amethyst white gold earrings amethyst white gold earrings

 

Visual Arts

...now browsing by tag

 
After School Angela Baker art artists arts integration Ascha Drake Austin Willacy a_cappella Bayside School Brooke Toczylowski Collaboration community dance Davidson Middle School essential question Hannah Dworkin inspiration Julia James K-Dub kids art Marguerite Etemad materials Melissa Briggs Mr. KDub Ms. Brooke Mural music Nydia Gonzalez paint performances Printmaking professional development recycled art Sausalito/Marin City special day class streetpainting students Suzanne Joyal theatre til_dawn Twilight After School Program Visual Arts VSA arts Willow Creek Academy Youth in Arts
 

Project Based Learning: Designing a Compass Rose with Third Graders at Willow Creek Elementary

Saturday, May 18th, 2013

A Compass Rose is the diagram on a historical map that points the way north. The Compass Rose is also a way for a map maker to express themselves. So how can we tell future map readers about ourselves (as mapmakers) with our own personal Compass Rose? Mentor Artist Suzanne Joyal worked with third grade teachers Anne Siskin and Maya Creedman at Willow Creek Academy to design this art project integrating Social Studies (mapping the local area), Math (fractions), and Art (self expression, drawing, composition and design).

What is most important to us? That idea should be facing True North, as marking is the most prominent aspect of a compass rose. What is also important? Draw those images around the edges. The Compass Rose can be your signature as a map maker.

Basketballs, puppies, paintbrushes, flowers, baseballs… What can you find in the pictures below? What would point north on your own personal Compass Rose?

Pin It

Posted in Artists In Schools | No Responses »
Tags: , , ,

More Mask Making at Laurel Dell

Wednesday, May 15th, 2013

This Spring, the 4th and 5th Grade students at Laurel Dell made animal hybrid masks. The process took some work! First, students researched and sketched a mask design. Next, they molded the mask in clay. After a thick coat of petroleum jelly, the masks were carefully covered in strips of plaster, and left to harden. Finally, after being released from the clay molds, the plaster masks were then painted and adorned with fake fur or feathers to bring out their animal features.

After making a series of paper masks, the K-3 student artists had room for a quick, one-day project. I switched it up…instead of a mask, we made a Super Hero Power Hat, which we pretended would give the wearer a special ability, such as flight or invisibility. The students had a lot of fun constructing and embellishing this special headgear!


 

Pin It

Posted in Artists In Schools | No Responses »
Tags: , , ,

3-D Animals and their Habitats at San Ramon Elementary

Tuesday, May 14th, 2013

Mentor Artist Angela Baker facilitated a clay residency with 1st graders at San Ramon Elementary in Novato. The teachers suggested a theme of animals and habitats to connect with grade level curriculum and link to a field trip to the California Academy of Sciences.

Students first explored various clay techniques such as squeezing, rolling, pinching, and smoothing with an air dry clay. Students could create anything they wanted but were encourage to pay close attention to how to make their piece strong. What happens if pieces are too thin? Some solutions for strengthening pieces were demonstrated.

After practicing with the air dry clay, students created animals in a beautiful terra cotta kiln fire clay. For these pieces students also learned how to use clay tools such as a wooden pencil and a metal scratching tool. They practiced the “scratch and attach” technique; a method for attaching two pieces of clay together.

While the clay was in the kiln for the glaze fire students were shown some paper folding techniques and made mini collages. These were great practice for creating a 3-dimensional structure and helped with the construction of the final dioramas of animal habitats.

At the end of the last class together, the animals were placed in their dioramas and the class did a gallery walk. Many students had created habitats so rich in color and detail that the animals were camouflaged.

Angela asked “What do you see?” One girl answered, “Details.” She then asked if they thought details were important in art and if so, why. Here are some answers: “Details make it look more like the real world.” “Details make it beautiful.” “Details give you more information.”

 

 

Pin It

Posted in Artists In Schools, YIA Programs | No Responses »
Tags: , , , ,

Preparing for Performance at Tam High

Monday, May 13th, 2013

Students at Tam High are preparing to perform this weekend, Friday May 17th and Saturday May 18th at 7PM at the Caldwell Theatre on campus.  Following a rigorous playwriting course and extensive rehearsals, this group of rad kids of all abilities let loose and created their own set piece under the mentorship of visual artist Suzanne Joyal.  This piece of stagecraft is central to the dramatic action of their student-written one act play, and is functional as well as beautiful.

Stagecraft art together with Suzanne

Pin It

Posted in Arts Unite Us, YIA Programs | No Responses »
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

2nd Annual Marin City Skate Day!

Wednesday, May 8th, 2013

On Sat. May 25th, the Marin City Recreation Department & The Hood Games present another day of skateboarding, youth performances, music, art-making & community love. The 12 noon – 4 p.m. event is all about keeping our youth safe, active & creative. Local co-sponsors include: Youth In Arts, Prooflab Skateshop, Triumph Skateshop, Marin City Health & Wellness Center, Marin City Health & Human Services, CA4Health, Venture Trucks & Big Thanks to S-One Skate Helmets! – Let’s Roll!!!

Pin It

Posted in Artists In Schools, General YIA News, Sausalito Marin City School Demonstration | No Responses »
Tags: , , , , , ,

Mask Making at Laurel Dell

Thursday, April 11th, 2013

This Spring we are making masks at Laurel Dell elementary in San Rafael. We warmed up with a quick paper plate drawn mask, exploring the proportions and shapes of human facial features, and then adding our own whimsical, imaginative touches. Currently, the K-3 students are working on two types of masks: fancy paper Carnivale masks, and collage/drawing masks inspired by the wild portraits of Giuseppe Arcimboldo. The 4-5 students are making Animal Power masks, basing them on an animal or hybrid of animals whose traits and abilities they admire. They sketched front and side view plans for their mask, and are now sculpting the mask with clay and foam, which with then be covered with plaster strips.

Pin It

Posted in Artists In Schools | No Responses »
Tags: , ,

Happy Valentines Day from Willow Creek 3rd graders!- One Love.

Thursday, February 14th, 2013

Pin It

Posted in Artists In Schools, General YIA News, Sausalito Marin City School Demonstration | No Responses »
Tags: , , ,

Join Us for Art Walk Downtown

Thursday, January 10th, 2013

Youth in Arts is open late for 2nd Friday San Rafael Art Walk Downtown this Friday, January 11, from 5-8 p.m.

Come see our latest gallery exhibit, “Re-Generation: Teaching Recycled Art,” before it closes January 25. Help create a recycled “rag rug” or collect take-away cards to inspire your own recycled art projects at home.

“Re-Generation” features work from recycled and found materials by master artists, as well as recycled art works by their students and protégés.

Come explore the many reasons artists may choose to use alternative materials in their work and how they pass along these ideas to a new generation of young artists.

And don’t miss our new store layout with all kinds of artist-made items for sale, including creative recycled gift items by professional and youth artists!

 

Pin It

Posted in General YIA News, YIA Gallery, YIA Store | No Responses »
Tags: , , , , ,

Regeneration – Teaching Recycled Art

Friday, January 4th, 2013

Artwork from the Regeneration Show

Recently we hosted our first free gallery tour of “Regeneration – Teaching Recycled Art” with a group of students from Oak Hill School.  Six students from Oak Hill ages 13-19, all on the Autism Spectrum, enjoyed the sights, sounds and textures of our gallery and workshop.

We started in the gallery, observing the artwork that has been made by everyday “garbage” or items that would be trashed or recycled after use, such as material, plastic bags, old toys, sticks and paper scraps.  Then, Musician Nydia Gonzalez helped the youngsters explore the sounds that we could make re-using materials such as food containers and boxes by turning them into drums and guitars!  Finally, students worked with visual artist Suzanne Joyal and created 3-D sculptural art using scraps of foam core and matt board, connecting them, gluing them and covering them with vibrant colors.

The “Regeneration” show will be up until January 25th, so please stop by to check it out, or make an appointment for a free group tour for students. yia@youthinarts.org

Pin It

Posted in General YIA News, YIA Gallery | No Responses »
Tags: , , , ,

VSA Mentor Artist: Marty Meade – Braun School

Tuesday, December 18th, 2012

Marty Meade wearing her fused glass jewelry

Ten Weeks with students at Braun Day Treatment, Sunny Hills Services -

October to December 2012

Braun Day Treatment provides therapeutic day treatment for youth ages 5-18 who struggle with severe mental health disorders which interfere with their educational progress.  This year my assignment at Braun School was more important than ever, as the cutbacks made through out California was especially hard on this small school for special needs students.

At the end of the school year a panic went up as they realized that they would have to  completely eliminate art, including expressive arts.   In their case, they do not have the parent body to raise funds to fill in this gap.  It was a relief to know that Youth in Arts was here to provide at 20 weeks of this extremely important part of their curriculum.

My projects once again met their needs.  Working with various materials to express feelings, learn about perfection issues, taking a chance to do some different things.    I particularly like the marbling on paper where they work wet, do not have control of the outcome and are amazed at the results.   Sugar skulls are always fun, as the discover the value of food art.

The challenge for me this year are the children that I have had for almost four years, as I am aware that I have to come up with something new.   Middle School attitudes are challenging in any case, but with these students, it is even more so…. I have to keep reminding myself that when a kid is acting out, it’s when they are hurting the most…often difficult when they have pushed every button of patience that I can come up with.

In the midst of this assignment my younger brother was dying of cancer.  I made several trips to Ensenada to be with him, but managed to be back in time for the classes.  It stunned me at the lack of empathy that many of the kids had when I shared with them that my brother had died, The following week I was given a beautiful card with their sentiments, that touched me deeply, giving me renewed strength to keep on working with these special needs children.

Thank you Youth in Arts for the support to these children.

 

 

Pin It

Posted in General YIA News, VSA arts | No Responses »
Tags: , , , , ,

« Older Entries