This look ok to you?

Checking my framing

To set the stage, we started with media literacy, viewing a variety of visual examples to develop a common language and see, in full vibrancy,  how subject to camera distances (close up, medium shot, long shot), composition, framing, and color play pivotal roles in photography. We leaped from critical analysis to hands on practice with our first exercise — creative portrait.

While taking the portraits, students were encouraged to explore the difference between the close up and long shot, to look what it’s in the frame, what’s left out and connect how technical choices pair with creative meanings.

It's a long shot and I feel alone

Do I look different in my close up? Reflection time

Youth in Arts has provided me the opportunity to create a venue in which these children can play, express deep feelings and take a risk.  I have been privileged to work with this population for over 20 years, and I still love it.

The School is broken down into three programs, allowing me to work with small groups of 12 students one day per week. Inappropriate social behavior is the constant issue, so ‘please and thank you’ is foremost in my presence. Plowing through outbursts of anger, the sneering attitudes, and their self-hatred is my mission.

In spite of these issues, we have worked with glass to make fused necklaces and small plates. I have given them “real” tools and clear boundaries. Besides glass art, we also had fun making Panoramic Easter eggs (sugar art), block printing, marbling on card stock, watercolor and acrylic painting, and sculptures using balsa wood and hot glue guns.

Thank goodness I’m extremely organized and start packing my crates months beforehand!

The photos here are from a day in which we had a pile of balsa wood scraps and the beautiful panoramic eggs made from prepared sugar shells. The child working on a mosaic picture is one who went inward and could not engage with the others.  (I have ready materials for times like this)

Another great year, thanks to the support from Youth in Arts.

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So, come on in to get some cards for your family and friends, for graduation, Mother’s Day and the end of the school year.

Signed,

Erik The Store Manger At Youth in Arts

Erik Peerand, Youth in Arts Store Manager, is creating a series of entries for the Youth in Arts blog, highlighting some of his favorite things in the store. Erik, who is on the autism spectrum, is great with tracking down information and loves to interact with customers in the store. Erik serves as a great role model for adults with disabilities, working and living independently.

The Photosynthesis cast with artist Rebecca Burgess

Youth in Arts new musical Photosynthesis–Living Sunlight debuted today to hundreds of local schoolchildren and their teachers and parents at the Showcase Theatre at the Marin Center. The kids and adults were enthusiastic about the show, which teaches the science behind photosynthesis using lively music, dance and theater.

The musical is based on Living Sunlight, How Plants Bring the Earth to Life by Molly Bang & Penny Chisholm, and we were thrilled to have Molly in the house today!

Also attending was local fiber artist Rebecca Burgess, who contributed to the development of Photosynthesis and also curated Youth in Arts new gallery exhibit, “Farm Fresh Fashion.” The exhibit and the musical are great companion pieces, blending art and science to encourage better stewardship of our earth.

If you’d like to catch Photosynthesis–Living Sunlight, a final performance will be offered Friday, May 4, at 7 pm. Tickets are available in advance from the Marin Center Box Office, or at the door beginning at 6 pm.

Photosynthesis Performers, Composer Miguel Martinez and Author Molly Bang with some young audience members

• How to fly anywhere in or out of this world and at once
• How to make any household object into anything else, big or small
• How to become a group photograph of events past, present, or future, near or far
• How to go up and down on elevators flights of stairs that aren’t there
• How to do pushups with (a) one hand (b) one pinky (c) no hands, nothing at all
• How to make a statue of a friend or to to become clay and be made a statue
• How to weave fantastic stories out of thin air
• Many other extremely practical things

We used techniques of pantomime, including illusions and figurations of the body. We explored narrative improvisation. We played many theatre games and did lots of exercises for concentration, coordination, agility–and. let’s confess, the fun of it.

Roman Charioteers
In under five seconds, these children have BECOME a photograph of Roman charioteers, through our magical camera

Unfortunately, a number of the children, it must be reported, were observed flying over remote areas of the Antarctic, which, as we learned, WERE NOT IN MARIN COUNTY (which is where everybody was very clearly instructed to confine their flights!) Some had to be shipped back to Novato in crates, as we found out in our storytelling exercises.

Angry!
The children were asked to sit, at a hand clap, with a particular feeling imbuing every bone and cell.

I implore teachers, parents, and Youth In Arts staff to help remind the children of the dangers of solo interstellar flight.  We are still negotiating with the Rock Dwellers of Neptune for the return of several of our 2nd Graders who flew there over the weekend, using the mime technique of string causality.

ASCEND!
2nd Graders are beginning to take flight, using the mime technique of string causality. WARNING: Stay over Marin County and do NOT wave to people in airplanes.

More . . .

Take, Double Take
In this game, the children learn stage presence through the use of masks. The power of the TAKE, of simply looking or looking away is dramatically conveyed and immediately understood.

 . . . also . . .

Experiment in Sitzfleisch
Physical Theatre is all about learning to think with one’s whole body. In this game, the children are creating–in an instant–entirely new ways of sitting!

  . . . not to mention . . .

Beloved Renegade
In this exercise in leaning, one of the students has decided, unasked, to vary it by standing and leaning on one leg only. Hurray! Unlike many lessons in school, the lessons in theatre classes are as well served by the renegades as by the conformist. It’s a fine line and a delicate call, to be sure, since discipline is, of course, what make experimentation possible, but, ah, the joy of an occasional . . . DISCOVERY!

In an effort to generate ideas and inspiration Baker showed students an image at the beginning of each project and did a short Visual Thinking Strategies session. Images shown were Jasper Johns number paintings, Pop Art–especially the work of Andy Warhol–and mythological creatures for a clay sculpture of an invented animal.

During further discussions, students shared quite a few ideas they had about possible sources of inspiration such as: nature, people, colors, the environment and looking at each other’s work. Some students particularly enjoyed doing “gallery walks” to share work at the end of class.

A Special thank go to The Yes Foundation, Youth In Arts, Kathy Thorton, and Chris Strempek for their dedication to their community, to their leadership and collaboration.

And the young adults of White Hill Middle school must be saluted for their fierce wild cat spirit! Their dance is strong!

`Til Dawn 2011-12

Want to be part of this picture? Want to join the legacy led by esteemed artist Austin Willacy?  Want a teen troupe whose alum include talents on Broadway, television, and with their own recording labels?

Youth in Arts award-winning teen a capella troupe ‘Til Dawn is holding annual auditions.

Each year we hold auditions to replace those students graduating high school.  The group is particularly interested this year in singers with a strong bass range, but all types and ranges of singers are added to the group each year. Singers should be entering 9 – 12 grade in fall 2012.

Questions: What songs should I prepare? What should I wear? Can I talk to someone for more information? Answers here on our website.
`Til Dawn Auditions

May 21, 2012 – 5:30 pm

Youth in Arts Studio 917 C Street.

Stevie Greenwell with students from GLOW: Girls Leading Our World. The girls empowerment and resiliency camp she co-directed

`Til Dawn Alum Stevie Greenwell shares about the impact that Austin Willacy has had on her and how she is passing on her love for the arts with special needs students in Zambia.  Go Stevie!

I remember being so nervous when I auditioned for ‘Til Dawn. I was in awe of the group and was unbelievably excited to become part of it. Little did I know how much ‘Til Dawn would change me and that 11 years later it would still have such a large impact on my life. When I joined the group, I was a quietly strong and slightly shy girl. ‘Til Dawn helped me find my voice on stage and in life. I became a more confident person and started to find more direction for my future. ‘Til Dawn took me from a person who liked to sing to someone confidently choosing to study music education in college and making music part of my career.

I was beginning to believe in the power of education and expression and Youth in Arts embodied both of those ideals. I secretly dreamed about working for Youth in Arts one day and started often thought about starting my own non-profit one day. I think I was just starting to understand the connection we can have with others and how much good can come out of that connection and community. All I knew is I had to do something. It was also around this time that I first started thinking about volunteering and the Peace Corps. Be it with Peace Corps or Non-profits, I knew my fulfillment was going to come through helping others and singing. At the time it all seemed like far fetched dreams and then before I knew it, I was calling Austin to tell him I was moving to Zambia and soon teaching a group of high school boys how to write songs in front of my hut.

I loved being a part of the Youth in Arts family and seeing all the amazing projects they have accomplished. It was my first look into how a non-profit worked on a daily basis. I felt so lucky to be in the group and thank Youth in Arts and Austin for that chance. Austin has been such an amazing support in my life. He has gone from director to mentor and advisor to close friend. He continually makes me think about the impact I can have on the world and motivates me to actively contribute what I can through his actions and choices.

The ‘Til Dawn family I became a part of is still going strong. There have been countless coffee dates, long distant phone calls, concerts, shows, weddings, and even babies! I am still collaborating with members of the group to teach music and continue to sing together. The actual impact Youth in Arts has had on me is unmeasurable. Most of all I think back on my time singing with ‘Til Dawn with a huge smile on my face. I strive to keep the art, music, and community going in every direction of my life.

I spent two and half years in Zambia working with teachers, schools, and communities to improve education in rural areas. I fell in love with Zambia and found myself apart a part of new family and community half way across the globe. When I returned to the states the answer still seemed clear, you must help the ones you love. Over the past year, two other returned volunteers and I have been working on a project called Paint the Movement to help some absolutely amazing kids in Zambia.

We are going to Chileshe Chelepa Special Needs for a week long learning event with the core values I felt at Youth in Arts, education and art, as our focus. It is a combination of creative physical therapy, teacher training, art education and a student mural project. 30 teachers trained means over 600 students impacted and a mural project that will have continents collaborating. I am overjoyed to be able to bring art and the power of expression to these children.

Check out our video and more information on our site.

We are a small group with the chance to have a powerful impact and want as many people to be a part of it as possible.We are currently at 78% of our fundraising target and just need a final push to make it to our goal. All of our supporters have come from word of mouth. Please help us spread the word and become a member of the Paint the Movement Family. I dare you to not fall in love with the children in this video.