Art Exhibition Reception: Art for Kids Sake

for a downloadable pdf of this page, click here

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ArtPark: Art for Kids Sake

This labor day weekend, the ArtPark received some improvements to better facilitate imaginative and educational opportunities for children visiting Tracy Aviary. Katherine Brown (GWI Intern) created some signs for new exhibits about creating flamingo ad finch nests and eggs. We also brought a number of children to the park this weekend who participated in creating new features in the park. Zoey Brown, Ruby Brown and Shiloh Peterson helped paint birds and flowers on benches and tables and also helped me create a bamboo hut structure. A number of new directional signs were also added. Check out this flickr link below for many more detailed photos.

ARtPark-Labor Day Weekend

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Calling SLC Artists! Join the State Street Mural Project

Great West Institute is proud to sponsor the State Street Mural Project as a community arts project designed to empower grassroots leaders.  We are looking for local artists to collaborate with local school children and other groups to design the remaining wall space at Baxter’s, and ultimately on approved buildings along the State Street Corridor.

The duck is the first piece of the project and will soon be accompanied by a host of other creatures.  A dozen local artists will be selected to collaborate with local childrens classes and community groups  to design and create each of the twelve sections  (180 linear feet of wall space) on Baxter’s Cafe.    The designs will be judged primarily on the objective of engaging and empowering local children.  We will help facilitate the collaboration and design process.

Our vision is not merely for a more aesthetically pleasing State Street corridor; more importantly we believe that vibrant, safe, and sustainable neighborhoods can be created through partnerships with local grassroots leaders, artists, teachers, businesses and local government leaders.

If you are interested in participating, send a paragraph about your experience and interest in collaborating, as well as three low-res jpg’s of your work. Sketches and mural ideas also accepted.

Send inquiries to: duck@gr8west.org

Click here for a pdf version of the flyer.

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Get Smart With Art: Dilworth Arts Program gets a visit from KSL

Surprise appearance from KSL reporters at my school today and here what popped up on the news tonight.
click here for video newsclip

Program uses art to reinforce core curriculum
October 2, 2008

Nearly 60 elementary schools in Utah are using art to help students get smart. It’s all because of a new state-funded art program.

Research suggests that art can actually help students with core subjects like math, science and English. The Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program is helping schools mix the two together.

Chris Peterson is Dilworth Elementary’s art specialist, and the artists in training are Mrs. Ostler’s first-grade class.

Today, they’re getting inspiration from van Gogh. Max says, “We just draw our paintings and all that stuff, and I added a lot of details and stuff.” And because they’re having so much fun, they don’t even notice what they’re really doing. Peterson says, “I’ve been collaborating with all the regular classroom teachers to find out what they’re learning in the core curriculum in their classrooms.”

Sarah says, “We learned about sunflowers, and we drew them.”

“I think it’s fun and that we’re learning a lot of stuff,” says Maxine.

The 59 schools involved in the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program use all kinds of art to reinforce core curriculum.

Oakridge Elementary, for instance, uses music. The program was funded by the Legislature back in March, and almost $16 million will be paid out over the next four years. “Using art to teach is such a powerful tool,” Peterson says. “You can get them interested. They can learn things with their eyes instead of just zoning off and daydreaming.”

The Utah Arts Council backs this program and hopes that when it ends in four years, they’ll be able to expand it and offer it to other schools.

E-mail: corton@ksl.com

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