Archive for January, 2012

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Google Doodlers

January 13, 2012

Imagine being a Doodler for Google?!

On January 3rd there was a post written on the American Profile blog by jpoet. Below is the beginning of the post which is about the artists who work at Google creating the doodles. The doodlers “humanize the company’s worldwide search network, used more than 1 billion times daily”. You can read the rest of it by clicking here.

“Growing up in Uniondale, N.Y., Jennifer Hom loved to draw, especially doodles of flowers, unicorns and fairies. Today, the artist still doodles–but for an audience of millions of computer users who visit google.com, the popular Internet search site.

Working at the offices of Google Inc. in Mountain View, Calif. (pop. 74,066), Hom is a member of the creative team that produces amusing, informative and whimsical doodles that decorate Google’s corporate logo on its home page for national holidays and special events–or sometimes just for fun.

“Don’t listen to anyone who says you can’t do anything with art, because it’s not true,” says Hom, 24, who graduated in 2009 from the Rhode Island School of Design.

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Nominations Being Accepted

January 12, 2012

Maine Alliance for Arts Education (MAAE) is looking for nominations

You can help to locate and honor those who have contributed significantly to arts education for Maine students. The deadline has been extended for the following nominations:

  •  Outstanding Administrator Advocate for Arts Education Award: deadline extended to January 23, 2012
  • Bill Bonyun Award (artist, parent, community member, teacher): deadline extended to January 23, 2012
  • National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute (student): deadline January 27, 2012.

Visit the MAAE website www.maineartsed.org/ for details and nomination forms.

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Mt. Rushmore in Belfast

January 11, 2012

Troy Howard Middle School

Last summer Troy Howard Middle School, Belfast art teacher Lynnette Sprooch traveled out west. She was inspired by Mt. Rushmore and brought that inspiration right into her classroom. During the last 2 months Lynnette’s 8th graders spent time recreating an over five feet tall and over six feet long Mt. Rushmore. Lynnette emailed including the photo below and said:  this wonderous piece of art is permanently displayed in the hallway of the school for all to see.

Lynnette started an art enrichment team and it was this group of students who worked during their study halls, lunches, and after school to create the large sculpture. I look forward to stopping and seeing it for myself when I have a few minutes. There is nothing like monumental creations for students. They will never forget the event. Congratulations Lynnette and 8th graders!

Please tell us about large projects you have done or are doing. Send photos, and a blurr describing the work.

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Looking for a Good Book?

January 10, 2012

Time flew by

I no sooner went to bed on Sunday night and I realized that I hadn’t posted a blog on Saturday or Sunday. YIKES! That has never happened before. In fact, I think I’ve only missed one day in about 2 years (or something like that).

In case you’re wondering what happened, it is simple… I got engrossed in the book I’ve been reading. It is called The Greater Journey, Americans in Paris written by David McCullough. It was recommended to me this summer by a dear friend who said I would just love it! And, she was right. It wasn’t available at the library until November and it is such a huge book that I have to keep renewing it (or pay back enough overdue book money that would have built a new library wing).

I highly recommend it and hope that you won’t have to wait to check it out of your local library. Much of the story is taken from many journals so it is first-hand information and intertwined cleverly by Mr. McCullough. He tells the stories of the Americans who traveled to Paris between 1830 and 1900. The travels he writes about are artists, musicians, writers, architects, doctors, politicians, and others. It puts so much of history in perspective that is so much more understandable than the way many of us (I am guessing) learned history in school.

Just to name a few… James Fenimore Cooper, the writer and Samuel F.B. Morse, the painter who were good friends. Morse saw something while in France that led to his idea of the telegraph. At age 15 pianist Louis Moreau Gottschalk from New Orleans started his career in Paris and George P.A. Healy started painting portraits including Abraham Lincoln. Writers Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mark Twain, and Henry James “marveled at the treasures in the Louvre”. I absolutely loved the section about sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudents and can’t wait to visit NYC again to see his piece of Admiral Farragut. I want to see the third button down that was left unbuttoned. And my other favorite parts of the book are about Mary Cassatt and John Singer Sargent and how Paris influenced their work.

Needless to say I couldn’t put the book down this weekend and I can’t remember the last time that has happened to me. Anyone else read it? Please add your thoughts, feedback, comments.

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New and Old

January 9, 2012

Recent report and an older video

This is a recent report put out by the Wallace Foundation. It includes leadership, arts particpation, and after school programs. “The arts belong to everyone.” That was the conviction of our co-founder Lila Wallace. It has guided our efforts for more than two decades to support arts organizations as they develop and test innovative ideas to reach new audiences so that many more people might enjoy the benefits of the arts. Please click here for the report.

Thank you to my Department colleague, Laurel Sterling, for sending it.

This item is not recent interview but how interesting that it connects with the recent work in Maine in many school districts. On learning, computers, population growth, the universe. A 1988interview conducted by Bill Moyers on World of Ideas with Isaac Asimov
Please click here.

Thank you for art educators from Hampden Academy, Leah Olson, for sending it.

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Caribou Kids

January 6, 2012

Just before Christmas

I blogged about my trip to Aroostook county a few days before Christmas with First Lady Ann LePage. The story made the 6:00 news that evening on WAGM TV8. Twenty four second and fourth graders from Teague Park and Hilltop Elementary Schools had their art work on display at the Department of Education during October, November, and December. Art teacher Lena Tingley and the First Lady were included in the news segment. If you liked to take a look at the coverage please click here. (There is a short commercial beforehand). To view all the students’ artwork please click here or go to the front page of the meartsed blog and click on Teague Park and Hilltop Elementary Schools located on the bottom right under Artwork.

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In Today’s News

January 5, 2012

Sisters create mural for Mechanic Falls’ library

Today in the Sun Journal an article appeared written by Daniel Hartill about two sisters who have been painting the new location of the Mechanic Falls’ library. The sisters are 11 and 14 and spent 5 weeks working on the mural. And what a space they’ve created! You can read the article by clicking here.

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This and That

January 4, 2012

A few good stories

I have been cleaning out as I start 2012 and found over 20 drafts for blog posts. Each of the segments below could be full blog posts however, in the nature of “cleaning up” I have compiled them into a “this and that” post because I didn’t want to leave any out. Enjoy! There may be another post similar to this one since there are still 14 drafts!

  • Gospel for Teens: 60 – minute segment

This is a story about a woman named Vy Higginsen who brings young people together each weekend in Harlem to study gospel music. Her original intent was to save the music however it has turned into a much greater project. She has auditions each fall for 13-19 year olds to select the participants. Vy says: “Learning the music of gospel as an artform.” And a comment from a viewer: “In Gospel for Teens, we see in the faces of the youth how lives are transformed when they are granted a vehicle of expression.” I suggest you take a look at these when you have a few minutes to view them them from beginning to end.

View Part 1 by clicking here.

View Part 2 by clicking here.

Thank you to Pete Mickelson for sharing this information.

  • TEDx: Diana Laufenberg: How to learn? From mistakes

A teacher describes her teaching experience with experiential learning. Students using their own voice to explore their learning. She has taught in several schools in different states and presently in a school in PA with one 2 one laptops.

Thank you to Pete Mickelson for sharing this information.

  • STEM/STEAM

Article from the Art of Science Learning written by Martin Storksdieck that you can read by clicking here.

Thank you to Pete Mickelson for sharing this information.

  • World Children

The International Child Art Foundation has served as the leading art and creativity organization for American children and their international counterparts since 1997.  ICAF organized the Arts Olympiad, hosts the World Children’s Festival, and publishes the ChildArt magazine for the development of students’ creativity and empathy. The link below will take you to the Children’s World Festival celebrating peace and diversity. Please click here to learn more. And one of Maine’s students artwork will be included in the event. Read about it by clicking here.

  • Art and Neuroscience

For Art and Neuroscience check out this article about an exhibit at the Franklin Institute on Automaton. Please click here.

  • Jack Kent Cooke Foundation

Providing opportunities for artists to pursue their learning and creating the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation website gives you an overview and information. Please click here.

Thank you to Nancy Salmon for sharing this link.

  • Karen Montanaro on the theater

When well-coached and inspired, kids are miraculous performers . . . and, they all deserve the opportunity to feel the nervousness and thrill of performing . . . shining as brightly as the spot-light they stand in.

Suzanne Farrell (George Balanchine’s muse) is quoted as saying, “The only place to learn is ‘out there,’ on the edge, when the beginning and end of your career hinges on that one performance, that one moment.”

Even though kids aren’t looking for a performing career, there is something about “being on stage” that demands their total commitment to every word they speak, every gesture they make, and every stage-direction they follow.  They also experience the dynamic interplay between themselves, the other performers and the audience.  In fact, I think the stage teaches one of life’s biggest lessons . . . the universal appeal of one’s vitality, awareness, presence and spontaneity.

Karen gives her permission to quote her with the above statement on the theatre.

  • Education Week article

The article written by Eric Fox for the December 13th issue is called “Every Student Is At Risk. I found it has ‘food for thought’ and recommend it. Please click here.

  • Art Knowledge News

I am not sure when I stumbled upon this site but it has some good information that you might want to check out. Please click here.

  • Leighton Art

Mrs. Girbino is an art teacher for grade 3, 4, and 5 at Leighton Elementary School. She has a blog with many wonderful ideas and examples of her students’ art work. You can check it out by clicking here.

  • Victoria Wyeth’s grandfather Andrew said…

“My grandfather taught me a valuable lesson, that there are a lot of boring people out there, the more unusual the people you hang out with, the more fun you’re going to have.”

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Arts Assessment Opportunities

January 3, 2012

Webinar, graduate course, regional workshops

The Maine Arts Assessment Initiative continues to provide professional development opportunities using a variety of modes of communication in different locations in Maine.

Webinar: Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 4th, 3:30 – 4:30 will be the next assessment webinar in the series: An Elementary Discussion: How in the World Can I Possibly Do This? This webinar will address the unique needs of elementary arts teachers. I hope you will join facilitators Rob Westerberg and Catherine Ring and their guests, teacher leaders Alice Sullivan (music educator) and Shannon Campbell (visual art educator). Also joining them will be music educator Barb Packales and myself.

To join the webinar go online to http://stateofmaine.adobeconnect.com/pk201012/ (sign in as “guest”). Conference Number: 1-866-910-4857, Passcode: 140893

Graduate course: Catherine Ring, Rob Westerberg, and teacher leader Jake Sturtevant will be teaching an arts assessment graduate course in different locations in Maine. They are excited to be sharing the many tools, strategies and resources on assessment with arts teachers.  Everyone is really busy, but this is a unique chance to take advantage of a reduced tuition of $750 for three graduate credits.  And, the courses have been approved by the Maine Department of Education for recertification. No matter where teachers are in their understanding of how to use assessment in the classroom, this course will give participants a chance to really “dig deeper” and try things out in the classroom with the support of colleagues and some fantastic instructors!

Dates and Locations:

  • January 13, 14 and March 16, 17, 2012: York High School, York (Visual Art K-12 and Music 7-12)
  • January 27, 28 and April 27, 28: Bangor (Visual Art K-12 only)
  • February 10, 11 and May 11, 12: Augusta (Visual Art K-12 and Music 7-12)

For Registration and Information, visit www.newenglandinstitute.org or call the New England Institute for Teacher Education at 207-367-5807.

Regional workshops: At the end of January are regional workshops being presented by three teacher leaders. More information will follow on these but please mark your calendars if you are unaware of these opportunities:

  • January 27: District 3 high school Honors Festival: Cony High School – Deb Large, facilitator
  • January 27: District 1 high school Music Festival: Noble High School – Jake Sturtevant and Matt Doiron, facilitators
  • January 27 or 28: District 2 high school Instrumental Festival: Oxford Hills High School – Bill Buzza, facilitator
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Art/Science Connection

January 2, 2012

New Year cleaning up time

During the past few days while on vacation I have been slowly boxing up my holiday “stuff” and putting it away in the attic for another year. I enjoy packing it up almost as much as I like to unpack it in early December. The difference is that not all of it goes back where it came from. I find that the packing leads to rearranging items in my home and make several piles; yard sale, town thrift shop, dump, give-away, and save for my children. I easily get side-tracked and end up sewing, reading, creating, and putting items up on the wall. At the end of each day I go to bed exhausted and wonder where the day went.

My clean-up mode continued today on my computer. Those of you that know me well are aware of my LOVE for “stickies” on my Mac. Yup, I went through and deleted a bunch of them and organized them by color and size. I spent some time on the meartsed blog and made some deletions as well. I found 24 drafts for blog posts. During the next few days I will publish some of the drafts. This is one…

I have published a couple of posts on “doodling”. One was a TED talk by Sunni Brown who leads the Doodle Revolution – a growing effort to debunk the myth that doodling is a distraction. Sunni’s wrtten a book called GameStorming: A Playbook for Rule-breakers, Innovators and Changemakers.

A second post called Doodling in Math Class which talks about mathemusicians. It is not only fun but a great view at how some people learn best through music and math. There is a video at this blog post where you’ll see Vi Hart eating candy buttons like a recreational mathemusician.  If you missed it when it was originally posted on January 6, 2011 I suggest you check it out now. And, of course go to her site where you can learn so many ideas.

The last post on doodling that is archived is a story about Robert Redford and his doodling experience. The post is from July 11, 2010.

So, here is one more on the topic of doodling. It is from an August 26, 2011 blog entry in, Teaching Now, written by Liana Heitin. Research has been done that suggests that drawing helps students understand science concepts, and should be used to complement writing, reading, and talking in science education. The post is called Don’t Forget to Show Your Doodles. I hope you have a chance to read the post. It has many points that you might want to share with colleagues.

I am certainly glad I had the chance to complete this blog post!