“I like teaching a class that is different from all the others. Guys can just come in and relax and make art. I’ve loved every class that I’ve taught.”

Those words come from Ms. Carole Baker, who after 26 years as a Trinity art and photography teacher, retired at the end of the year. Baker, a mother of two sons and a daughter, started her teaching career at Trinity in 1991.

During her time at Trinity, Baker taught Advanced Program art, learning to draw, working with clay, Art I and II, and Photo I and II. She said, “Each year I got a new batch of guys, and I just really enjoyed teaching them.”

In addition to her teaching, for more than two years, Baker has worked with the organization devoted2children, a non-profit organization that helps children who are orphaned or enslaved in Cayes Jacmel, Haiti. Through d2c, Baker has lent her creative hands to making dresses for girls in Haiti. Baker loves how she has been able to impact these girls’ lives. 

“It’s just fun to make other people happy,” Baker said. “You can just look on those girls’ faces and see pure joy.”

Another source of pride for Baker has been the Annual Art Show, which she and retired Trinity art teacher Mr. Jim Connell originated.

Connell said, “Ms. Baker has a great sense of humor and dedication. She strives to get the best out of students. She and I worked very well together and enjoyed working across the hall from each other. If a student didn’t agree with our opinion on his art, we would send him to the other, and invariably, the other one would have the same answer. The students enjoyed our friendship, also. Last and not least, we both put on a heck of an art show.”

During her time at Trinity, Baker served as head of the Art Department and moderated the Photo Club and Investment Club. She also worked on the Faculty Senate. During some years, Baker taught Advanced Program art classes at night.

“Those were some great years,” she said. “Guys would come from six until eight and just make art. They had that desire to create something. Sometimes there would be around 30 guys working on different things, but it was always art.”

Baker sees interesting possibilities for art classes today and in the future. She said, “We are living in a renaissance. New things are being invented every day. I just hope that with these new technological advances, some of that can transcend to the art program and make it stronger. I think that would be really cool having art translate to computers. The world is full of artists, and I hope that the program can evolve with the times and become an even better output for creativity and imagination.”

With retirement, Baker plans on traveling. She hopes to go to Haiti in July, and volunteer for devoted2children and at Kosair in the maternity ward. She will help “rock” the babies in the immediate care center that have families in Indiana. Baker is also remodeling her garage to open a studio. She will teach  quilting, painting, drawing and ceramics for ages 10 and up.

She said, “Life’s open to me again. It’s an adventure. I’m looking forward to being able to have all this free time.”

Despite her many interests, Baker said, she will miss teaching: “I think the hardest thing about leaving Trinity would have to be the attachment that I feel towards all of the students. I love them all — as students, as friends, as alumni — they all have a special place in my heart.”