Sculptures evoke TLC’s care for environment
Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Gallery (click any photo to view the gallery)
A full-size sculpture of "The amazing bird of earth" will sit outside The Learning Center.
This fall, students’ vision of how TLC at Linlee cares for the environment will come to life as professional artist Erika Strecker fashions a 12-foot metal sculpture outside The Learning Center. She will follow the design of seventh-grader Carolyn Boswell and eighth-grader Katie Ann Delph, who teamed up to win a schoolwide contest.
In her artist statement, Carolyn explained how birds transporting seeds to scatter flowers around the planet inspired their colorful piece, “The amazing bird of earth.”
Strecker spent time with TLC classes during the past month, explaining steps in the creative process from sketch to scale model to full-blown public art.
“We’ve really been pushing that the idea is the kernel behind the whole thing. They’ve got to be able to describe it and portray it visually,” Strecker said before the May 18 judging. “In my mind, art is another method to convey a message. So with this, they’re conveying some sort of ecological message in a three-dimensional format.”
Tony Pisacano, a junior who takes a pottery class, wandered among the 50 or so entries during the after-school reception. Depicting the modernization of Earth and the prolific consumption of natural resources, Tony had tried to make “The Urban Tree” a visually appealing model.
“The whole idea is we’re designing a piece of art to be on display outside the building,” he said, noting it will be seen from Spurr and Georgetown roads.
Students used a variety of materials such as recycled wire, nails, yarn, cardboard, glass, marble, aluminum and foam. They talked about artistic elements like form and balance as well as thematic elements such as what really happens to household trash and where food comes from.
The project was open to everyone, not only those taking art classes, and about half the student body participated.
“I wanted to be in TLC’s first art show because it shows that I can be good at something,” said sophomore Kadeijah Hawkins. “I try to express myself through my artwork as best I can.”
Students voted on their favorites, and the People’s Choice Award went to Luis Castro’s “Upside Down Tree” with its intertwined silver and blue metal bands.
Art teacher Cindy Zeller organized the project using an EcoART grant from Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government and a TIP grant from the Kentucky Arts Council.
The Department of Environmental Quality and LexArts are part of the EcoART grant program, which funds creative projects that get people thinking about storm water, energy conservation, recycling and other environmental issues. In the Teacher Initiated Program (TIP), teachers collaborate with professional artists for one- to four-week residencies and curriculum resources.
“We wanted to have a focal point to connect our school to the outdoors,” Zeller said. “A lot of the kids went online to research artists for their ideas, and they learned it doesn’t necessarily have to be realistic to be meaningful.”
TLC hopes to collect donations from the community to cover the cost of materials for the final sculpture, which should be completed next semester. Strecker said students are excited about its making a lasting impression at their school.
“Once they graduate and are gone, other kids will be affected by it,” she said.
Summer opportunity
The Josephine Sculpture Park in Frankfort offers a free creative workshop for ages 11 to 15.
“Your True Nature” flier
Registration form
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http://www.fcps.net/news/features/2011-12/enviro-models
About Me
- ashleybaker
- Lexington, KY, United States
- Mrs. Ashley Baker is a sixth year Art Teacher at Jessie Clark Middle School. Mrs. Baker has been involved in the Arts and our Community through the Jessamine County Public Library and the YMCA of the Bluegrass. Scholarships and Awards include FCPS Teacher of the Month February 2014, Bluegrass Writing Project Summer 2013, Teacher Appreciation Award 2014, PTSA Community Partner Award 2013 and the Frankfort Arts Integration Academy 2014. She is currently working and studying towards her Master’s Degree at Georgetown College with in emphasis in the Gifted and Talented Teacher Leader Program. She can be reached directly through FCPS website or email at ashley.baker@fayette.kyschools.us.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Painted Canvases Pictures
These are some of the stretched canvases we designed, stretched and painted for transitions in our museum. We needed additional surface area to post the educational information about the projects/products that the students have created for the museum. Next step: creating the informational displays to enhance the educational experience of the visitors.Monday, March 12, 2012
Weekly Best Practices - Don't just assign, teach!!
Model some skill everyday Whatever I assign, I should model its creation in front of students. As teachers, we should model a piece of writing or the construction of an equation from scratch so that the students can see our thought process as we progress from blank page to end result. To paraphrase Kelly Gallagher, "Don't just assign, teach."
My goal this week: To work through the assignments that I have asked my students to do to realize how much work they are actually asked to complete. I hate to think of the student staying up til midnight to complete "work" that we have assigned, hoping that we have communicated the "standard" that they are to learn. I would rather work along side my student, have a deep converstaion with them and explore the "standard" in depth to how it applies now and how it could apply in the future, not only for them, but for the community. I don't want my student staying up til midnight, working on something and getting stressed or staying "busy". I want them to really think about what we are teaching them, why we are teaching this, how it could apply to not only my class, but to others, to their lives, to others' lives and practice what they are taught.
Project Goals this week: Museum Wall Transitions, painting the canvases, Google Doodle Sketch and our Elizabeth Murray Collective Artwork. Pictures to come at the end of the week. :)
**Above Quote taken from Edutopia**
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/ted-lesson-planning-student-writing-heather-wolpert-gawron
My goal this week: To work through the assignments that I have asked my students to do to realize how much work they are actually asked to complete. I hate to think of the student staying up til midnight to complete "work" that we have assigned, hoping that we have communicated the "standard" that they are to learn. I would rather work along side my student, have a deep converstaion with them and explore the "standard" in depth to how it applies now and how it could apply in the future, not only for them, but for the community. I don't want my student staying up til midnight, working on something and getting stressed or staying "busy". I want them to really think about what we are teaching them, why we are teaching this, how it could apply to not only my class, but to others, to their lives, to others' lives and practice what they are taught.
Project Goals this week: Museum Wall Transitions, painting the canvases, Google Doodle Sketch and our Elizabeth Murray Collective Artwork. Pictures to come at the end of the week. :)
**Above Quote taken from Edutopia**
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/ted-lesson-planning-student-writing-heather-wolpert-gawron
Friday, July 1, 2011
Thoughts regarding "Age of the iKid" - from NAEA magazine
I was reading my NAEA magazine July 2011 Volume 64, No. 4, and thought I would share some of the inspirational lines that popped out at me from the article "Age of the iKid".
In summary, the article was talking about how students today are not going to be engaged in the "old school" tactics of reading in a textbook, then writing on a piece of paper because technology is so strong in their everyday lives, the old school tactics are almost a "step-back" in their evolution. As we all know, with each generation of children, the technology grows exponentially and in order to keep moving forward, we can't expect our younger generations to learn in the same manner that we did, by reading a basic textbook and then taking a pen and paper and writing a paper or completing a test. This does not engage our students, it doesn't even compute with them.
pg. 6 Some questions that we need to ask ourselves when designing a lesson or unit: 1. What skills are needed in this changing world? 2. What does today's learner look like? 3. What unique challenges do today's students face in educational systems that remain static? ...we see this not as a reason to disregard our origins and begin from scratch, but as an opportunity to build upon our foundations, reflect about the changing world our students (and ourselves) inhabit, and capitalize on the nature of art and artists to value both vision and ability to see and imagine what can be.
Gardner, 2007, p.7 I believe that current formal education still remains basically a preparation for the world of the past, rather than a preparation for possible worlds of the future.
pg. 7 Instead of expecting students to forgo the meaningful connections they make outside of school in "their world" for the confines of discrete classrooms, we propose an alternative. Teachers need to acculturate themselves to the lives and learning styles of these 21st-century students.
pg. 8,9 When thinking about how to connect with the iKids, here are some tips:
1. iKids have grown up learning how to read visual images, resulting in visual systems that are reflexive and intuitive. Think juxtaposition and interplay of visual and verbal elements.
2. a billboard is a dialogue instead of a monologue, much akin to the way students relate to their world today. Often facilitated by technology, learning and knowledge are acquired by doing. (this article makes several comparisons with billboards)
3. perhaps one of the most important skills students need to develop is the ability to synthesize this apparent inundation of information and imagery in a meaningful way. ...things that are apparently unrelated are often combined to produce a new and richer whole.
4. Ironically, though the iKids are technologically connected on an unprecedented scale, they are often isolated, and therefore disconnected from human interactions. By focusing on enduring human ideas and broader issues (whether it be in local, national, or international front), the iKids are poised to become truly global citizens. We should best prepare them to live in a "global civil society".
5. Knowledge is acquired, of course, but in a context and for a purpose. (Kohn, 2004, p.9)
**IT IS THE EMPOWERMENT THROUGH MEANING MAKING THAT IS SIGNIFICANT FOR THE IKIDS.**
p.10 We propose that the iKids, in particular, learn best from thoughtful projects with embedded opportunities to make meaning and connections to their own lives - whether technological or not - assignments that capitalize on their unique abilities.
...students build upon their personal experiences, as well as information and knowledge from across disciplines to create something new.
students often wonder "what opportunities do I have to connect and make this information my own? How does this relate to me and my world?"
p. 11 our relationships with students are key and 'we need to use the technology tools, learn the digital dialogue, and understand and better relate to our students' (Sprenger, 2010, p.8)
...we envision schools not as a container for discrete subjects, but a framework for understanding across disciplines, providing students with opportunities for individual meaning making as well as engagement in the time and place in which students live.
So basically, we (as educators) need to get with the program. We need to keep up with the learning styles that culture and technology are training and creating within our kids. Instead of expecting students to disregard their personal experiences and leave behind "their world" to join a classroom of the past, we need bring the classroom to their world and bring it into their personal experiences. Yes, it's a little thinking backwards, or better yet, putting you in their shoes and asking yourself, "How can I make sense of this? How can I put myself in my student's shoes and understand this material?"
I have to think, how can I advertise this content like facebook or a video game in order to get their attention and make it a dialogue instead of a one way information street. How can students synthesize this information? How can all these puzzle pieces make a new picture? What is that new picture? Can we connect this new picture locally, nationally, globally and connect the students to this using technology? All of these questions will lead to meaning making for students, somewhere along the line, a light bulb will go off and they will make a connection and see themselves within that connection.
In summary, the article was talking about how students today are not going to be engaged in the "old school" tactics of reading in a textbook, then writing on a piece of paper because technology is so strong in their everyday lives, the old school tactics are almost a "step-back" in their evolution. As we all know, with each generation of children, the technology grows exponentially and in order to keep moving forward, we can't expect our younger generations to learn in the same manner that we did, by reading a basic textbook and then taking a pen and paper and writing a paper or completing a test. This does not engage our students, it doesn't even compute with them.
pg. 6 Some questions that we need to ask ourselves when designing a lesson or unit: 1. What skills are needed in this changing world? 2. What does today's learner look like? 3. What unique challenges do today's students face in educational systems that remain static? ...we see this not as a reason to disregard our origins and begin from scratch, but as an opportunity to build upon our foundations, reflect about the changing world our students (and ourselves) inhabit, and capitalize on the nature of art and artists to value both vision and ability to see and imagine what can be.
Gardner, 2007, p.7 I believe that current formal education still remains basically a preparation for the world of the past, rather than a preparation for possible worlds of the future.
pg. 7 Instead of expecting students to forgo the meaningful connections they make outside of school in "their world" for the confines of discrete classrooms, we propose an alternative. Teachers need to acculturate themselves to the lives and learning styles of these 21st-century students.
pg. 8,9 When thinking about how to connect with the iKids, here are some tips:
1. iKids have grown up learning how to read visual images, resulting in visual systems that are reflexive and intuitive. Think juxtaposition and interplay of visual and verbal elements.
2. a billboard is a dialogue instead of a monologue, much akin to the way students relate to their world today. Often facilitated by technology, learning and knowledge are acquired by doing. (this article makes several comparisons with billboards)
3. perhaps one of the most important skills students need to develop is the ability to synthesize this apparent inundation of information and imagery in a meaningful way. ...things that are apparently unrelated are often combined to produce a new and richer whole.
4. Ironically, though the iKids are technologically connected on an unprecedented scale, they are often isolated, and therefore disconnected from human interactions. By focusing on enduring human ideas and broader issues (whether it be in local, national, or international front), the iKids are poised to become truly global citizens. We should best prepare them to live in a "global civil society".
5. Knowledge is acquired, of course, but in a context and for a purpose. (Kohn, 2004, p.9)
**IT IS THE EMPOWERMENT THROUGH MEANING MAKING THAT IS SIGNIFICANT FOR THE IKIDS.**
p.10 We propose that the iKids, in particular, learn best from thoughtful projects with embedded opportunities to make meaning and connections to their own lives - whether technological or not - assignments that capitalize on their unique abilities.
...students build upon their personal experiences, as well as information and knowledge from across disciplines to create something new.
students often wonder "what opportunities do I have to connect and make this information my own? How does this relate to me and my world?"
p. 11 our relationships with students are key and 'we need to use the technology tools, learn the digital dialogue, and understand and better relate to our students' (Sprenger, 2010, p.8)
...we envision schools not as a container for discrete subjects, but a framework for understanding across disciplines, providing students with opportunities for individual meaning making as well as engagement in the time and place in which students live.
So basically, we (as educators) need to get with the program. We need to keep up with the learning styles that culture and technology are training and creating within our kids. Instead of expecting students to disregard their personal experiences and leave behind "their world" to join a classroom of the past, we need bring the classroom to their world and bring it into their personal experiences. Yes, it's a little thinking backwards, or better yet, putting you in their shoes and asking yourself, "How can I make sense of this? How can I put myself in my student's shoes and understand this material?"
I have to think, how can I advertise this content like facebook or a video game in order to get their attention and make it a dialogue instead of a one way information street. How can students synthesize this information? How can all these puzzle pieces make a new picture? What is that new picture? Can we connect this new picture locally, nationally, globally and connect the students to this using technology? All of these questions will lead to meaning making for students, somewhere along the line, a light bulb will go off and they will make a connection and see themselves within that connection.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Complimentary Colors Self Portrait - Weaving
For our self portrait in Art Therapy, we took digital photos of the students and then lightened them on the copier. Students had 2 copies that they colored in complimentary colors and then we did a weaving out of them. The 100% ones were framed and placed in the hallway.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Ceiling Tiles at TLC
My middle and high school Arts and Humanities groups designed and decorated ceiling tiles. The students had a great time with this and really enjoy being able to walk down the halls and show others what they did. It really shows a sense of pride and accomplishment! They did SUCH a great job! Plus it adds some color and spunk to the school hallways!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Marshmallow and Toothpick Structures
For a team building exercise, we divided into groups of 4 and built a structure out of marshmallows and toothpicks! The mission was to build a structure that could 1) hold the weight of three hard cover books AND 2) which one could be the tallest. We had a LOT of really awesome designs and structures! The tallest structure was 3 and a half inches! We had some great team work and many student were challenged enough to push themselves and use the whole class time in designing their structure.
Monday, July 26, 2010
BLUBLU.ORG
You HAVE to go check out this video! The animation and creativity is amazing!
I just have to make one! Kudos to the artist!! What I like best about this video and the style that the artist uses is the fact that he/she uses 2D drawing and painting which leads to 3D interactive objects found in the real world. It adds a whole new meaning to the picture coming to life! With just a few found objects, some paint and a wall!! Very cool!!
I just have to make one! Kudos to the artist!! What I like best about this video and the style that the artist uses is the fact that he/she uses 2D drawing and painting which leads to 3D interactive objects found in the real world. It adds a whole new meaning to the picture coming to life! With just a few found objects, some paint and a wall!! Very cool!!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
This Too Shall Pass - Music Video
This video is really amazing! I would love to try this out in the classroom or even in my kitchen!!
Friday, July 16, 2010
Drawing with Glue
These are great to make in correlation with a Social Studies lesson on different geographical regions. We took a pencil a sketched out a design, then took another piece of paper and carefully drew our finalized sketch. Then, we took Elmer's glue and followed the line with the glue and let it dry. It usually takes about a full day. Then we took gold metallic paint (I tested several and Sargent's worked the best) and painted all over the paper, not too thick that you lose the dried glue design. Once the paint is dry, after a few minutes, we took ink and dropped some on the paper and took paper-towels and spread it all over to give it that old rustic antique look. We also made African masks in this same manner, the students loved making all kinds of different looking faces according to different animals and spiritual leaders of that culture. We then cut the faces out and glued them "pop-up" style on black paper and decorated the border with construction paper crayons. Everyone had a blast!!
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