Local art advocate and educator Jason Stier knows the transformative power of art. That’s why he is on a mission to share it with as many St. Clair County residents as possible.
Stier is an art teacher with more than 20 years of experience in alternative education, first at Riverview East High School (REHS) and now St. Clair County RESA’s Virtual Learning Academy.
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Virtual Learning Academy.
Stier has always been drawn to art. The catalyst for his artistic curiosity stemmed from the sketchbook he discovered tucked away in his grandfather’s basement. While he didn’t know his grandfather well, Stier knew he enjoyed making pieces to give to other people.
“When I opened the sketchbook up, it just revealed so much about him through his sketches of people he knew and things he was interested in,” Stier says. “So, I think it was at that young age that I realized the potential of art to provide people with a voice, share their stories, and create connections."
While he dabbled in art as a hobby through high school, it wasn’t until he took classes in college that his professors helped him realize art education could be a career.
“I decided art education was the path for me,” he says. “I could use art in the same way to help people discover themselves and find passion and purpose.”
Finding His Purpose as an Art Teacher
Many of the at-risk youth Stier teaches have undergone significant trauma, including abuse, neglect, and poverty. Students gain exposure to artistic careers by being introduced to potters, muralists, tattoo artists, fiber artists, and other creatives.
“Art helps [students] rise above that. It helps them share who they are, to reflect on those experiences, and ultimately, become part of something visible,” he says. “Art is where they can share their story, and others can see it.”
Stier is the vice president of the St. Clair Art Association, which plans an annual Art Fair that features the work of dozens of local artists. The association also facilitates public art projects and collaborations.
Stier often enlists his students’ help in these projects, which include:
- Hand-painted banners to commemorate a yearly theme, including Michigan and local history, St. Clair Historical Society, and the City of St. Clair
- A freighter mural at the St. Clair skatepark
- Insect statues installed throughout Greig Park trail
- River Rec Teen Zone: Teen-driven space created by students from Riverview East High School
- Art pod and fire pit sculpture on the Belle River access
- Hand-painted storm drain murals
- A tree mural in the St. Clair Library
- Artistic Free Little Library boxes, designed and installed by REHS students
Art creates connections between people of all backgrounds, he says.
“Art creates opportunities for dialogue and discussion about things that are meaningful in a greater sense. It's kind of a common thread throughout our community, no matter what age you are,” he says. “That natural desire to create and to make things shapes our community; what it looks like, feels like. It makes a vibrant place where people want to visit and live, and boost our economy. People want to live somewhere that has character.”
Be on the lookout for the St. Clair Art Fair on June 28 and 29 at Palmer Park. To learn more, visit the
St. Clair Art Association’s website.
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