexar Street Corridor, the design for the DART bus station for the DART Green Line project, a statue commission of Ernie Banks for the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and two 8ft. bronze statues for the Cedar Crest Golf course in Southern Dallas of Walter Hagen and Dr. Charles Sifford. Gillespie utilizes his artistic and educational practices as a conduit for community engagement. In addition, his administrative work in implementing art programs in collaboration with the African American Museum of Dallas, South Dallas Cultural Center, and other arts institutions across our Dallas/Fort Worth communities, foster an appreciation for the arts for our youth and adults. His curatorial work in galleries and museums nationally provide visual narratives of the African diaspora while highlighting the importance of the visual artist. Emmanuel Gillespie’s work continues to inspire, enrich and challenge our cultural landscape, leaving a lasting legacy that bridges generations and amplifies artistic voices.

egillespie@dallasisd.org | Room 074