Last July, Pam Kukla’s only son David died at the age of 58.
A revered and award-winning math teacher, David was also an artist, occasionally acting the role of his favorite mathematician, Sir Isaac Newton, in class to inspire his high school students.
His creations – drawings, paintings, vases, and bowls – all sit proudly in his mother’s home. “Art was the way of feeding himself,” Pam said. “He made art to take care of himself.”
While he lived in Tucson, Arizona, David attended an Arts Foundation Patron event in September 2022, inside painter Robert Henry’s Wellfleet studio. At the time, he was fighting cancer. “He wasn’t feeling well that day, but he came in and he had such a great time,” Pam recalled. “Robert took him in hand and talked to him about his art and making art. It was such a wonderful experience for him. I’m so glad he had it.”
Click here to learn more about David, who was a 2019 Teacher of the Year Finalist for the University of Arizona Outstanding High School Faculty Award. He taught Pre-Calculus, Trigonometry, and AP Calculus at Sabino High School.