I believe that some art educators are teachers, then artists and that others are artists, then teachers.
Either way, I personally think that you need both attributes.

While sometimes difficult to "find" the time, I think it is important to
"make" the time to create.

I do notice the benefits of my students seeing their art teacher as an artist!
My personal work explores a variety of media and subjects.
Below are a few examples.

    
" I Call Her Dettie "                                      detail                                         "Her Name is Mary"                        
My current work is mixed media including collage, ink transfers, and acrylic. The panels are 10" x 20" and each have two recessed sections approximately 1/2" deep. The series is titled "At 49" and explores important women in my life from their 49th year and younger (yes my birthday this year!). Three works (those depicting my maternal grandmother -above left, my paternal grandmother and my mother) were selected for to be exhibited in the juried show "Beyond The Demos" at the Carnegie Center in Oregon City, OR. in November 2007.

"Somewhere" and "Anywhere", Mixed Media (original intaglio print, collage, acrylic, tape transfer, ink)
Both works were exhibited in juried show "Beyond The Demos" at the Carnegie Center in Oregon City, OR. in November 2006.
Additionally, I was invited to exhibit a piece in the invitational show
"Art Educators as Artists" at the Hammond Regional Arts Center in Louisiana during August 2007.  I submitted "Somewhere" (on left) which sold during the show.  The show was shown electronically at the National Art Education Association convention in New Orleans in March 2008.

The following pages from the Altered Book Round Robin.  Participants were from across the county.  When each book arrived that artist worked on one or more pages before sending the book on to the next person to work in.

 
Left: This work was done on a page about body types and the health implications.  My handwritten text refers to how to determine your body type...an apple or a pear...hence the subject of the acrylic paintings!
Right: This work is in a book of inspirational writings.  I included a copy of my original pastel drawing and quote
along with hearts that I embellished and soldered together.

This book was actually a bride's guide. The work was done on the pages about weights and measurement that actually pertained to cooking.  Mine was much more of a personal version!    Diet coke cans were cut into sharp edges on the scales. Above with tin closed, to the left, the tin open.  The words inside speak to the real me:  mother, wife, friend, etc. versus the external struggle.

This book was titled "Pioneering Women".  The work on the left was done in the chapter about schoolmarms.  The names listed on the chalkboard along with mine are my grandmother and great aunt's, both teachers (one has a school named after her!)  The work on the right speaks to pioneering women artists.  Reproductions of the artists are used on top of lists of women artists found on Artcyclopedia.com

The work in this book included a monotype print titled "Control Or Not" on the right.  On the left is a Mylar overlay with acrylic painting and attached with gold rings.

My book was titled "Everything You Need".  On the left is the sign in page.  On the right are the pages that I created involving family, friends, art, and love.  Unfortunately my book was never returned to me and I was unable to see the other artist's contributions.

pages from altered children's board book.....a personal, reflective journal for
"Systems, Strategies and Skills of Counseling and Psychotherapy" class!

left:  "Nieces", acrylic, 16 x 20

right: "Memory", leather mask with acrylic

"Curriculum Consumption", mixed media--collage with relief mask, 24 x 30

"Flower", acrylic on canvas, 5 x 5