A.B. Osborne presented Arts Educator Award by Greater Augusta Arts Council

When A.B. Osborne helped launch the Animation program in the Katherine Reese Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences in 2019, he didn’t do so with the notion of being recognized or winning awards. He simply wanted to transform lives and give students a new creative outlet.

This year, Osborne was honored by the Greater Augusta Arts Council during its annual gala on June 20 with the Arts Educator Award, given to someone who is not only a teacher of the arts but also a cultivator of possibility. Despite receiving Augusta University’s Individual Teaching Excellence Award in 2024, he said he was blindsided by the GAAC recognition but was grateful to be able to represent Augusta University and the community.

“It’s always thrilling to be in the conversation,” said Osborne, director of the Animation program and associate professor in the Department of Art and Design. “There’s a lot of great artists in this area, a lot of great art opportunities and a lot of people trying to make the arts community thrive here. I’m always trying to be part of that. I think Augusta keeps leveling up, and it’s thrilling to be seen as somebody who’s making an impact on the community.”

According to Denise Tucker, executive director of Greater Augusta Arts Council, the recipient of this award is a person who opens doors for the next generation, fosters confidence and uses creativity as a tool for healing, learning and growth.

“It’s not just about teaching technique; it’s about sparking a fire that can’t be put out,” she said.

Tucker has spent the last nine months transitioning into her role as executive director and said she came in ready to build, honor the past and dream a little louder.

Part of that was expanding the awards to recognize more of Augusta has to offer.

“Augusta is bursting at the seams with talent, commitment and creativity, and our old categories just weren’t cutting it anymore,” Tucker said. “We expanded the list to reflect the full symphony of artistry happening in our city. There are educators, youth leaders, community visionaries and behind-the-scenes movers who have long deserved a spotlight. This expansion isn’t about giving more awards; it’s about giving more people their flowers while they can still smell them.”

When it came to the Arts Educator Award, Tucker said Osborne “doesn’t just teach the arts – he lives it, breathes it and radiates it.”

“His impact goes beyond curriculum. His students and the community love him,” Tucker said. “The nominations we received for him spoke of transformation, mentorship and the kind of consistency that changes lives. He stands out because he shows up for his students, for his community and for the love of the arts. That kind of presence can’t be ignored.”

According to Osborne, animators are good collaborators. He said he’s open to anyone who contacts him about a potential project, will listen to their proposal and will incorporate it into his class, if he can. He finds the teaching methods that work best are those that allow his students to have an experience while giving someone local a chance to showcase what animation can do for them.

Osborne credits his former teachers and fellow faculty for giving him ideas of effective classroom practices, which he was able to hone and adapt to his surroundings.

“If a teacher does something that works, you try to pull it into your own classroom. Real collaborations, gamification and honest feedback are all important to my classroom. I try to keep classes entertaining, but nobody will ever say they’re easy,” Osborne said. “I hold students to a high standard, but they’re always exceeding my expectations. They’re working hard, having fun and learning how the real industry functions.”