Art Zone Update

I've posted a little bit about the drop-in art program that I'm leading at an alternative high school in Shelton, WA, designed to provide outreach for homeless youth.  However, the program is open to all teens, and this school primarily serves at-risk youth, so we wanted to make sure that anyone who needs it feels welcome.

The program started in late September, and it took time to generate interest.  I've had a couple of consistent students, and more kids have noticed the class and become interested over the past couple of months.  But, because it takes place only on Fridays, and some kids only come one time, or once in a month, most are not going to become proficient with mosaic.  Instead, I've learned to set up some really simple projects that can be done quickly, without much effort.  Here is a jar-lid ornament project that was a hit, because kids could stop in, put glass scraps into the lid (over a cut out circle of No-Days adhesive), I used my heat gun to melt the adhesive.  When it cooled, they took it and continued with their day.

I do have a few students who took on a larger Day of the Dead project in October, and they have been diligently working on them over the past couple of months.  Again, the class is only on Fridays, sometimes they have other obligations and can't make it to class, and some students have only an hour or two to spend on it.  I wanted to post photos of the projects when they were complete, but here are progress shots instead:

This student is using tiny pieces because she loves the textured effect.

She is using only wheeled nippers to create her shapes.

This one is actually made by a young teaching assistant who brings a group of students to the class when she can.  She cut out eyes from a magazine and glued them under clear marbles.

This one is being done using indirect method.  The student is learning precision cutting with a glass cutter to make those concave shapes and curves.

This student is trying to use the glass scrap with as little cutting as possible.  She's gathering materials to collage the background.

One student has taken on a 3' x 5' mosaic mural for the school entryway as his senior project.  He has experience cutting glass, and he's quite good at it.

This is the mural as he was creating his cartoon.  The fused glass piece in the center was made years ago when there used to be a real glass art program at the school.  It is being incorporated into the mural as the focal point.  It will be surrounded by trees, ferns, pine cones, sun rays, and lettering.

This school doesn't have regular class on Fridays.  Teachers meet with students to help identify areas they need to improve, independent study takes place, there are often field trips with the outdoor club and organizations meet to work on their projects.  I am often asked to help with creative projects at the school, like decorations for their Haunted House event and a float for the winter parade (we'll all be walking in it tonight!)  Sometimes a group will bring lunch to my room to hang out with a friend who is working on their project.  On one of those occasions, a student mentioned that she wished she knew how to sew.  A couple of weeks later, I took sewing supplies and showed her how to make a little stuffed bird from fabric scraps.  She was so happy!  (Her bird was adorable, too.)

So, this has been a fantastic experience for me, so far.  I like being in an academic setting, working with young people, and hopefully sharing skills that will give some of them a new way to express themselves and a sense of empowerment.