The National Art Education Association has named Amber Lemser of De Queen to receive the 2020 Arkansas Art Educator Award.
Lemser is a 2005 graduate of Murfreesboro High School. She designed the mural that was painted by another artist that is still in the MHS gymnasium. Lemser is the daughter of William Lemser and his wife, Kandy, who reside in Amity and her great-aunt Carolyn Carter lives in Murfreesboro.
This award, determined through a peer review of nominations, honors an outstanding member from each state or province association whose service and contribution to art education merits recognition and acclaim. The award will be presented at the NAEA National Convention in Minneapolis, Minn., March 26-28, 2020.
NAEA President Thom Knab stated, “This award is being given to recognize excellence in professional accomplishment and service by a dedicated art educator. Amber Lemser exemplifies the highly qualified art educators active in education today: leaders, teachers, students, scholars, and advocates who give their best to their students and the profession.”
De Queen Schools Superintendent Jason Sanders stated, “We are extremely proud of Ms. Lemser and what she does in the art classroom for our students. She is very deserving of this award. This is yet again proof that De Queen Schools has some of the best educators anywhere in Arkansas.”
Lemser has been teaching for 11 years, and was the Elementary Art Educator of the Year in 2015. She is also the Youth Art Month Chairperson for the state of Arkansas.
She began her career as an artist at a very young age. She won her first art contest when she was four, a Crayola Crayon contest, inspiring her to create more art. As she progressed through her young adult life, Lemser said she was fascinated by art materials, and would often spend countless hours trying to reproduce what she was observing. She grew to love the challenge of turning a real life object into an art masterpiece.
