Dameta "Eos" Skinner
Director of PPS Division & Recruitment
She is responsible for educator recruitment and educators whom are partnered within the Pittsburgh Public Schools district. She evaluates and ensures curriculum delivery.
Bio
Dameta Skinner, a proud Pittsburgh native, has dedicated her career to her hometown, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University in 2005 and a teaching certification from Carlow University in 2008 and a Principal Certification from Point Park University in 2018. She has over 30 years of experience in music, the visual and performing arts. As an Arts Integration Specialist with Pittsburgh Public Schools and founder of the Fusion Arts, she continues to shape both the educational and artistic landscape.In this role she coaches and collaborates with educators to ensure the arts is integrated throughout all academic areas. She also teaches visual arts from a trauma-infromed lens to students with intellectual disabilities and mental heath needs. She infuses social-emotional learning, entrepreneurship, and leadership with the arts.
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As an visual artist, Dameta creates under the name D. Sabor, a nod to the “flavor” she infuses into her work. A conceptual, abstract expressionist, and colorist, she explores social, political, and cultural issues, particularly those impacting Africa- American communities. Influenced by artists like Jean Dubuffet, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Kara Walker, her work is characterized by vibrant colors, intricate layers, and symbolic elements, using numbers and text to create a distinct visual language. Through her art, Dameta invites viewers to reflect on pressing societal themes, offering a transformative journey toward compassion, empathy, and healing. Her pieces often explore transcendence and wellness, providing a pathway for understanding the complexities of the human experience. Dameta’s artwork can be found in local galleries, and her company, Saborvisuals, offers graphic design, video production, and web services. She can also be found selling her paintings, sculptures, and custom fashions at local festivals. Dameta delivers powerful social commentary in a visually captivating style in her artwork.
As a musician, Dameta performs under the name EOS tha Ethos. She began writing and performing at age 10, drawing inspiration from female MCs like MC Lyte and Queen Latifah, as well as local artists such as Rampage and Sekou Coleman. She started on local festival stages, the Kingsley, and eventually performing at universities like Pitt, CMU, and Chatham, as well as the the Kelly Strayhorn Theate, August Wilson Center and the Forum in Harrisburg. She is mostley known for her live improvisational hip-hop performances, and beat production. She engineers, DJs, and explores spoken word. Over the years, Dameta has opened for icons like EPMD, Rakim, KRS-One, and Kool Keith. A solo artist and collaborator in groups like S.C.A., Triple-C (Catalyst Cipha of Cymmetry , Roughside Productions, City Slickers Entertainment she has curated many shows. She is an honorary Track Meet and Speak life Storyteller member. Her music reflects the same themes of identity and social commentary as her visual work. She has won multiple lyrical and beat-making competitions and is the founder of Hip-Hop Academy 3D. As a hip-hop educator since 1996, Dameta has worked at programs like the Kuumba Project, Music Explorations, CRAE Project, and Rhymecal Academy. She has established performance partnerships with Redishbowl, The Pgh Cultural Trus, Three Rivers Arts Festival, Deutschtown Festival, The Yellow couch Sessions, and the VIA Arts Festival. She has also facilitated workshops for Providence Connections, Inc., Hosanna House, Urban Youth Development, and Pittsburgh Public Schools.