Ask Me Anything: Jere Williams

This month, arts teacher Jere Williams is answering your question. Want to ask a teacher a question for the next newsletter?  Submit yours on our “Ask Me Anything” form!

You have a background in philosophy and ended up as a sculptor and art teacher—what made you take that leap into art, and how do those two parts of your journey still connect in the work you make today?

“It’s not a succinct answer,” Mr. William said before continuing. With this acknowledgment, he set the tone for a talk that traced his journey from childhood curiosity to a life shaped by both philosophical thought and artistic practice. From building and drawing as a child to studying philosophy in search of deeper understanding after a career in finance, he came to see that philosophy and art are not separate paths, but parallel ones.  Both hinge on inquiry—the urge to ask, to explore, to make meaning where there is no obvious answer. He spoke of creativity not as a sudden spark, but as a sustained attention: the willingness to stay with confusion, to question habits of seeing, and to welcome multiple interpretations. Creativity, he suggested, is what happens when we commit to the process of making sense—however incomplete or provisional that sense may be. In this way, both philosophy and art offer not conclusions, but openings: ways of engaging with the world that prioritize curiosity and complexity. 

And accessing creativity is easier than many students assume, Mr. Williams underscores. “It’s already just happening. You’re actually already as creative as you could ever be. You don’t control that—it’s just happening. And you kind of either get in the way of it, or you don’t get in the way of it.” In other words, creativity isn’t something to be chased or manufactured—it’s a natural process we learn to notice, trust, and make space for.

Want to see more of Mr. Williams' work? Check out his website.