The young artists in the Twilight After School art program, taught by Ascha Drake, have been thinking like printmakers. Through brainstorming, sketching, experimenting, layering, inking, and printing, students learned that printmaking is a physical process, and it takes many steps to complete a print. The beginning of the project began with thinking about the self. How does the world see who I am? What do I want to reveal to others through my art?
Join Sausalito Marin City students, families and staff, along with Youth in Arts Mentor Artists and other teaching artists, at an Art Walk event on Tuesday, December 1 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the Bayside Elementary Multipurpose Room at 630 Nevada.
There will be over 400 student works on display, created by K-8 students of YIA Mentor Artists Brooke Toczylowski and Evan Bissell. Performances by in-school music students will be featured, along with a theater performance and capoeira (Brazilian dance-martial arts) demonstration by Youth in Arts’ Twilight After School program students.
Selected students will be honored for their work, achievement and contributions to school community life with new awards inspired by three well-known artists:
Recipients of the Frida Kahlo Award will be selected for their willingness to take risks and confidence in their approach to making art. The Dawoud Bey Award will honor students who are good listeners, who care about other people’s perspectives and who are positive community builders. And the Ruth Asawa Award will be given to students who are hard workers, determined and diligent about learning and making art.
The event is free to the community and light refreshments and dessert will be provided.
At the second annual Twilight celebration of the Day of the Dead, Sausalito Marin City after school students participated in an array of activities. The Art Room was awash with vibrant color, featuring work created by students–a large altar, watercolor pastel skeleton, papel picado, and tiny clay food offerings. Thanks to Mentor Artists Brooke Toczylowski, Suzanne Joyal, Kate Rees, & Evan Bissell for inspiring and guiding the students with their creations.
Mentor Artist Lead Students in a Sing-Along
Students were called into the Art Room with a Aztec Conch shell trumpet and drum. They packed in for a lively sing-along with Mentor Artist Rhonda Benin. Then they were treated to a traditional Oaxacan performance, beginning with a call to the Four Directions by Mentor Artists Ernesto Hernandez Olmos and Nydia Gonzalez, with assistant drummer Amiel Gonzalez. Students were eager to get involved in the activities and came up to the stage to play turtle shell drums, deer antlers and shakers.
Students Participate in Traditional Oaxacan Performance
Festive food was donated by Carlos Santana’s restaurant Maria Maria in Mill Valley, and three creepy but tasty “brain cakes” were provided by The Pleasure is Mine Catering in Tiburon.
Youth in Arts’ Twilight After School Program in Sausalito/Marin City held its first Talent Show of the year on Friday, during the weekly Fun Friday activity. More than a dozen students performed various individual and group acts.
Kaila, a third grader, sang a song all by herself.
Kaila
Nico, in fourth grade, showed off his guitar skills and left us amazed!
Nico
New After School Director, Victor Toman, finished out the event with a lively song.
Victor
Check back here to find out details about the next event. Parents, friends, and family are always welcome!
Mentor Artist Evan Bissell
Youth in Arts Mentor Artist Evan Bissell will be teaching art to middle schoolers at MLK Middle School and Willow Creek Academy. Students will have weekly art classes in a variety of media, from drawing and painting, through sculpture and New Media. Evan will also be teaching studio art to the Middle Schoolers twice a week in the Twilight After School Program.
Evan is proficient in many mediums but specializes in painting and drawing as public art. Evan graduated from Wesleyan University in 2005 with a BA in Ethnic Studies and Painting and is a long time participant of Youth in Arts’ Italian Street Painting Festival. Evan has facilitated projects throughout the Bay Area, focusing on community building and individually inspired art-making.
We are pleased to announce that Victor Toman has joined Youth in Arts as the Director of the Twilight After School Program.
Victor has over 20 years of national and international experience in professional theater as an actor, director, choreographer and dancer. He was a Collective Member of the Tony Award-winning San Francisco Mime Troupe for twelve years. Victor has his Teaching Credential for the State of California and a Masters in Dramatic Arts from UC Davis.
Victor has assembled a dynamic team of artists and program assistants to bring the students of Sausalito Marin City School District a wide range of classes for their after school program. Students are able to study Capoeira with Daniel Mattar, Singing with Rhonda Benin and Bryan Dyer, Visual Arts with Evan Bissell, Kate Rees, and Tracy Eastman, Fashion Design with Amelia Beruman, and Hip Hop with Roland Johnson. Middle Schoolers are also learning bicycle repair and maintenance with Trips for Kids , New Media at the MYC in San Rafael, and cooking with Melissa Howard.
A new addition to the Twilight After School program is a Sports Specialist, Roland Johnson. Both a credentialed PE teacher and a professional dancer, Roland is able to tailor each class to meet the physical interests of the students.
The kindergarten group plays a game on the field.
In August the Twlight After School Program Assistants got together for a full-day training where we went over management techniques, new procedures, and lots of fun games! We have a talented group this year, some returning from last year, and some new faces.
Here the staff members bond during a friendly game of Human Knot.
Click on the image to enlarge. Open to 6th through 8th graders at WCA or MLK. 
The after school program will start up again on Thursday, August 20th. Check back soon for information on the new classes being offered. Click on the image to see the after-school calender for 2009-2010. 
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