As Pia Druggan steps into the river with her brothers, her feet sink into the finest clay. “My earliest memory of sculpting comes from that very place. Inspired by the African masks that adorned our home, the four of us would try to recreate some of these masks using the clay—starting with the simple, triangular forms of the Loma masks. The sun would dry our little sculptures, and we would proudly carry them home to show our parents,” wrote Mrs. Druggan in an email.

Pia Druggan, our new head of school’s wife, is an artist with a painting in the faculty art show! 

Mrs. Druggan grew up in Liberia, West Africa. Her house was full of authentic masks, and sculptures from African artists. Mrs. Druggan’s dad developed a passion for African art when she was a kid. One of Mrs. Druggan’s dad’s favorite exercises was for her and her brothers to draw the masks that he collected around the house. He wanted them to understand what their ethnic meanings were and how to understand the shapes and carved hair styles and such.

Mrs. Druggan went to college and majored in mathematics education. She wrote, “I began my career teaching math, often using drawings to help students understand complex concepts.” She added, “I have always loved to draw.”

Later she became a full time digital art teacher after Dr. Druggan introduced her to Photoshop. Mrs. Druggan then became an artist. Mrs. Druggan now has a piece of her artwork in the faculty art show.

“I create art when something inspires me—whether it’s a visit to a museum, discovering a new artist on social media, taking an art class or just being in a beautiful place. I’m always capturing photos of things or places I might want to paint. Sometimes, it’s as simple as sitting on a bench next to the Wissahickon, just below our beautiful SCH campus, watching geese float along the river, beneath the bridge. In that quiet moment, I might think, “I need to paint this,” she wrote.

Her piece in the art show is called “The River.” It was painted in Dubai. It is oil on linen”