Staff Spotlight - Anton Cataldo, Teacher of Art

When did you join Merchant Taylors’?

This is my fourth year at Merchant Taylors’. It’s the only place I’ve ever taught, having changed careers. Before that, I worked as a studio assistant for a contemporary artist, helping produce work for exhibitions both nationally and internationally. I never thought I’d end up teaching, but it’s easily one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. That said, I’ve made some pretty bad decisions too.

Tell us about your subject. What excites you about it? How did you get into it?

I teach Art, and I couldn’t really imagine teaching anything else. I think it’s a brilliant subject for the boys, especially at GCSE and A-Level. There’s not really another subject where they get to set their own questions and then answer them themselves. It becomes deeply personal to their own experiences. And, unlike DT and other practical subjects, it doesn’t have to “work”.

That said, it’s hard graft. Getting better at art takes a lot of practice and patience. I always say to the boys that it’s called painting for a reason: you have to go through the pain to get the ting. That idea keeps me invested personally too. There’s always something new to work on, and no two creative journeys are the same. Just within painting and drawing, the scope is huge. You can focus on becoming more accurate, loosening up, working more imaginatively, working from life, or exploring different media like oil, acrylic, or mixed techniques. And then there’s the whole world of three-dimensional work too. You’re always learning.

Luckily, we’ve got some very talented staff in the department who are always happy to help point me in the right direction when I haven’t got a clue. It’s also a real privilege to accompany the boys on their creative journeys. You learn so much from them as well.

As for how I got into it... I probably did a nice drawing for my mum when I was little, got praised for it, enjoyed the feeling, and carried on from there. Compared to some of the boys at MTS, I didn’t put a huge amount of thought into my career plans when I was younger. There were definitely times I regretted that. But now, teaching, it all seems to make sense.

What are you most proud of outside of your work at school?

That’s a tough one. I’m not sure "proud" is quite the right word, but I’m grateful that I learned not to always follow my feelings. They don’t always lead you to the best places. I’ve tried to choose to point upwards rather than downwards.

My natural state can be quite lazy. My school yearbook said: “Least likely to say: who wants to go for a run? Most likely to say: who wants to go for a kebab?” Honestly, I’d probably still prefer the kebab. But I’ve embraced a bit of discipline, made an effort to look after the future version of myself, and learned to appreciate the joys of suffering too. And it’s never too late to change direction. I did my first piece of voluntary exercise in my twenties, learned Spanish in my thirties, and took up Jiu-Jitsu just before I turned forty. So, I suppose I’m proud that I didn’t always choose the kebab.

What did you study at A-Level?

Art, English Literature, Government and Politics, and Classical Civilisation.

What piece of media would you recommend and why?

I’m probably not the best person to ask right now, as I’m trying to limit my media use. So, I would recommend turning it off entirely. Take out your headphones and listen instead to the wind in the trees, the birds, and the distant rumblings of the M1.