Et cetera : We Just Had to Ask: Elementary Art Teacher Lindsey Otto

Art teacher Lindsey Otto helps prepare students for a project by reading a book about Australia.

Lindsey Otto teaches art for all grades up through fifth at the Tilford and Shellsburg elementary buildings. She helps her students share their work through the VS Elementary Art Rooms Facebook Page.

Today, we help Mrs. Otto share some interesting information about her and her love of teaching art.

Q. Is there anything that your family asks you not to cook, ever again?

A: Most of my pasta concoctions. I can follow recipes and never get complaints when I do, but I would much rather just experiment however my family doesn't always appreciate my creativity in that way!

Q. Does it matter in your house which way the toilet paper roll goes?

A. nope

Q. Tell us about your favorite chair:

A. I have a chair in my bedroom that was my grandmothers. She passed away a few weeks before I got married so it holds special sentiment to me. I have painted it twice and recovered it several times to make it match my room but I won't give it up. Knowing it was hers makes the chair itself timeless no matter how ugly it is or how many times I have to paint it!

Q. Funniest memory as a parent:

A. Coming home after my dad's first time babysitting when my oldest daughter was a baby. I had left him with my two 5 year old nieces as his helpers and it didn't take long to realize that something was wrong. Upon further inspection I realized he had put her diaper on inside out AND backwards! He swears it was the little girls who did it but I know better.

Q. Funniest thing a student ever told you?

A. I once had a kindergartner shout from the back of the line "Mrs. Otto, I have a birthday cupcake for you! Don't worry, I am taking extra special care of it!" Little did I know that "special care" meant that he had put the frosted cupcake in the front pocket of his shirt! He had the hardest time getting it out but luckily he smoothed all the frosting back down with his fingers before he gave it to me! Presented with a lot of love and I was thankful to receive it! (even though I never ate it!)

Q. What was your first job?

A. Hagen's Strawberry Farm in Palo

Q. If you were to get a traffic citation it would most likely be for….

A. speeding :o(

Q. One place in the world you really, really wish you could visit?

A. Netherlands

Q. First pet you remember?

A. Blackie....all of our cats for years were named Blackie

Q. Who was your favorite teacher, and why?

A. Mrs. Dolan. I had her several times in elementary school. She was and still is funny, inspiring, and always pushed her students to see their full potential...I describe her to others as the Marty Annis of CPU

Q. Strangest thing you did at work that was not part of your official job description?

A. Help capture and lead a snake out of the hallway

Q. What is your favorite big word?

A. Chiaroscuro....fun art word that describes high contrast areas of light and dark in artwork

Q. Tell us about one of your pet peeves?

A. Negativity

Q. What book or author you have not read, but should?

A. I would love to read more from classic American authors like Hawthorne, Melville, and Steinbeck etc.

Q. What happens to the missing socks in the laundry?

A. They become art projects!!!

Q. Iowa or Iowa State (or other)?

A. Born and raised a Hawkeye fan but my husband is a Cyclone and I have to say that he is wearing me down! :o)

Q. Was there something your parents said to you, over and over, that you, would growing up, said to yourself, "I will never say that to my kids?"

A. "Don't make me stop this car!!"

Q. Best TV show ever?

A. McGuyver

Q. What is your dream car?

A. not a car but I always wanted a topless Jeep to cruise around in...weather permitting of course.

Q. Fill in the blank: In a perfect winter, it would snow…..just enough to ski but not enough to have to shovel off the drive over and over again!

Q. Name your favorite:

Comic strip: Peanuts

Candy bar: Heath

Ice cream: Cookie dough

Color: Yellow and orange

Sports team: Da Bears

Actor/actress: Sean Connery

Song: "The Dance" by Garth Brooks

Poem: I don't have a favorite poem but my favorite quote is "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist after we grow up." - Pablo Picasso

Our serious question:

Q. When and why did you decide to become a teacher?

A. I always wanted to be a teacher ever since I was young. My parents were teachers and I love seeing their passion for education. It wasn't until college that I chose between science and art as my field and I haven't ever regretted my choice!