Photo Credit: Nicole Martin Photography
Ivy Ratliff began her adventure with The Pathfinder School as a Summer Camp counselor and resident mermaid. Throughout those summers, and to this day she studies art with an emphasis on salvaged materials discovered in funny places, and looks to the forests and shorelines for inspiration and materials. She studied Child and Family Development at Western Michigan University and will never stop learning about art. She is passionate about student-interest based learning and emergent curriculum, which she combines with stewardship and the natural world to develop dynamic art experiences.
Ivy grew up in the woods of Northern Michigan where she developed her curiosity for ecological relationships and respect for nature. She has traveled to Asia, South Pacific, Central, and South America to understand a world bigger than the little woods she knew. She and her husband Fields chose the Traverse City area to raise their kids, Wren and Royal, where they have family roots. Wren and Royal are fortunate to attend Pathfinder and love having the woods, water, and wonder infuse their days of learning.
Education
Western Michigan University - Child and Family Development
