AOF’s Own Greg Calibey Named Connecticut Art Educator of the Year
Avon Old Farms School emanates excellence. It certainly comes from our students in the classroom, field, court, rink, or stage. It also comes from our dedicated faculty. This week, one member of our faculty will be recognized for that fact as Greg Calibey has been chosen as the 2024 Art Educator of the Year.
The award is bestowed by the Connecticut Art Education Association, Inc. (CAEA), the state affiliate of the National Art Education Association. In addition to recognizing the top educators in the state every year, goals of the organization include promoting visual arts as an essential component of educational programs, improving the conditions of teaching art, and sharing and encouraging effective teaching practices in art education.
A CAEA committee grants the award to an educator who creates a lasting impression on students through visual arts education, and who has made significant contributions to art education at their school. This year, in his 10th year at Avon Old Farms School, Mr. Calibey earned the distinction of Educator of the Year in the Secondary School category.
His colleagues and students—both current and former—have all indicated that this recognition is long overdue for Calibey.
“Mr. Calibey was super important to me in helping me realize my passion in painting and sculpting and helping me find my own artistic language and style. He also supported me through hard times when I had doubts. He absolutely deserves this Connecticut Art Teacher of the Year award.” – Michael Xie ’22
“I have met many instructors in all fields of studies throughout my academic career, but I can rarely find instructors as passionate and knowledgeable as Mr. Calibey in his domain. Not only is Mr. Calibey a great instructor who cares about his student’s success, but he is also a generous and compassionate person who likes to spend time beyond the classroom to guide the genuinely passionate ones in their pursuit of tremendous success. Under the directions and teachings of Mr. Calibey, I not only learned painting but also grew as a person. He would work with me after school, during weekends, and even during holidays to educate me in the art of painting and assist me in realizing the painting I wanted. I could not have been more grateful for the efforts he put into training me and my peers. In the short three years of my oil painting training, I went from struggling to paint a good sphere to making multi-figure paintings and intricate portraits packed with nuance, details, and colors. I would not be the artist I am today without his directions, and I attribute all my skills and ideology in making paintings to him. He is the best instructor I have ever had.” – Chengxuan Li ’23
“Out of my whole time at Avon, it’s not even the painting that I miss the most. Sure, the painting is fun and all, but what I really miss is coming into the art building, going up to Mr. Calibey’s office ‘to get coffee,’ and then we’d spend like 25 minutes to an hour doing nothing but just talking. We’d just talk about the most drivel stuff. I’m sure we drove him insane, but it’s really those memories that I really enjoy and cherish. I just want to tell him thank you for everything, and congrats on winning this award.” – Derrick Li ’24
“Mr. Calibey, thank you for being such a great teacher. I have a lot of great memories showing up to your class, having conversations—not just about art, but about baseball or whatever else is going on. Going to your class was always about more than just art and I always had a great time, and I’ve learned a lot from you.” – Owen Callaghan ’25
“Thank you, Mr. Calibey, for your support and advice toward being a better artist. The time you devote to your students was really helpful for me to get the skills I’ve learned at Avon Old Farms, especially in sculpture, but in other areas like how to live on campus.” – Wonjae Cho ’25
“This award is definitely deserved. To Mr. Calibey, thank you for introducing me to the world of painting. You’ve been an influential part of my life since my first class with you, and I can’t thank you enough.” – AJ Zappone ’26
“He really is unbelievable. The work that the students are able to create is incredible, and it’s all thanks to his teaching. Some of these kids come in having never picked up a paintbrush before, and he turns them into true artists. We are so lucky to have him in this department and at this school. He’s an incredibly talented artist and an amazing teacher. He hates the spotlight, but he deserves the recognition. We’re all really happy he got this award.” – Cristina Pinton, Visual Arts Department Chair and 2019 Art Educator of the Year award winner
Calibey says the pleasure is actually all his. “I feel it's a privilege to be able to work with these young men, and within the highly successful educational model Avon Old Farms provides,” he says. “I’m very grateful. Both to AOF for giving me the opportunity to teach, and to the CAEA for recognizing me.”
At Avon, Mr. Calibey teaches all grade levels in various artistic mediums including painting and sculpting. He teaches all skill levels, from first-time painters to AP students perfecting a professional-level portfolio. He is also heavily involved in the Advanced Independent Project (AIP) program, providing more intimate guidance to students after regular school day hours.
As a result of Mr. Calibey’s teaching, Avon Old Farms has one of the top arts programs in the state. Countless students have won awards for their artwork. In fact, Avon students earned more art awards than any other school in the state last year. Many of those works are still on display in the Estabrook Fine Arts Center or the Ordway Art Gallery.
On the evening of Wednesday, October 23, Calibey will be honored at a dinner where he will receive his Educator of the Year award.