Mariner Moment 04/29/10
04/29/10
Each year, Ron Watson of Gwatson gallery or Rebecca and Michael Doughertyof Isalos gallery alternate donating the use of their commercial gallery space for the high school art exhibition. This is no small act of kindness. It is an extremely generous contribution as it disrupts their schedule just as their season begins. The galleries provide the opportunity for students to experience their work showcased in a professional setting giving them a sense of pride which is invaluable.
This year, look for the colorful and graphic paintings of Mari Hawkin's in the windows of the gallery. Her paintings were produced for her senior exhibition project in which she reflected upon her year abroad in Ghana. Mari's mentor has been artist Pat Wheeler who has worked with her and taught her about materials and techniques. Those paintings and other work became part of a portfolio submitted to art schools and Mari has been accepted to her first choice, Pacific Northwest College of the Arts in Portland, Oregon.
In response to student requests that school art classes be more intensive like the workshops taken through Studio Based Learning at Haystack, I offered mini studios. These were 5 week blocks of time dedicated to the in-depth exploration of several different mediums including, mosaics, textiles, painting, sculpture, wall murals and even a “parade float” class.
Three years ago, due to student demand and with Mr. West's support, I started a photography class. Every week students are assigned specific subjects or concepts which they photograph and bring to class for critique. The last month of the class is dedicated to producing a portfolio of work based on a topic each student chooses to explore. Many of these photos will be on exhibit.
To keep my classes fun and engaging it requires that I have a background in a variety of mediums and command of many skills. I would like to thank Mr. Webster for supporting my professional development – much of which takes place at Haystack. I am very fortunate to have Haystack which provides workshops in a broad range of mediums. It is a resource of a caliber rarely found in cities, let alone on a rural island and provides me with the opportunity to learn about new materials which I can introduce into my curriculum. My textiles class is a good example of the fusion between my learning to make and sew fabric at Haystack and in return, offering it at school.
Next year, I will offer a class which is linked to The Alaska project, a K-12 project funded through a Kennedy Center grant and awarded to the Stonington Opera House to collaborate with a school in Junneau, Alaska. The project called, “Swapping Fish Tales”, intergrates the arts and technology into classroom learning.
Everyone mentioned in this article helps me extend the artistic practices of our students. This is an excellent example of a community members and community organizations having a significant impact to bring our students the best possible education. Thank you.
Annual Art Show Headlines High-Achieving Art Program
by (Katy Helman, Art Teacher)
For those who believe that DISHS is at the low end of the achievement scale, I invite you to see the annual high school art show at the Gwatson gallery the weekend of May 14th. The student talent on exhibit will dispel those thoughts. Many people and organizations in the community partner with me to suppport the success of the high school art program and I would like to recognize them in this column.Each year, Ron Watson of Gwatson gallery or Rebecca and Michael Doughertyof Isalos gallery alternate donating the use of their commercial gallery space for the high school art exhibition. This is no small act of kindness. It is an extremely generous contribution as it disrupts their schedule just as their season begins. The galleries provide the opportunity for students to experience their work showcased in a professional setting giving them a sense of pride which is invaluable.
This year, look for the colorful and graphic paintings of Mari Hawkin's in the windows of the gallery. Her paintings were produced for her senior exhibition project in which she reflected upon her year abroad in Ghana. Mari's mentor has been artist Pat Wheeler who has worked with her and taught her about materials and techniques. Those paintings and other work became part of a portfolio submitted to art schools and Mari has been accepted to her first choice, Pacific Northwest College of the Arts in Portland, Oregon.
In response to student requests that school art classes be more intensive like the workshops taken through Studio Based Learning at Haystack, I offered mini studios. These were 5 week blocks of time dedicated to the in-depth exploration of several different mediums including, mosaics, textiles, painting, sculpture, wall murals and even a “parade float” class.
Three years ago, due to student demand and with Mr. West's support, I started a photography class. Every week students are assigned specific subjects or concepts which they photograph and bring to class for critique. The last month of the class is dedicated to producing a portfolio of work based on a topic each student chooses to explore. Many of these photos will be on exhibit.
To keep my classes fun and engaging it requires that I have a background in a variety of mediums and command of many skills. I would like to thank Mr. Webster for supporting my professional development – much of which takes place at Haystack. I am very fortunate to have Haystack which provides workshops in a broad range of mediums. It is a resource of a caliber rarely found in cities, let alone on a rural island and provides me with the opportunity to learn about new materials which I can introduce into my curriculum. My textiles class is a good example of the fusion between my learning to make and sew fabric at Haystack and in return, offering it at school.
Next year, I will offer a class which is linked to The Alaska project, a K-12 project funded through a Kennedy Center grant and awarded to the Stonington Opera House to collaborate with a school in Junneau, Alaska. The project called, “Swapping Fish Tales”, intergrates the arts and technology into classroom learning.
Everyone mentioned in this article helps me extend the artistic practices of our students. This is an excellent example of a community members and community organizations having a significant impact to bring our students the best possible education. Thank you.