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| Arts In Education Artists Roster |
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CRAFTS |
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Barbara Cade Crafts: Fiber, Paper Hot Springs, AR 501- 262-4065 cade@ipa.net www.barbaracade.com |
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Background Barbara Cade is a nationally known artist who creates one-of-a-kind tapestries and hand-felted sculptures especially for architectural interiors. Her work is nature-inspired. Over the years, she has taught herself weaving, felting, stitchery, other fabric constructions and hand-made paper techniques. She has taken classes in glassblowing and pottery. With her love of other cultures, she has studied Spanish, African-American history and Native American history. She has a B.A. in German from the University of Illinois and M.A. in German from the University of Washington, and has been listed on the Arkansas AIE artist roster since 1986. AIE Program In the classroom, Barbara designs projects that allow the student to make decisions, improvise, take risks and use his or her imagination. Barbara emphasizes the importance of education as she shows by example the many skills needed to make art. Each project is geared to the grade level involved and to a school subject. Examples of projects are: woven pillows, woven figures, hand-made felt designs, and prints. If it is appropriate, Barbara likes to help students work on a group project that will be permanently displayed at the school or site. Examples of group projects include the creation of a rain forest tapestry in which different classes make felted leaves, animal faces, tree trunks, vines, snakes, butterflies, and flowers. Another group project for math classes results in a colorful, large-scale quilt for the school. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open | |
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Jennifer Lacour Crafts: mixed media Kenner, LA 504-417-2322 | 504-466-1825 studiododava@yahoo.com |
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Background Originally from Philadelphia, PA, Jennifer Lacour had been creating since she was a small child. While formally trained in metals and textiles at Moore College of Art and University of the Arts in Philadelphia from 1983 to 1990, over the years Jennifer Lacour has studied and worked with many mediums including clay, glass, leather, wood, plastics, paper, and gemstones. Her work is influenced by her extensive travels, the art of native peoples worldwide, and the beauty of the natural world. Jennifer began teaching in a classroom setting in 2002. In 2004 she was asked to be a juror for the student art show at a local elementary school. In 2005 she was chosen to be on the panel of judges for the Southeast Louisiana Regional ASCI student art show, in which schools from surrounding Southeast Louisiana were represented. She is a juried member of the Louisiana Crafts Guild and currently exhibits her award-winning work at galleries and Fine Art & Craft Shows around the country. AIE Program While my favorite age group is 8 to 25, I have discovered one universal thing about teaching art to students, no matter what the age group, they would much rather “do” than “watch.” Students like to be shown how to do something and then they want to be able to try to do it. I enjoy the hands-on approach much more than standing in front of a class and boring them with a lot of talking. I don’t mind talking a little bit, but mostly I would rather teach by showing. Most students learn art and crafts more easily by doing it themselves than by watching and listening to someone else do it. My philosophy is show them as a class, get them started trying, and then go around and help each student. I also try to instill in my students that part of becoming an artist is mastering the skills necessary to produce their art of choice. That requires practice and repetition. No one ever learned their art or craft in one day. When they understand that, and they are focused on having a perfect, finished piece by the end of class, it frees them to really learn and have fun, experiment, and push their creativity. I teach that it’s okay to fail. Just try again. The second approach to teaching that I take is technique over project. I would rather teach my students techniques and skills that they can perfect and utilize to create their own art than to design an actual project that they just do step-by-step and they all leave class with the same thing. Sometimes a step-by-step approach is needed as a technique, but my goal is always to teach them a skill or a process, not how to follow-directions to make a piece of art that someone else designed. That, to me, is not teaching art, that is teaching them how to copy something. To teach art you must teach the skill required to produce the art, but you must also teach the student how to think and create using that skill. I tell people that I didn’t learn how to be a mixed media artist; I learned the skills needed to work in metal, in fiber, in clay, in stone, and so on. Then I could start to imagine how to put those different processes and techniques together to create my mixed-media art. Even the youngest children that I have taught have had their creativity run wild when I taught them how to do something, and then let them apply it in their own way. Preferred Age Level: Elementary; Middle/Jr High; Senior High Geographic Availability: Northwest; Southwest; Central Time Availability: Spring, summer, fall Special Needs: May vary depending on the class. Can be discussed with sponsors as necessary. | |
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Peter Lippincott Crafts: Clay Fort Smith, AR 479- 785-2169 peter@mudpuppy-studios.com |
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Background I hold a B.S. degree in zoology from the University of Illinois and a lifetime certification in secondary science. My initial ceramic education was from St. Louis Community College. Through further ceramic training, I am skilled in the following disciplines: throwing for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students; glaze development; firing techniques including electric, gas, raku, and pit; hand-building for all levels; kiln troubleshooting, instruction, and repair. AIE Program I have two main areas of concern whether I am presenting a program oriented toward vessels, tile, sculpture, or site-specific sculpture. Concern one is that students have successful experiences working in clay, creating pieces that please them and are connected to an area of curriculum. It is important to display student work with care so they will be proud of the public recognition. In addition, because I often work with a collaborative learning model, student work may remain with the school and become a permanent part of the school’s facility. For example, large mosaic tiles of ceramic and concrete illustrating stories in their social studies text were made by fourth graders and were installed in the school cafeteria. They are now a part of the school’s material culture. The second area of concern is that students gain knowledge of the historical background of the form they create and the techniques they learn. In the mosaic example, I brought in many posters of mosaics or tile work. Some were from Samaria and Babylonia, others were from North Africa, still more were from Roman ruins in France and Italy, and from Byzantine Ravenna and Istanbul. For comparison, we also looked at the equally dazzling non-representational surfaces of mosques and the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain. We discussed the uses of the works in the cultures that produced them, and we talked about the differences between overall visual perception and the sequencing of stories. We also discussed the cultures that forbid artistic expression and why that might happen. In this way, the students learned about the power of the visual arts in other cultures and the high value placed upon artistic expression. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open except June Special Needs: This will depend entirely on the program we arrange. | |
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Nina Louton Crafts: Clay; Visual Arts Hot Springs, AR 501-767-5271 | 501-622-3100 ndlouton@hotmail.com |
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Background Nina Louton graduated from Henderson State University in 1971, where she minored in Art and majored in Elementary Education. She later returned to HSU to complete a Master’s degree in Special Education K-12. She taught resource classes and co-taught in regular classes using her artistic abilities to do large murals and paper mache sculptures as well as personal art. After retirement in 2001, she was able to concentrate on pottery. She now has thirty class hours in pottery, plus she has attended many workshops in pottery and watercolor. Nina is a member of AEA/NEA retired, a member of the Arkansas Arts Center, and the Fine Arts Center of Hot Springs. She is a member of The Artist’s Workshop, the Traditional Artists' Guild, and the Mid-Southern Watercolorist Society. She has exhibited at “Art on the Corner”, the Fine Arts Center, and the Artist’s Workshop Gallery. Nina is involved in the visual arts section of the Hot Springs Art Blast, and she participates in the “Art on the Corner” as a committee organizer and as a demonstration/completion artist. She is now secretary and co-chair for the upcoming event in September. She presented an art workshop for Cutter Morning Star fourth graders and teaches on-going pottery classes for various ages at the Fine Arts Center of Hot Springs. Recently she won top place in Oaklawn’s century celebration exhibition. Her work was accepted at the Legacy’s “40 Women Over 40,”and the Arkansas Arts Council’s “Small Works on Paper” touring exhibition. She was commissioned to do a book cover for a Missouri author, and is working on illustrations for a children’s book. AIE Program Nina approaches any art form in an educational setting with a deep appreciation of the art form and an appreciation and respect for the student. She introduces terminology associated with art and demonstrates to encourage a better understanding of the words. Nina’s goals are to increase students’ knowledge and confidence of personal creativity, while increasing their knowledge of the world around them. Students are expected to listen and follow instructions, manage their responsibilities in the classroom atmosphere, and go with their own creative ideas. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open, but pre-plan before I leave Hot Springs Special Needs: Worktables, kiln, clay, clay tools, water and buckets, rolling pins, glazes, potter's wheel, space with good lighting, 3 feet of table space per student, apints, brushes, watercolor paper. | |
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Steve Maher Crafts: Clay, Sculpture Huntsville, AR 479-738-6419 smaher@madisoncounty.net |
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Background As a senior in high school, I completed a clay calss at Hartnell College in Salinas, California. I completed one year studying clay and sculpture at the university of california in Santa Cruz, and the next year, I completed several clay classes at Hartnell College.I was apprenticed to Mike Haley and Susy Siegele at their pottery studio from 1983-1998. I have been a member of the Arkansas Craft guild since 2001. My work from a first solo firing was featured in the NCECA Conference in Fort Worth, Texas in 1998. I exhibited work at Christmas Showcase in Little Rock in 2001. I received Best of Show award in the Fayetteville Fine Arts Festival at Walton Arts Center, September 2002. I am presently working in my home studio, producing a line of glazed slab-built porcelain dinnerware and one-of-a-kind serving dishes. My work often incorporates bone, wood and leather accents. My pottery is marketed in regional shows and galleries, including the Artful Spaces Gallery in Fayetteville and the Taos Blue Gallery in Taos, New Mexico. AIE Program For the past few years, I have taight children ages 8-18 in various summer programs at the Ozark Natural Science Center. Students are encouraged to express experiences and observations in natural science through group and individual clay projects. They learn the process from start to finish, from raw clay through firing. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Within a 50 mile radius of Huntsville, AR Time Availability: Open Special Needs: A studio or work space for working wiht clay. I prefer full clay facilities, but if the sponsor does not have a kiln, I can transport ware to my studio for firing. | |
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Cynthia Metcalf Crafts: clay, glass, mixed media Memphis, TN 901-568-4600 | 901-722-9513 brokenpl8@aol.com |
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Background My mosaic career began almost ten years ago after taking a Memphis College of Art (MCA) community education class on mosaics. Two years later I was asked to teach the class. Since then I have taught the high school/adult MCA class and the mosaic summer camps at Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal School. I also organize and help create works of art with the children of both Grace-St. Luke’s and St. Mary’s Episcopal School to sell in their annual auctions to raise funds for the schools. Recently, I received and completed a commission to create the mosaics on the new MATA 3rd Street/Autozone & Orleans Trolley Stations on Madison Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee. These art enhancements to both of the Madison trolley stops consist of a combination of one 7’ x 12’ mosaic floor mural and two 5’x9’ mosaic panels wrapped around large diameter columns. The commission has been one of my largest and took over a year to complete. I am a member of the Society of American Mosaic Artists, a board member of Grace-St. Luke’s School in Memphis, a past president of the Friends of the Pink Palace Museum in Memphis and co-chair iof its crafts fair. I received my degree in biology from Texas A & M in Kingsville. My future goal is to work on a community project involving people of all ages collaborating on a mosaic collage that will enable them to give a collective gift to their community. AIE Program The aim of my residency is to enable teachers to plan, develop, and execute a high quality mosaic project in the classroom that will become a distinctive feature for the school. I begin with a brief history of mosaics, and present a 10 minute film about the making of mosaics. The students then create their designs on scratch paper. Once they have a design, we discuss colors in the mosaic depending on the type of tesserae (tile, glass, or mirror) they are going to use. We also discuss the importance of recycling materials and issues of safety as they begin to cut and shape the tile pieces. I have found that fourth grade and above can master cutting with practice and supervision. In lower grades, I pre-cut all the pieces into small squares and let them work without cutting the pieces. The students then draw their fial design on paper. If they are making stepping stones, their design is covered with contact paper, which will later be adhered to a stepping stone. During this time, I also discuss borders, types of backgrounds, textures, and shades of grout. Once the mosaics are completed, they are adhered to the stepping stones. After they are ready for grouting, I explain how to mix and place the grout, and how to polish and seal their pieces. This class can be held in an art room preferably on the ground level. The stepping stones can be quite heavy. There must be sturdy tables available for the tile work. The residency is best completed over a three-four day period, and adhesive drying times are a must for the projects to be completed. The students need to be well-supervised during the cutting and grouting process. For larger classes, I will bring a teaching assistant who can help along with the teacher. Preferred Age Level: All ages. Geographic Availability: West Memphis area Time Availability: I am available only during the school year. Special Needs: Classes will need to be held in one space over a period of several days. Sturdy tables and access to water will also be required. | |
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Susan Sanders Crafts: Clay, Fiber, Paper, Mixed Media, Jewelry Taylor, AR 870-225-0661 | 870-696-3227 ssanders@ipa.net |
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Background I have self-directed my creative education by attending various workshops nationally, studying instructional books written by experts and by hands-on experience. During the last ten years I have had the pleasure of working in several communities in Arkansas. The results of my residencies are either permanent pieces of artwork for display or artistic experiences the student will always remember. I have worked with students of all ages. I have taught throwing on the potters wheel, tile-making, hand building with clay, craving in clay, beading, sculpture, weaving, paper-making and drawing in classrooms. I have organized and hung student art exhibitions. I have presented workshops for teachers and individuals. In addition to my custom tile work, I am currently creating a series of “tile quilts” that will be exhibited around the state and on the internet. I am also developing a series of art lessons in a box that will be marketed nationally as “An Art Lesson from Grandma’s Playhouse.” The first lesson is called, “PAT PAT – Handmade Paper.” AIE Program I draw from my diverse artistic knowledge when designing my residencies to provide visual instruction of concepts being taught in an educational setting. At William Jefferson Clinton Primary School in Hope, the goal of my residency was to provide a creative writing experience. The school wanted a mural about Arkansas. First, the students created books in which to write about the daily process of the design and creation of the mural. After preparing the paper pulp for the book and designing a their tile, each student made an individual tile for the mural. They also wrote stories about making the paper pulp. The school now has a beautiful tile mural about Arkansas, and as a result, the students learned about using their imaginations while writing and creating their tiles. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open | |
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DANCE |
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Lucy DuBose Dance: Modern Dance, Movement, Choreography Little Rock, AR 501- 661-1799 lucydubose@sbcglobal.net |
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Background Lucy DuBose began dance training in ballet and tap dance when she was eight years old. These studies continued until high school graduation. Some years later, after receiving her M.A. in Early Childhood/Special Education at the George Washington University in Washington D.C., Lucy resumed dance studies in Austin, Texas, specializing in Modern Dance and Dance Therapy studies. It was then that Lucy began her studies with Barbara Mettler, which lasted for ten years. Mettler studied and taught with the renowned dance pioneer, Mary Wigham. Lucy has been influenced through intensive workshop studies with Bill Evans, Deborah Hay, Liz Lerman, Joan Skinner and Murray Louis. Lucy utilizes the concepts of Rudolph Laban as well as the Bartenieff Fundamentals in her approach to modern dance technique. In addition to modern dance, Lucy has studies African dance and since 1998 has danced regularly with Zinse Agginie and his African ensemble, Kilimanjaro. She is an active member of the International Association for Creative Dance, Dance and the CHILD International, the National Dance Education Organization and the American Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. Lucy recently performed with Kilimanjaro at the Arts in the Ozarks Theatre in Springdale, Arkansas and with the Highsteppers, a stilting group whose mission is to promote the art of movement and humanitarian causes, at the River Market District in Little Rock, Arkansas. She was a guest teacher at the International Association for Creative Dance in Austin, Texas, and received a Dance and the CHILD International Project Grant for 2001. Lucy traveled to Japan in July 2001 to study with Mako Okatake and Kazuo Kamizawa. In the fall, she will begin a dance program for ages 6-13 at the Billy Mitchell Boys and Girls Club, and she will teach modern dance at Hendrix College. AIE Program Lucy approaches dance as an art form that promotes physical, social, cognitive and affective growth in students. Each class is organized around a dance concept and each class follows a basic format: Warm-up; Exploring the Concept; Development of Skills; Creating Time; Cool Down. Students are encouraged to move, count, observe, listen, think, create, interact, cooperate and solve movement problems. The students are introduced to music from around the world and dance studies often involve the use of voice and percussion instruments. Lucy is trained in and uses a “multiple intelligence” approach to teaching dance and movement. This approach involves the body, the mind, the feelings, and the social and intuitive dimensions of the individual in the learning process. The skills involved in dance are skills that a child can use throughout his or her life. And, dance is FUN! Teachers are encouraged to participate and to learn movement concepts and activities they can use in their classrooms. Research is showing us that movement in the classroom can benefit children in the learning process. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Central Arkansas Time Availability: Open Special Needs: An open space | |
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Rebecca Hahn Dance: general Eureka Springs, AR 479-244-5114 removement77@cox.net |
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Background Rebecca received a Masters in Arts in Dance/Movement Therapy from UCLA in 1999, and currently holds an advance license in the American Dance Therapy Association. For the past five years, Rebecca has been working primarily with severely emotionally disturbed populations in the Los Angeles area as a dance/movement therapist. She also has continued to work with at-risk youth creating dynamic and therapeutic dance and theater projects. After receiving her B.A. in performance from Purdue University, Rebecca spent several years working with outreach theater organizations, discovering that the process is much more important than the product when working with at-risk and emotionally disturbed populations. She has worked with outreach theater and dance companies in the Midwest and the West coast, taught drama and dance at an alternative school in the Ozark Mountains, and worked with the school system in Sun Valley, Idaho, on a federal grant as an outreach counselor. In the past, rebecca has founded two theater companies, performed and worked as a dancer and actress, and was a member of the Screen Actors Guild while residing in Los Angeles. Rebecca is currently preparing to teach a two-week dance workshop for the Lane House in Eureka Springs and a women’s workshop focusing on the use of authentic movement to access creativity and increase sense of self. Rebecca also teaches workshops in yoga, movement, and expressive arts interventions. AIE Program Whether the residency is focusing on dance, theater, or a combination, the students and teachers will be afforded a rich and creative experience. Founded in the belief that the expressive arts foster positive growth and healing both communally and individually, the residency will focus on the express needs of the community and the individuals it will be serving. The beauty of dance is that the material is spontaneous and infinite. When working with a group of students, I focus on the use of creative movement as an avenue for healing and accessing one’s creativity. Warm-ups, development of skill-level, and spontaneous creation will be assisted by specific lesson plans and themes, but the movement will be generated from within the dancers. The way in which I work is directly related to the developmental needs of the population. No previous experience in dance or creative movement is necessary. The goal of the residency is to allow students greater access to their core self. Through the use of movement, students will learn body awareness and coordination, learn to manage stress and release tension, increase their knowledge of dance, learn cooperation through partnering exercises, and increase self-esteem. At times the dance techniques will be combined with drama, music, and visual art to enhance the learning process. Goals will be defined for each dance session throughout the duration of the activities. Progress will be documented at the close of each session. The composition of the lesson plan lends itself to incredible flexibility. It is appropriate for any age or developmental level and is effective for one day or for five months. Short-term residencies focus more on improvisation than technique in order to access one’s core and create a sense of accomplishment. For longer term residencies, I would build on previous lessons in order to allow for greater mastery. At the end of all residencies, there is a beautiful body of work created. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide, preferrable in the NW Arkansas area Time Availability: Open | |
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Catherine Bays Kyle Dance: Ballet, Modern, Choreography Rogers, AR 479-464-0150 | 479- 644-9642 rickkyle@swbell.net www.classicalballetacademy.net |
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Background Catherine Bays Kyle began ballet training in her native state of Louisiana studying with several teachers and in intensive courses. After moving to Little Rock, she continued dancing with Cater and Lorraine Cranford (Little Rock Civic Ballet), Manolo Agullo (Arkansas Arts Center), Maureen Midgen, Peter Fairweather, the Southwest Ballet center, and the Ballet West-Aspen. After receiving a degree in English from the University of Arkansas At Fayetteville in 1983, Catherine returned to Little Rock to resume dancing professionally with Ballet Arkansas, and as a soloist from 1985 to 1989. She had featured roles in many ballets including, The Nutcracker, Giselle, Les Sylphides, Graduation Ball, Firebird, Koya Jovan, and Weisburg Suite. Catherine and her family relocated to Jonesboro in the summer of 1994. She taught ballet and pointe for Center Stage Dance Studio and began her association with the Foundation of Arts as a dancer and assistant choreographer in The Nutcracker. She started the after school dance program in conjunction with the FOA and began directing the annual production of The Nutcracker. In 1997, she established the Jonesboro City Ballet Company, serving as director, choreographer, and ballet mistress. In 1999, she was selected as a dance artist on the Arkansas Arts Council’s Arts in Education Artist Roster. After returning to Northwest Arkansas in 1999, Catherine began teaching rhythm and pointe for Rhythm and Shoes Studio. In December 2001, Catherine directed and choreographed the first Nutcracker for the Rogers Little Theater consisting of a cast of 130 students. She implemented school time performances preceded by in-school visits and lectures about dance and The Nutcracker. Currently, Catherine teachers and directs her studio, Classical Ballet Academy of NW Arkansas, a nonprofit organization, which is able to offer scholarships to area students as well as provide classical ballet training in a safe and caring environment. In March 2002, Catherine completed the audition and examination process for entrance in the Royal Academy of Dance Teacher’s Certification program that involved three years of on-going training and study. In August 2004, Catherine attended the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet Teacher’s Program, and in 2007, the Vaganova Teacher’s Seminar with John White of Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet. Catherine directs Classical Youth Ballet Company that attends the Youth America Grand Prix Regionals with students qualifying and attending the New York finals. Classical Youth Ballet annually presents The Nutcracker to the NW Arkansas area as well as an annual spring performance hosting professional guest artists in classical and neo-classical works. The company also provides lecture demonstrations at area schools and libraries as well as providing entertainment for nursing homes and non-profit organizations. AIE Program My approach to appreciating dance as an art form is developed through creating, performing and viewing. Dance training enhances every aspect of the dancer’s life by instilling grace, strength and self-esteem. My goal during a residency allows children to experience lyricism and movement and begin to feel comfortable expressing their ideas without words, either to music or in silence. A student does not need to become a professional dancer to feel proud of their physical and intellectual achievements after studying dance. I carefully consider skill development levels, age appropriateness, as well as individual or class interests. Because arts education is for lifelong learning, dance, stage experience, visual arts and music should be enmeshed in the school’s curriculum. For the past five years, I have been involved in a wonderful residency at a private school in my area. A different country is chosen each year for the students to learn about the culture, daily life, and history. Part of the study is the dance and musical influences of the country that I have been able to coordinate and teach through the P.E. classes. The exciting culmination for the students is the actual World Experience Day that includes actual displays of the home, school, play, food, and entertainment of the particular country. The students have learned dances and are able to perform at the evening celebration in costume. We have studied the dances of Mexico, Italy, Ireland, South Africa, and China. I am so thrilled to see the students learning and trying steps that are particular to each country. They truly begin to “learn” about the country through dance and music after hearing about it for an entire school year. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: 30 miles from the Rogers/Fayettevilla area. Time Availability: Open Special Needs: Open space for movement. | |
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Sue Schroeder Dance: Modern Decatur, GA 404- 373-4154 touring@coreperformance.org |
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Background As a contemporary choreographer, Sue Schroeder, Artistic and Executive Director of Several Dancers Core, focuses on the creative process and the exploration of new inspirations for the creation of dance. She holds a B.A. from the University of Houston and received her M.F.A. in Theater Arts with a dance concentration from the University of Arizona at Tuscon in 1994. Educated under dance greats Bill Evans, Hanya Holm, Oliver Kostock and John M. Wilson, among others, Schroeder has additional experience in the extended studies of Body-Mind Centering, Contact Improvisation, Modern Dance and Composition. A recipient of the Haldeman Award for merit and the Cultural Multiplicators from Foreign Countries Award from the Goethe Institute – Munich, Schroeder has secured numerous grants and fellowships from organizations such as Alternate ROOTS, the City of Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs, the Georgia Council for the Arts, the Texas Commission on the Arts and the Cultural Arts Council of Houston/Harris County, and the national Endowment for the Arts Dance USA. Schroeder’s dynamic energy is evident in all aspects of her varied interests: commitment to education, multi-disciplinary projects, performance in works by other artists, choreographic commissions, television/film production, the repertory touring of her choreography and professional service in many arts organizations around the country. During the 25th Anniversary season of Several Dancers Core, CORE Performance Company, premiered “Messiah,” a piece that involved live music collaborations with Mercury Baroque Ensemble. CORE Performance Company offered their unique style of dance to the interpretation of this major work and in doing so will make it intimate and personal for new audiences. Ms. Schroeder received the 2001 Arts Professional Abby Award. Schroeder is a founder and member of the steering committee of the Teacher Training Institute, a training program established to develop the most qualified instructors in the region to teach dance and kinetic learning in a variety of community enrichment programs. AIE Program Sue Schroeder’s AIE program is discipline-based arts education that integrates various other academic areas into arts education. Schroeder’s dance workshops introduce the concept of dance, present the basic principles of movement, explore the movement potential of the body, emphasize individual creativity, and/or work with specific curriculum goals. One such project, “Moving Through Verbs and Adverbs,” connects the usage and understanding of words for participants by exploring both verbal and non-verbal forms of communication. “Moving Orations” is a lecture/demonstration presentation designed to introduce students to the art of contemporary dance using tie-ins with Language Arts, Social Studies, Science and Math. CORE will present excerpts from our current repertory including sections from Messiah, America! Question, Aria for an Endangered Species, and Corazon , exploring Mexican Maya culture. All workshops foster an awareness of the body and its movement potential as a tool for expression Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Available September through May. Special Needs: Large open area and a CD player. | |
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Ana Lilia Suffle' Dance: Ethnic/Jazz, Modern, Choreography El Paso, TX 915- 496-8200 | 915- 494-8344 asuffle'@epsid.org |
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Background I have a B.A. in Physical Education and Dance and an M.A. in Educational Psychology from the University of Texas at El Paso. I have attended numerous dance workshops throughout the country, but since 1981, I have made Bill Evans my mentor. His philosophy on the mind-body connection has been instrumental in developing my teaching strategies. My professional affiliation has been with the International Dance Theatre, a local dance company that encourages continuous learning as well as providing dance opportunities at a professional level. Presently, I devote my time to developing a strong dance program at my school. AIE Program I strongly believe in providing any student that wants to learn to dance the opportunity to do so. I provide an environment where students are offered performing opportunities that develop self-worth and confidence. In working with the residency program, my goal would be to share the knowledge and experience that I have gained over the years. The students will take with them an experience that will feed their curiosity about the diversity of dance and instill a foundation of the knowledge of dance principles. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: mid-December; March spring break; late May Special Needs: CD player or sound system. | |
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KouaKou Yao/Afrique Aya Dance Company Dance: ethnic/jazz/folk Eureka Springs, AR 479-244-5425 | 479-363-9373 afriqueaya@sbcglobal.net |
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Background Yao Angelo, director and founder of Afrique Aya Dance Company offers multi-level workshops and residencies with elementary to college-age students. Yao is from Ivory Coast, West Africa where he has toured with Ensemble Koteba and other international companies. In 1997, Yao came to the United States with Ralph Lemon to work with Yale Repertory Theatre. In 1999, Yao began Afrique Aya Dance Company in Burlington, VT. The group traveled the East coast working in schools with students of all ages. In 2002, Yao moved to Eureka Springs, Arkansas where he now teaches weekly dance and drum classes to the community as well as in residencies in schools and universities. AIE Program Yao Angelo, director and founder of Afrique Aya Dance Company offers multi-level workshops and residencies with elementary to college-age students. Yao is from Ivory Coast, West Africa where he has toured with Ensemble Koteba and other international companies. In 1997, Yao came to the United States with Ralph Lemon to work with Yale Repertory Theatre. In 1999, Yao began Afrique Aya Dance Company in Burlington, VT. The group traveled the East coast working in schools with students of all ages. In 2002, Yao moved to Eureka Springs, Arkansas where he now teaches weekly dance and drum classes to the community as well as in residencies in schools and universities. Yao sees his work in the educational setting as valuable on many levels. Yao introduces students ot the culture an social surroundings that feeds the dance and music of Ivory Coast, West Africa. He brings the energy and community spirit that has been integrated in West African dance and music and develops workshops that will support the teacher’s curriculum or enhance a school program, while helping to create community spirit within the school or classroom. With younger students, it offers a physical experience of abstract concepts. It also gives them a sense of discipline and structured movement, which requires their full energy and body awareness. With older students, it offers a chance to experiment with elements of dance and rhythm, and increases self-confidence and appreciation of their physical attributes and capabilities. With all levels, Yao introduces vocabulary of the music, instruments, and dance. He includes time for discussions of cultural, geographical, historical, and social topics. He encourages questions that can personalize these discussions to each group, and he can also talk about his own learning path in this field. Yao and his dance company (Afrique Aya) draw from a diverse base of knowledge within the group to present workshops and residencies that are meaningful, sequential, and unforgettable. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open Special Needs: Smooth floor for dancing. Chairs for drummers. | |
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FOLK ARTS |
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Lynnie Mirvis Folk Arts: Storytelling Memphis, TN 901-485-9841 | 901-767-3848 lynnie_mirvis@msn.com |
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Background Lynnie Mirvis is a storyteller, teaching artist, writer, and educator who performs Jewish and multi-cultural folktales and stories for all ages. She has performed in festivals, schools, libraries, assisted living and nursing homes, hospitals, and museums throughout Memphis as well as in New York City and Israel. She is host of Germantown Cable TV’s award-winning Story Time Show and is also the Storyteller in Residence at Pinocchio’s Bookstore in Memphis. Lynnie received her B.A. in Education from Stern College of Yeshiva University and an M.S. in Library Science from the University of Memphis. Lynnie is a member of Yarn Spinners of Memphis and the National Storytelling Network. AIE Program Celebrating Stories! Celebrate stories with Lynnie as she creates excitement for folktales. Experience language, movement, puppetry, and the visual arts to make stories come alive! Through her high energy and animated tellings, Lynnie transports students into the magical world of the imagination and the oral traditions of world cultures. Students participate by experiencing a variety of theater games – learning how to use their voices, feelings, and gestures to create characters and story. Working with the teacher and students, Lynnie guides students to create, tell, and perform their own stories, so that they gain a greater respect for each other and greater confidence in their own abilities. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open Special Needs: Good acoustics; a space to make a circle; butcher paper | |
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Gwendolyn Twillie, Ph.D. Folk Arts: Dance, Music, Theatre, Storytelling Little Rock, AR 501- 225-1595 twillie01@aol.com |
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Background Prior to retirement, Dr Twillie was employed in the public schools of Arkansas and at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. During her twenty-four-year tenure at UALR (ten of which she served as Chair of the Theatre and Dance Department), Modern Dance, Movement Education, and Pantomime were among the courses she taught. She has told stories and presented workshops on movement activities for children, creative rhythmic movement, modern dance, mime and storytelling in school districts across the state. AIE Program There is absolutely nothing wrong with telling stories for entertainment. I love telling stories to groups and developing group activities related to the performance, however, much more can be done with storytelling. The extent to which a teacher uses storytelling is only limited by background and creativity. Storytelling should be integrated across the curriculum, from kindergarten to senior high school. There are a number of activities, related to all subjects within the curriculum, that the storyteller or teacher may use. Through stories, a country’s costumes, laws, customs, morals, or other aspects of its culture may be highlighted. Storytelling linked to other academic subjects offers an abundance of learning opportunities, especially in English, creative writing, literature, as well as in drama, visual arts or dance. It can provide a meaningful context for learning and can be tailored to fit either large or small group presentations. AIE residency program goal: to organize a youth storytelling guild. Outcomes: to introduce children to the art of storytelling for their own enjoyment and for the entertainment of others; to motivate the children to read and to use the resources of the library; to nurture creative imagination; to teach children the techniques of learning and telling stories; to build appreciation of cultural differences and similarities. Day 1: tell selected stories to the class and discuss the value of storytelling; Day 2: continue storytelling and include tips for choosing stories; Day 3: visit a library and allow students the opportunity to select stories for telling; Day 4: prepare students for storytelling by discussing the meaning and importance of articulation through a series of speaking exercises; Day 5: review speaking exercises and have students review selected stories; Day 6: prepare for presentations and commit stories to memory; Day 7: practice stories; Day 8: Students tell their stories to small groups and stories are critiqued. Through this process, students can develop a more positive self-image and can increase their skills in communicating thoughts and feelings. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open | |
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INTERDISCIPLINARY |
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Shawn Adair Interdisciplinary: Visual Arts, Media Arts Van Buren, AR 479- 461-7944 | 479-471-7134 seasaw28@sbcglobal.net |
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Background Shawn Adair is a formally trained artist with a BA in Studio Art for Oral Roberts University and an MFA in Sculpture from the University of Arkansas. He is the recipient of an Arkansas Arts Council Individual Fellowship and an award in sculpture from the International Sculpture Center. He has lectured and given workshops about art, including teaching the subject and the process of making art at universities, public schools, and art centers. Mr. Adair is an active supporter of art and has served on the board of various art centers in the region. He has conducted Arts in Education residencies in Van Buren, Cedarville, and Greenwood School Districts, as well as at Christ the King Catholic School in Fort Smith. He is actively involved in making and exhibiting his art work. He is also produces videos and has various projects in production and under development. Mr. Adair lives in Van Buren, Arkansas, with his lovely wife, Sara, and his two boys, Sam and Joshua. His studio is there as well. AIE Program I approach the classroom eager to generate excitement about artistic exploration and development. Thoroughly accessing the needs of students and teachers and then carefully meeting those needs create a successful residency. My most recent school visit is an example of this. Meeting with administrators and teachers, we established direction and goals for a school district that had little art education for students below the eighth grade. We decided to target the kindergarten, first, second, fifth and sixth grades, each class lasting thirty-five to sixty minutes depending on the grade level. Students were introduced to the history of a particular artist his or her culture, along with the concepts associated with basic artistic principles. Students then applied what they learned by creating a project based on the lessons learned. They began to develop appreciation, knowledge of principles and technical skill, and were captivated because the lessons were lively and interesting. By demonstration they were inspired. At the conclusion of the residency, lesson plans were provided to participating teachers. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open | |
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Judith Dierkes Interdisciplinary: Visual arts: experiemntal, graphics, painting; Crafts: fiber, paper; Performance art Memphis, TN 901-761-7383 jabdart@aol.com |
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Background With a B.F.A. and an M.S. from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Judith Dierkes has continued to update her education with studies abroad, and classes at the Tennessee Arts Academy, the Getty Foundation Southeast Center, the Lincoln Center and the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. She is a professional member of the Studio Art Quilt Associates, an international organization that promotes the art of quilting. Her work is permanently installed in the Knoxville Airport concourse, and five of her quilted sky paintings are included in “Flight Patterns” at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. Judith enjoys the solitude of her own artistic process as well as collaborating with students as an artist-in-residence. AIE Program Story Quilts: This residency can be customized for a five, ten or twenty day period. Students will be introduced to the African American artist Faith Ringgold’s story quilts. The historical use of story in quilt-making will be explored in the Underground Railroad, the Women’s Movement and personal family histories. The possibilities of stories for these quilts are endless. In the finished quilt, students will see their individual work in relation to the whole project, and hopefully themselves, as an important part of the class. Basic Outline: Writing the story: A story is written as a group. Research may be necessary prior to the writing of the final draft. Each child writes a story and draws a picture to go with the story. Writers and illustrators are then chosen. Designing the Quilt: The group designs a quilt after reviewing the designs of Faith Ringgold. Creating the Fabric: The class is divided into three groups - writers, illustrators and creators of the border fabric. Making the Quilt: Students organize the pieces according to their design and sew them together. For shorter residencies, I sew the pieces on a machine while the students watch. Quilting: A batting and backing is added to the pieced top. Each residency is customized to fit the needs of the school or organization. The community can be involved by asking a local quilt group to quilt the final product in the cafeteria for the entire school to observe. The quilt can be displayed at the school or donated to be displayed elsewhere. Whatever the use of the final product, each participant has gained a sense of belonging to the group by participating in the process. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open | |
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Graham Shelby Interdisciplinary: Literature; Folk Arts - storytelling Louisville, KY 502- 889-7937 kanosaka@aol.com |
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Background After studying journalism at the University of Kentucky, I spent three years in Japan teaching English in junior high schools. There I organized exchanges between schools in Japan and the U.S., learned conversational Japanese as well as a number of tall tales and true stories. Since returning to the U.S., I have written for various media outlets, including the Associated Press, “Kentucky Monthly” magazine and the radio show, “A Prairie Home Companion.” As one of the artists listed on the roster of the Kentucky Arts council, the Texas Commission of the Arts and the Writer’s League of Texas, I have received numerous grants to do artist residencies in schools. I have also performed as a professional storyteller at the Institute for Texas Cultures, the Texas Folklife Festival, the George West Storyfest and the Texas Storytelling Festival. AIE Program My goal in a residency is to help students overcome the barriers they often put between themselves and their own writing. I try to do that by addressing some of their concerns directly at the beginning of the residency and also by giving them an audience beyond their teachers. One of the residency programs I have done involves setting up a cultural exchange with a school in Japan. This program can be adapted for any age group. The American students do a series of writing exercises on a variety of topics. Students write memoirs, personal narratives, letters and character sketches describing various aspects of their lives, including Christmas in their homes, life in the neighborhood, difficult moments from childhood, a person in their family, and what they want to do in the future. They also write first-hand accounts of American traditions like trick-or-treating, the Fourth of July, school dances, homecoming festivals and more, all targeted at an audience of Japanese primary, middle or high school students. (Visual art projects are also an option for students.) I then contact teachers I know in Japan who arrange for their students to read translated versions of the American students’ work. The Japanese students then produce a response for their American counterparts. During this residency the students examine some of their own cultural traditions, compare and contrast their traditions with those of Japan, develop their writing skills by working through a number of assignments that require clear, concise language, dialogue and vivid descriptions, and teach Japanese children about the life and culture of their particular community. This program works for language arts or social studies classes, and can also be effective as a cross-curricular assignment. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open. Special Needs: None listed. | |
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LITERATURE |
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John Brandi Literature: Poetry El Rito, NM 505- 581-0073 johnbrandi@cybermesa.com |
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Background John Brandi graduated from the University of California in 1965, and began publishing his poetry while working in the Ecuadorian Andes as a Peace Corp Volunteer. Since then, several dozen books of his poems, prose, and haiku have been widely published in the U.S. and abroad. In 1979 he received a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship for Poetry. From 1971 to the present, he has been awarded residencies by state arts councils of Alaska, New Mexico, California, Nevada, Montana, New York and Arkansas. He has worked extensively with at-risk students in public schools, incarcerated populations in medium and maximum security prisons, and in homes for the physically and mentally impaired. An ardent traveler, he has sought source and renewal, dialogue and exchange, with peoples of Asia, India, China, Mexico, Indonesia, and Cuba. Painter as well as poet, he has had one-person exhibitions in San Francisco, Milwaukee, and Santa Fe. Working throughout the U.S., John has helped students write poetry, edit their writings into anthologies, and give public readings. John lives in New Mexico, where he and his wife conduct yearly writing programs for adults. He is also on the summer poetry faculty at Idyllwild Arts, California. He has guided students from Fort Lewis College, Colorado, during two seminars of creative journaling on the island of Bali, and is preparing to accompany students from San Juan College, New Mexico, for a two week writing course in Mexico, summer 2007. His books are listed on Amazon.com. AIE Program My residencies are custom-tailored to each group I work with. Participants need no previous knowledge of poetry. Each day I will present poems from a portfolio assembled over the years: poems by published world poets, and ones written by a variety of students. Topics inherent to the poems (love, loss, and longing; humor and the surreal, etc.) will be discussed. Each session will present a clearly-presented writing exercise that will enable the student to create a poem within the class period. Besides verse-free poems, I will present the villanelle, pantoum, rhyming couplet, haiku, and haibun forms. Photographs of impressionist, contemporary, and surreal art provide stimulus for writing; as does music, still-life objects, and an array of scents to stimulate memories. Each day we read aloud our poems, talk about craft, and begin a new exercise. At the end of the workshop we edit and revise poems, create a student anthology (optional), and present a poetry reading. Students develop an understanding of poetic poems; improve written and communication skills; and learn the mechanics of language. They will improve thinking and evaluating skills, develop self-confidence, gain appreciation for the natural world and our human role in it. They will also consider what they might offer the global community by first becoming concerned individuals within their local community. Teachers will come away with plenty of new creative-writing projects for the future! Preferred Age Level: Middle/Jr. High; Senior High Geographic Availability: Statewide Special Needs: None | |
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Paula Martin Morell Literature: Fiction; Non-Fiction; Poetry; Creative Writing Little Rock, AR 501-372-7976 | 501-301-8196 pmorell@hotmail.com |
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Background I earned my MFA in Creative Writing form the University of New Orleans, and have won regional, national, and international awards for my short stories and poetry. My work has appeared in publications such as Short Story Journal, New Works Review, Outsider Ink, The Double Reader Redux, The Little Rock Free Press, The Arkansas Women’s Journal, and Word Salad. In addition to teaching creative writing workshops and English classes for Saint Leo University, I have been featured three times as an emerging writer at the International Conference on the Short Story in English and am the cofounder and creative director of A Way With Words Writing Workshops (www.awaywithwords.org). My critically acclaimed first novel-in-stories, broken water (2004), is set in Little Rock. My second book, Invoking the Gifts (2005), is a creative writing workshop that is garnering national attention and being used in drug and alcohol treatment centers, high schools, youth groups, and art centers. AIE Program My focus is on using art, music, drawing, and other forms of expression along with writing to show students how to use both right and left brain modes when writing. Students will write a piece for each class (poetry, fiction, or creative non-fiction) and will be encouraged to continue working on and developing these works after the course is over. Skills include learning how to use art to access deeper levels in writing; turning off and tuning out internal editors while creating; understanding the different phases of writing (creating/revision), the importance of each, and how to isolate each effectively; and sharing work with other classmates in a non-threatening environment to build confidence, develop oral communications, and to foster a sense of a writing community. Neither students nor teachers need any background in writing or art. Preferred Age Level: Elementary; Middle/Jr. High;Sr. High Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open Special Needs: Writing supplies, crayons/colored pencils, poster board, glue | |
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Oda B. Mulloy Literature: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Creative Writing, Storytelling Fayetteville, AR 479-521-4279 oda_mulloy@sbcglobal.net |
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Background I was born in Hamburg, Germany and was sent at the age of six, to a boarding school in Holland where I spoke German, Dutch and English. After coming to America, I graduated from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and worked as a bacteriologist. During this time, I was active in the “Great Books” program that took me to grade schools as well as high schools. I loved it and was asked to teach English and American Literature in a private school in Philadelphia. I stressed the importance of writing as a toll for self-realization and self-expression. After moving to Arkansas, I did more laboratory work and took a master’s degree in natural sciences from the University of Arkansas. I volunteered at the Shiloh Museum as a tour guide and lecturer. I also took creative writing classes to write rememberances in the form of short stories. Since I grew up during World War II, I wanted to leave my sons with first-hand impressions of those years. I have spoken in schools and have written about the effects of war on civilians and the shortages brought on by war. I have read my stories on K.U.A.F. Radio in Fayetteville since 1993. I am also a member of “Tellers of Tales,” an organization that keeps the art of storytelling alive. I have entertained a variety of audiences with traditional folk tales and stories of my own. My background in science has furthered my creativity, my interest in detail and my admiration for the beauty of this world. AIE Program As a member of “Tellers of Tales,” I tell stories to children of all ages. My stories vary as to age and setting of the audience. I encourage listeners to tell their own stories, which may be invented or traditional, focusing on dramatic expression and vocabulary. I show the importance of writing as well as the mechanics. I encourage discussion about how to get ideas and how to inspire enthusiasm. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Northwest Arkansas Time Availability: Open | |
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Poets in the Streets Literature: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, creative writing Little Rock, AR 501-541-0681 poetsinthestreets@gmail.com |
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Background Poets in the Streets began as little more than an idea three years ago and just last year received its not-for-profit status from the state of Arkansas. The idea, and truly, the goal of the organization is to bring a passionate and interactive approach to literature for the public schools, and especially its students, as the financial need of our schools grows dire. Aware of this, Poets in the Streets has often done much of the work for free, focusing on getting students excited about literature and poetry. Our members come from a diverse background, coming from such cities as Chicago and New Orleans, as well as Conway, Little Rock, and Fayetteville. They provide a unique perspective to the classroom as they perform their own poetry. All members are creative writers, whether poets, novelists, or fiction writers. We also perform at other venues such as festivals and galleries. The three principals are Kimberly "Krysis" Vowell" John "Nare Diata" Smith, and Amoja "The Mo-Man" Sumler. AIE Program At the heart of a poet is brilliance and pain, psyches that have experienced life and embraced a wisdom that instills the foresight to capture this raw emotion into diction. By any measure it is a gift. No gift is free. What good is this mastery of meter, if not metered out for the betterment of humankind? As such, it is the aim of Poets in The Streets to use our written and spoken words for education and healing. Young minds still daring to dream, failing bodies with fighting spirits -- this is the audience thirsting most to find passion, deliberateness, a reason to believe. The power of creative thought, the inspiration spawned by the simple statement of "What if?"-- These concepts drive us in our youth and then are brutally repressed until nearness of journey's end. Poets must never stop this, the chronicling of each and every era. Where would our culture be without Longfellow's musings, Shakespeare’s wit, Poe's dance with darkness, Keats' word painting or Hughes'soft humor (even in the face of outrageous racial tensions)? These souls suffered yet shared the essence of who they were by writing what they witnessed. Poetry is taught in school systems yes, the words brought out, but how dynamic is the delivery, how deep do you delve into the metaphor, the alliteration, the double entendre? Poetry must always remain poetic. We can examine written poetry, help to interpret classical literature, or demonstrate the power of modern performance poetry. Although we can create courseware for any age group, our core mission aims to enhance literacy primarily among high school and college students. Poets in the Streets was formed with the goal of putting our poets in high schools, universities, and in after-school programs for younger students to keep this interest of words flourishing and fearless. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open Special Needs: Writing supplies; dry erase board; CD or cassette player | |
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W. Clayton Scott Literature: Poetry Fayetteville, AR 479-414-5116 poetrymovement@juno.com |
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Background Clayton Scott is the Poet Laureate of Fayetteville, Arkansas. He has an MFA in Writing and a B.S. in Education from Southeastern Oklahoma State University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and went on to teach school. For the last five years he had dedicated his efforts to help students across Arkansas heighten their skills in writing and speaking. AIE Program Improve students’ “style” in writing and help them to learn how to be better all-around communicators – those are the primary goals of Clayton’s presentation. Through energetic and innovative teaching approaches, he inspires students in creative writing by using poetry as the vehicle. Students get excited about writing, teachers are encouraged and feel that the required Arkansas Frameworks have been taught, and principals are pleased that an artist has helped his or her teachers and students. Oh, and when you have Clayton at your school, get ready for a movement through Slam Poetry. Many schools are making it an all school annual event!! “One of the most inspirational presentations seen in my 33 years of teaching. He brought poetry alive for the whole school.” Carolyn Tarver, English teacher, Greenwood High School “An extraordinary talent with the ability to capture the attention of all levels of students.” Jerry Valentine, Principal, Alma High School Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Fall/Spring school semesters. Special Needs: Student literature books, writing supplies, scrap paper, marker board | |
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MULTI-DISCIPLINARY |
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Zinse Agginie Multi-Disciplinary: Folk/Ethnic; storytelling, dance, music, drumming Little Rock, AR 501-912-5807 zinsaggin@gmail.com |
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Background Zinse was born and partly educated in West Africa. He later moved to England where he studied nursing and remained in that profession for many years. He is also a diploma graduate of the London College of Printing where he studied Graphic Arts Reproduction Technology. Besides his home state of Arkansas, Zinse often works as an artist in residence in such states as Oklahoma, Utah, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Texas, and Virginia. He has written and produced plays for schools, colleges and arts centers, and was also a percussionist for a living history reenactment troupe. Zinse makes and collects drums and provides all the drums for his workshops or residency programs. He is comfortable with all populations and ages, including the physically, socially and emotionally challenged. AIE Program Zinse Agginie is an AIE artist that continues to improve his craft of storytelling and creative rhythm-making through the use of hand drums. The storytelling supports various aspects of classroom curricula. The drums are effective in exploring and applying both basic and sometimes more complex math principles. Over the years, Zinse has created the “Drum Ballet,” a dynamic group drumming piece that is delightful to watch, but even more interesting to participate in. The Drum Ballet is an absorbing activity that draws on the student’s focus and concentration, while improving general coordination. The activities engage fundamental cognitive and problem-solving skills and nurture creative thinking. Expect positive group dynamics among your students and a great outlet for some of their aspirations. The Drum Ballet was one of the acts presented at the opening of the President Clinton Library. The participants have also performed for several state governors and at many dignitary functions, and they continue to be invited for more. The Drum Ballet continues to receive increased attention and requests from schools in and out of state. It was included in the documentary, “Class Acts.” Zinse comes to your school or facility with enough drums for every student in a typical class, and he encourages teachers to participate in all of his activities. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open Special Needs: Adequate space to accommodate up to 30 participants. Chairs, good lighting, writing materials and a non-slippery floor are preferred. | |
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Maria Botti-Villegas Multi-Disciplinary: Graphics, Painting, Sculpture, Dance, Music El Dorado, AR 870- 862-5474 | 870- 862-5557 marjo5646@sbcglobal.net |
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Background Maria, a native of Argentina, holds a five-year professional degree in Drawing and Painting. Although trained and formed as a visual artist, she has a lot of experience with dancing and singing, two art forms that have been part of her culture since childhood. She came to the United States in 1991, and since 1993 she has been working as an AIE artist throughout Arkansas. She has also participated in numerous exhibitions and competitions in Arkansas and Louisiana. In El Dorado where she lives and has her studio, Maria is currently involved in The Art School of the South Arkansas Art Center, teaching visual art classes for grades K-6. She also works as a muralist. With her husband Jorge, she has designed and painted twenty murals in Arkansas and Louisiana. AIE Program An example of an week-long AIE residency is for twenty-four 5-6 graders that explores the concept of space from the third dimension into the fourth through a study of art history from the Renaissance to Modern Art, integrated with geometry. Maria introduces these concepts showing some of her work. Students will learn to apply the properties of geometric shapes and special sense to connect geometry with problem-solving situations. They will also discover a solution for representing space in their individual art works. Students will gain skills in drawing, painting and writing about their projects. The concept of the fourth dimension will open students to more abstract thinking. Preferred Age Level: Preschool-K; Elementary; Middle/Jr. High Geographic Availability: Statewide | |
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Repha Buckman Multi-Disciplinary: General, Directing, Puppet, Playwriting, Poetry, Short Stories, Mixed Media Hope, AR 870- 777-8200 | 870- 777-5154 rephab@yahoo.com |
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Background Executive Director of Southwest Arkansas Arts Council since 1999, Repha has been an Artist-in-Education for thirty-four years. With a B.A. in Education and an M.A. in English Literature, she was a secondary teacher for nine years and joined the AIE program in Kansas in 1984. She has done residencies in Kansas, Nebraska, California, and Arkansas. She also designed training programs and trained staff in detention centers and youth shelters in Kansas for five years. Repha initiated and designed SWAAC’s After School/Summer arts programs, which won the President’s Committee for the Arts and Humanities 2006 Coming Up Taller Award. She often teaches classes in her fields of poetry, playwriting, theater, puppetry, and mask-making. In 2000, she won the Arkansas Governor’s Arts Award for Individual Artist for her work with students and the community in Hope, and in 20065, was named Hope Business and Professional Woman of the year, again because of her work with at-risk children. Her philosophy is, “We never know where the ripples will stop. In a time when we, as a culture, spend more on incarceration of our youth than on intervention, it is imperative that we do as much as we can, to save as many as we can, however we can. We know that the arts work for many of our children who otherwise, would fall through the cracks. AIE Program No matter what genre I am working in with students and teachers, I have the same goals: 1) enrich the curriculum, 2) increase their understanding of the art form, 3) enhance behavior and social skills, 4) celebrate our diversity, 5) increase their ability to communicate, 6) increase their self-esteem, and 7) have fun. I begin a writing residency by sharing some of my favorites so that students can identify with my own process in the form we will be working in. Then I take them through the steps of the writing process as a group, practicing as we go. We then do the process individually, breaking it down into steps, one by one. In a playwriting residency, we usually work as a group, outlining and writng together, so that everyone contributes and feels included in the adventure. I put their lines on the board, while our scribe puts it to paper or computer. Every student has ownership of the entire play. We have created plays that deal with math, science, social issues, English as a second language, and history. With all art forms, I want the students and teachers to end the residency stronger in their skills, aware that art is a life-long activity for learning and pleasure, that correlations can be made between subjects, that everyone is creative, and that creativity enhances everything we attempt in life. And, I want them to feel that whatever the subject, there are no limits to how the arts can enhance it and the learning about it. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open Special Needs: It will vary with the discipline. | |
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Monica Cai Multi-Disciplinary: Music, Dance, Creative Movement, Instrument, Crafts, Visual Arts, Storytelling, Poetry Little Rock, AR 501-658-2828 | 501-868-1818 monicacai88@yahoo.com |
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Background Monica Cai is a native of China. She received a Bachelors degree in Music and a diploma in Child Development and Education in China, and a Masters degree in Music Education at California State University in Los Angeles. She was a recipient of a scholarship for advanced studies in music and art education at the College of Arts in Berlin, Germany, and in the Mozarteum Orff Institute In Salzburg, Austria. Over the past twenty years she has traveled around the world, has taught music, piano, Chinese music and instruments, and has conducted workshops in various settings, from preschool to college, and in community centers. In Arkansas, she has taught at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Community School of the Arts, Little Rock's four community centers (Dunbar, Stephens, East Little Rock, Southwest), the Children's Museum of Arkansas, Therapeutic Recreation Center and the Central Library System. AIE Program Monica believes that a child who is exposed to good environmental conditions and integrated art based on appropriate child development teaching methods will develop superior abilities. As an artist and childhood music specialist, she integrates music, movement, art and literature in her program, “Kid’s IQ Music.” It is based on the theories of psychologists and educators such as Piaget, Bruner and Montessori, and music educators Orff, Kodaly, Dalcroze and Laban. The goal is to enhance the development of the child’s four domains – cognitive, emotional, social and physical – and stimulate the learning potential. Kid’s Music IQ employs children’s favorite music such as nursery rhymes, singing games, and traditional, classic and contemporary music. Integral to the program are literature, visual arts, body movement and playing instruments. Through the art forms, Kid’s IQ Music works in tandem with children’s own inner urges to encourage and foster their creative and musical instincts. Kid’s IQ Music is an age-appropriate educational program that is presented in a series of sessions. It can also be applied to children with special needs. In the program, children are encouraged to explore novel ideas and express their own ways. Exploration, imagination and creativity are indispensable features of the program as Monica’s goal is to improve performance and overall well-being of Arkansas children. Preferred Age Level: Elementary, Middle/Jr. High Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open | |
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Delta Wolf Trap Multi-Disciplinary: Dance;Music;Theater West Memphis, AR 870-732-6260 | 870-735-0216 janine. earney@crittendenarts.com |
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Background Delta Wolf Trap is a program of the Crittenden Arts Council in West Memphis, AR. It is one of 15 regional Wolf Trap programs in the nation. DWT is a regional program for Wolf trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, which is administered by the Education Department of Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in Vienna, Virginia. Crittenden Arts Council acquired oversight of DWT in June 2003 from the Memphis Arts Council. DWT inherited a roster of trained Wolf Trap artists and as a result of Memphis’s work in dance, was selected as one of three pilot program sites in the nation for the Smart Start program focusing on dance. A model residency is seven weeks with twice weekly visits to the classroom. The program is designed for 3-5 year olds. AIE Program Founded in 1981, Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning through the Arts provides arts-in-education programming for children ages 3-5 and for their teachers and families through the disciplines of drama, music, and movement. Regional programs of the Institute are located throughout the country. Crittenden Arts Council is the sponsor and administrator of Delta Wolf Trap serving Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi. The program includes Teacher Professional Development, Classroom Residencies, and Family Workshops. The purpose of the program is to encourage teaching and learning in and through the arts with an emphasis on improving academic, social, and gross and fine motor skills. Emergent literacy is a specific focus. All participating classes receive a copy of the Wolf Trap Stages for Learning, a handbook of age appropriate drama, music, and movement activities for 3 to 5 year olds. Delta Wolf Trap has trained professional artists who conduct the residencies and workshops. Available in Arkansas: • Seven or One Week Residencies for Crittenden and all adjoining counties • One Week Residencies available for all other counties Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: 7 week residencies - easter AR areas; teacher in-services and one-week models- statewide Time Availability: Open Special Needs: The teacher must be a participant in the residency activities. | |
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Nahsechay Dipo Multi-Disciplinary: Music: African drum, shakere', bell; Visual Arts/Crafts: African adornment arts - weaving, knitting, jewelry, fiber; Design Arts: Traditional and contemporary African garment design Folk Arts: Music Lancaster, TX 214-207-5233 success@gaskiyas-compound.com www.gaskiyas-compound.com |
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Background I have been providing art education programs since 1982. I currently have an Associates in Marketing, a Bachelors in Business Management, and am working on my Masters in Higher Education. I am a conscientious educator and student. I believe we learn throughout our lives, and I diligently try to keep updated in my field as well as with the technological available to us. I also believe the talents I possess are God-given, and I consider it an honor and a blessing to be able to share them with others. I have provided programs internationally and am constantly modifying my programs to accommodate classroom and instructional needs. AIE Program The first African was not a slave. The totality of African culture cannot be summed up with the slavery experience. We invite you to embark upon an educational journey with us to the various regions of Africa. Learn of her people, her culture, and her traditions. Our workshops provide a passport to information some may have never considered, in relationship to Africa and African culture. The transmission of culture is the responsibility of every generation. Recent events have shown the urgency of our learning about each other and learning to respect one another. Our classes include, but are not limited to, “Wisdom Weaving,” “Speaking with Beads,” “Garments of Praise,” and “The King’s Cloth.” Programming format can be in a residency, master class or in a performance. Through the program (depth of study is contingent upon booking time) we look at the communicative nature of the art forms in Africa and their “wholistic” application to the indigenous society. Our programs are “living programs” and this allows modifications to accommodate almost any educational component required of our partner teachers. For example, math, social studies, language arts, science, and history can be addressed through a variety of art projects relative to the traditional beading arts of Africa. As a visual/performing artist, I provide cognitive, affective, and psychomotor learning through my programs. In addition to the core education component, social functions are also addressed. Children must learn to work together, to share, and to be efficient users of supplies and materials. This is part of our learning process with our programs. The strength of my work and programming is versatility. Students are required to be respectful of themselves and others. Projects are given that encourage group work and responsibility. Teachers are encouraged to comment and give suggestions about programming. We look forward to sharing with you. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open Special Needs: Needs are contingent upon program requested. Basic requirements might include an overhead screen, opaque projector and a TV/VCR. | |
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Robert A. Ford Multi-Disciplinary: General, Playwriting Fayetteville, AR 479-582-4448 bobaford@ hotmail.com |
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Background Robert Ford holds Master of Fine Arts degrees from the University of Texas at Austin (playwriting/screenwriting) and Rutgers (acting), and a Master of Music degree from Yale (flute). He has worked professionally as playwright, musician, actor, and director. His plays have been produced widely and won numerous awards, including a Stanley Drama Award for best new American play. He has worked extensively in the play development process. While work shopping his play Tierra del Fuego at the Mount Sequoyah New Play Retreat in Fayetteville in 1994, he met his future wife, subsequently moving from New York City to settle down with her in Northwest Arkansas. Bob has taught in a wide variety of settings, from kindergarten through high school, undergraduate, graduate and adult education levels. As an Arkansas teaching artist he has taught and co-taught two-week playwriting workshops at Springdale High School and at Lingle Middle School in Rogers. He continues to work as a resident artist with Arts Live and the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville, designing and teaching acting classes for middle – through high school – age children, directing showcases and full-scale productions. Bob is skilled in every phase of new or existing play development for children from middle school through high school – from the writing of new plays as a group or individually, through play production. AIE Program Workshops can be designed for absolutely any setting, from a roomful of kids who’ve never been exposed to theatre, through the most serious high school class filled with budding Pulitzer Prize winners. By gearing any of 80 or 100 games and exercises to the particular needs of the group, fun and highly creative experiences can be enjoyed, lasting from one afternoon to three or four weeks. Here is a specific example: At Lingle Middle School in Rogers, the sixth graders were finishing up a unit on the rain forest. Meeting for about 45 minutes a day, every day for two weeks, each class wrote a play involving characters in, or visiting, the Amazon, Indonesian and Central American jungles, and dealing with some of the issues raised in the children’s previous research. Working at the board, day by day Bob helped map out first the issues the class wanted to touch upon, then the characters, then the story outline, and finally the dialogues. All aspects—from issues to final dialogue—were decided and created by the children—naturally with a little coaching from Bob. In a final presentation, each of the classes presented staged reading of the plays they themselves had written. Preferred Age Level: Middle/Junior High; Senior High Geographic Availability: Northwest Arkansas Time Availability: I am currently unavailable for longer residencies. | |
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Carol Funke Multi-Disciplinary: Visual Arts: Drawing, Painting; Crafts: Hand-Made Paper Cherokee Village, AR 870- 257-2778 cbfunke@juno.com |
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Background I began studying art in high school with Frank Howell, who later became an internationally acclaimed Southwestern artist. I furthered my love of art at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, transferring to the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Currently, I do not have a degree in art education, however, I have continued taking art classes throughout my life. I have studied in several states (Iowa, Texas, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio), as well as internationally (Hong Kong and Hungary). In 1994, while living in Hong Kong, I took papermaking classes with a British/Chinese instructor and learned how to make paper the “old way.” While there, I also taught handmade paper classes and workshops through the American Women’s Association. In 1996, while living in Budapest, Hungary, I studied the Hungarian techniques of handmade papermaking. I also taught handmade paper classes through the International Women’s Foundation, the American Women’s Association and local Hungarian groups. One of my most unique experiences was teaching in a deaf orphanage while using an interpreter. Currently, I am teaching handmade paper classes and workshops in Cherokee Village as well as giving demonstrations to several clubs and schools within the area. AIE Program My approach is to stimulate the creativity of students utilizing handmade paper techniques. When I begin my classes, I start with the history and background of the process of papermaking. I then do a demonstration and afterwards, I get the students involved with a hands-on exercise. My objective would be that the students use the handmade paper to develop it into an art form. Students can accomplish this at any age with minimal artistic talents. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide. Time Availability: Open. Special Needs: I will need warm water for hand-made paper. | |
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Monica Gomez Multi-Disciplinary: Literature: Creative Writing; Music; T'ai Chi; Bilingual English/Spanish El Paso, TX 915-584-9298 monica@monicagomez.com |
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Background Mónica Gómez is an award-winning poet, writer, singer-songwriter and guitarist; a skilled performer, humorist and recording artist; a former television news reporter and radio host; former arts administrator; and a student of the martial arts. As an animated and riveting teaching artist, she uses these diverse elements to create unique multidisciplinary workshops and residencies. As a full-time professional artist, Mónica is currently compiling a book based on the writing exercises she uses in her workshops; she continues to teach and perform; she has released three CDs; and she pursues a wide variety of independent projects. Mónica is listed in the Texas Commission on the Arts and the Heartland Arts Community Connections Touring Rosters. AIE Program In educational settings – including gifted and talented programs, juvenile detention units, psychiatric units, senior centers, professional retreats, or teacher in-services – my approach to teaching is relaxed and flexible, but I focus on keeping my material relevant and accessible to participants. I use my own art to stimulate the participant’s self-awareness and creativity. My art forms include the ancient internal martial arts, which introduce breath, mental focus and gentle movement; original music, which I create intuitively and cannot teach, but use to relax and inspire; and words, which are the main medium of my workshops. Through writing exercises, participants experience the power of words to convert unconscious beliefs and behaviors into conscious intentions and actions. Adolescents learn to envision and articulate their desired futures. Teachers clarify dreams of retirement. Retirees identify old longings they still want to fulfill. In the course of a workshop (1-6 hours) or residency (up to 2 weeks) -- I sing a few original songs, accompanying myself on guitar, to begin discussions of subjects such as art as a safe place for powerful feelings; the natural chaos of creativity versus organization and time management; how the microcosm reveals the macrocosm; the five senses as gateways to the past, present and future; and redefining perfection. We write group poems to experiment with spontaneous word use, creating simple, concrete descriptions of, for example, favorite foods that elicit watering mouths and growling stomachs. Individual writing exercises allow participants to explore their own lives with equally effective results. As participants read aloud, we recognize ourselves in others. We also explore performance anxiety and stress management. To teach the conscious ability to relax, I introduce concepts from T’ai Chi and Chi Gung, leading simple breathing exercises and gentle, meditative movement. Residencies allow participants to create a body of work, refine pieces of writing, and/or compile an anthology; practice writing and performance skills; internalize principles of the internal arts; create a performance incorporating individual and choral readings, and Chi Gung movement. Through my programs, participants acquire a broader concept of the relevance of the arts; an enhanced understanding of the creative power of words; and the conscious ability to relax using the internal arts. Preferred Age Level: Elementary - grade 3 and older);Middle/Jr. High;Senior High Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open Special Needs: In small settings - I require a dry-erase or chalkboard and a resonably quiet environment. Students need writing materials. For performance in larger settings - I require a music stand and a sound system with two microphones on stands. (Because i play guitar and sing, I cannot use a microphone attached to a podium or without a stand.) | |
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Jonelle Grace-Lipscomb Multi-Disciplinary: Theater- general; Media Arts - film making; Literature - playwriting Fayetteville, AR 479- 444-3050 | 479- 521-2023 jlipscomb@fayar.net |
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Background Jonelle is a playwright, director, actress and educator. She holds a B.S.E. and M.A. in Theatre and Communication from the University of Arkansas and a M.F.A. in Playwriting from the University of Georgia. For the past two summers, she has studied DV filmmaking at Rockport College in Rockport, Maine. Many of her plays have toured across Arkansas, and she was awarded an Individual Artist Fellowship from the Arkansas Arts Council in fall of 2000. She is a Certified Teacher currently teaches drama and DV film making at Fayetteville High School in NW Arkansas. AIE Program As a teaching artist Jonelle has presented over 100 workshops and residencies for learners of all ages for organizations such as Walton Arts Center and Arts Live Theatre. She has worked with both educators and students, and her workshops and residencies are designed to develop skills in the areas of acting, directing, playwriting, and all phases of video production from pre-production planning through the editing process. Workshops and residencies may also focus on integrating arts-based activities to cross-curriculum projects in core subject areas. Examples of cross curriculum projects might include developing a play based on historical events or producing a video that explores events within the school and/or community. Jonelle emphasizes the importance of the arts in developing an understanding and pride in self and others as well as the ability to communicate with others in a positive environment. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: State wide during summers; NW Arkansas all year, with limited availability during school year Time Availability: Summers; limited availability during the school year Special Needs: Depends on the residency – large open space, overhead projector, slide projector, tables, chairs. | |
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Alicia Grullon Multi-Disciplinary: Photography; Theater: experimental Riverdale, NY 347-523-3053 aliciagrullon@tmo.blackberry.net |
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Background Alicia Grullon is from New York City and has been teaching since 1996. She has exhibited at Mount Holyoke College Five Colleges Women’s Studies Research Center where she was a research associate in Spring 2006; the 2005 Peekskill Arts Festival; Samuel Dorsky Museum at the State University at New Paltz; The Hunter College Gallery; The Point Community Center; and the University of Rhode Island. Her work has appeared in ICP at the Point Magazine and The World Journal of Post-Factory Photography. She was a guest panelist for the First Annual South Bronx Film Festival discussing her acting role in the award winning video, “East 182nd Street,” produced by Alex Simmons and mark Gasper. She presented a paper titled “Sacrifices: Women and Racism in Higher Education” at Five College Women’s Studies Research Center which she is currently developing into a documentary. Alicia is co-author of English language textbooks Talk It Up Books 1-4 and Speak for Yourself Books 2 and 3 published by Young and Son Media. She has traveled extensively and has lived and worked in Seoul, South Korea and Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Ms Grullon took part in Augosto Boal’s workshop and public performance at The Brecht Forum on June 4, 2007 and is a recent recipient of a Franklin Furnance Award for 2009. She holds fine art degrees from New York University and the State University of New York at New Paltz. AIE Program Ms Gullon’s approach to art and education is to generate dialogue engaging communities’ youth from different economic and cultural backgrounds with educators and communities. Her aim is to reconnect with the more generous aspects of human interactions thus preventing fear. Preferred Age Level: Middle/Jr High; Senior High Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: January-March Special Needs: Must discuss with sponsor. | |
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Tom Hansell Multi-Disciplinary: Media Arts: video and audio Whitesburg, KY 606-633-0108 | 606-633-1968 thansell@appalshop.org www.appalshop.org |
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Background Tom Hansell is a documentary filmmaker based at Appalshop, a media arts center located in Whitesburg, Kentucky. Hansell has 14 years experience working with mountain communities to produce media about Appalachian culture and issues, producing award-winning radio series and public television programs. His work has screened at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and in film festivals internationally. Hansell graduated from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, with a Bachelor of Science in Communication. AIE Program Hansell’s educational residencies focus on community-based filmmaking. These highly interactive workshops provide middle and high school students hands-on experience with interviewing and using pictures to tell a story. Students will work in small groups on team projects. The workshop will be scaled to accommodate whatever level of audio video equipment is in the classroom. Students and teachers with knowledge of audio video equipment and techniques gain leadership experience assisting with the workshops. If equipment is available, students will complete a short community-based documentary during the workshop. Preferred Age Level: Middle/Jr. High; Sr. High Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open Special Needs: Audio/Visual screening equipment to match residency work (TV set or video projector, CD player, with speakers) Optional: video camera and editing equipment (preferred, but not necessary) | |
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Laura Hughes Multi-Disciplinary: Dance; Theatre; Design Arts; Media Arts;Folk Arts Bristol, VA 513-410-0277 balletclassic@yahoo.com |
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Background From children to adults, dance to costume design, storytelling to experiential learning, Laura can create a program tailored to the specific needs and interests of the students while opening doors to additional creative opportunities. Her teaching methodologies and experience include academic theories blended with art forms to transcend traditional educational structures. As a long time dance instructor, choreographer, and artist, Laura has over 20 years experience teaching in the visual and dance arts and managing a ballet studio and children’s ballet company. Laura attained a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Xavier University in Cincinnati while attending a full academic scholarship. Laura also studied classical dance forms and teaching methodologies with Anneliese von Oettingen-Sass, a European classically trained artist, and Cornelia Sass-Berns, a respected Cincinnati dance educator. Laura has continued to teach dance and art expanding her experiences to include work with learning disabled children and adults. She has taught, choreographed and created costumes for numerous productions in Arkansas, Cincinnati, and Virginia. Currently a Fellow for the Arkansas A+ Network, Laura has increasingly focused on kinesthetic learning techniques for the classroom, searching for the connections between movement for art’s sake and movement for education’s sake. AIE Program It the object is to create a dance, musical, or dramatic presentation, Laura’s experience as a choreographer, storyteller, producer, and dance instructor can be invaluable to create original and engaging stage movement for any age. Students will find success whether or not they have had previous dance training. For those student with a desire to more, Laura can create kinesthetic approaches to difficult concepts such as telling time, map-making, or fractions. Laura’s overall approach is to lead students in physical activities, so the student can feel the joy of movement and music. Simple co-ordination activities are augmented by storytelling and movement games to help the students gain understanding through experience. Laura often uses objects such as scarves, giant ribbons, taped floor lines, or other objects that help give the student focus or inspiration for further movement. Students are permitted to either enjoy the activities as movement for movement’s sake or to incorporate other academic concepts. If focusing on the movement for specific outcomes like stage presentations, students will gain in valuable physical and mental skills such as spatial awareness, sequencing, and group dynamics. Based on concepts of multiple intelligences or brain-based learning, Laura can assist teachers in putting aside worksheets in favor of memorable kinesthetic experience. Whether it is acting out the relative movements of the hour and minute hand or comparing the periodic table to a sports show, the language of movement and creative metaphor can become powerful tools for grounding abstract concepts. Students can be expected to gain in deeper understanding of academic subjects that are presented though movement, story, and games, and teachers will gain insight into alternative approaches using kinesthetic concepts. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open Special Needs: Open space for movement; electrical outlets | |
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JoAnn Kaminsky Multi-Disciplinary: Puppet, Mask, Painting, Clay, Paper, Mixed Media Fayetteville, AR 479- 442-0557 | 479- 443-2077 kjo_ann@hotmail.com |
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Background I received my B.A. in Psychology from UCA in 1969. I received further training in undergraduate art courses at Memphis State University and Memphis College of Art as well as the University of Arkansas. I trained as a professional potter under Gary Eagan for three years. After working as a professional artist, on my own for many years, I began working in three elementary schools in Fayetteville as an Artist-in-Education. This experience led me back to school as a counselor and for further training in Art Therapy. I was impressed with how empowering and validating art making was for many of the children who are called “at risk”. I received my M.Ed. in the spring of 1991 and began working in an emergency shelter for teens at Youth Bridge. I was the counselor/director. I led weekly therapeutic art groups. After a year I opened with, with my husband, the Art Experience, where we offered classes in many media for all ages. I have also been heading therapeutic art groups at Charter Vista, Generations Hospital, with children at a women’s shelter and at low-income housing center. This past year we have worked with our local NPR affiliate to receive a grant. We were able to work with at risk youth in a group/mentor art setup to use art making-friend making skills to deter drug use. AIE Program : I want to use the therapeutic nature of art to help children with decision- making, self-exploration and self-expression as well as stress reduction and healing. I would use various art materials to offer optimum choice and variety of sensory experiences. This may include clay, handmade paper, 3-D collage materials, paint, pastels, mask making materials, and paper mache. This could be effective with small groups from the general school population, or children with self esteem issues. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide for short residencies, otherwise, Northwest Arkansas Time Availability: Open Special Needs: Materials would depend on the residency program. If fired clay is a product, an on-site kiln will be needed. | |
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Melinda LaFevers Multi-Disciplinary: Dance, Music, Crafts, Literature, Folk Arts, Humanities Searcy, AR 501 -279-7837 | 501-279-0075 mlaf@sbcglobal.net |
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Background I have an M.A. in Elementary Education, B.A. in Speech Communications, and 40+ units in Early Childhood Education. I continue to take annual workshops in both teaching techniques and childhood development, and have also taken workshops in psychodrama and dramatic play. Since 1982 I have been involved with historical re-enactment. I have conducted workshops and demonstrations for school programs in both Arkansas and California on “Life in a Castle”. I also work with school tours and programs as a volunteer at the local Pioneer Village, which is set in the late 1800’s, and is run with the participation of our White County Historical Society. AIE Program I believe that using a multi-intelligence approach is one of the most effective ways of teaching. My program, “Life in a Castle,” uses a combination of techniques designed with multi-intelligence and learning modalities in mind. I consult with teachers to determine any specific benchmarks and frameworks that they would like me to include in my presentation. I offer teachers a wide variety of choices of what and how they would like their class to learn. These choices include spinning and weaving, paper-making and book-binding, felting, dance, music, ballads, clothing, soap-making, armor, and more. They are taught by demonstration, lecture, re-creation and hands on participation. Participants in my workshops will have a greater understanding of life in the Middle Ages, learn some of the basic skills used in the Middle Ages, and, hopefully, have a greater appreciation for life in the 21st century. "Living in a Log Cabin," with programs in Pioneer Life, are also available. Workshops include butter churning, rag dolls and other toys, Pioneer games, spinning, weaving, tall tales, music, and much more. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open Special Needs: Electrical outlets, hot water source, slide or overhead projector, a room that can accommodate possible water spills. | |
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Glenna McBride Multi-Disciplinary: Printmaking, Papermaking, Book Arts Eufaula , OK 918- 617-1689 | 918-689-5362 rtstglena@yahoo.com |
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Background Glenna McBride earned a B.F.A. from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro with an emphasis in printmaking and a B.S.E. from University of Arkansas at Little Rock in Art Education. Glenna also maintains current certification with the Oklahoma State Department of Education to teach art in accredited schools K-12. Other professional affiliations include being on the roster of Artist-in-Residence with the Oklahoma Arts Council since 1994 and with the Arkansas Arts Council since 1999. Glenna has been affiliated with the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, Summer Reading Program since 1999. During the library programs Glenna facilitates interest in reading through hands on printmaking projects. Successful programs such as “Tremendous Transformations in Time” have been developed through the library programs. This is a brief workshop explaining the contributions printing has made to the evolution of modern thought, equal to the development of books and moveable type. A career as a fine art printer is furthered by owning and operating Riveroaks Studio on Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma. At Riveroaks Studio, guests use the printing facilities, classes are held and studio tours are available. It is here Glenna created several public installation works such as hand printed quilted wall hangings and student prints hand bound as permanent reference books in schools and libraries. AIE Program The hands on activities Glenna uses as a framework to start a residency are printmaking, paper-making and book arts. Traditional tools and techniques used by artists are introduced to participants. Glenna’s residency activities are reinvented through basic subjects. Lessons are planned during developmental meetings and integrated with site objectives. Math skills have been taught to 2nd graders in Brinkley, Arkansas through simplified bookbinding. Writing skills have been emphasized, while mono printing idioms with 4th graders at Texarkana. Several types of printmaking projects were used to emphasize basic art fundamentals at Mt. Pleasant schools in a regular art class. The Mt. Pleasant residency also served as an intensive teacher development in areas the regular teacher felt uncomfortable advancing. Another benefit during the Mt. Pleasant residency was the opportunity to help high school students understand career opportunities pertaining to the arts. Teachers and students begin to strengthen and expand their ideas of what art is during Glenna’s residencies. Every day objects taken for granted are especially rediscovered during projects involving papermaking and book arts. Ordinary books and individual sheets of paper are given new meaning. During Glenna’s residency it is not necessary to have any experience in the arts. Participants who feel they are already artists will enhance untapped skills. Five year olds to adults can participate in a variety of different projects. Programs can last from an hour to several weeks or months. Simple printing workshops have been developed into installation pieces. Many non -traditional projects created by Glenna through residency experiences are available to sites to use as a resource. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open. Special Needs: All perishable supplies to accomplish the project such as paper, ink, paintbrushes, scissors and pencils, etc. | |
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Laura McNerney Multi-Disciplinary: Visual Arts; Integrated Art/Science;Storytelling;Crafts;Gardening/Bonsai Franklin, AR 870-368-4388 manideva2003@yahoo.com |
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Background I spent 15 years as a science research assistant and laboratory technologist, retiring to Arkansas in 1989. I became a residency artist in 1998 and have also worked as a lecturer/teacher for 20 years. I am a Bonsai artist, visual artist, and have worked in the performing arts. I enjoy working with all age groups both in and out of the formal classroom setting. AIE Program I have been working on developing an integrated curriculum for art, science, and gardening. The object of this curriculum is to give the student a holistic view of life and to de-fragmentize our view of how the world works. In this time of a tendency towards the “smaller view” that isolates us, I believe that a more complete perspective of the all-inclusive nature of life and our dependency upon everything around us, is essential to our survival as a species. We must strive to make and keep compassionate connections to the world around us and must teach our children to do so through the beauty of life around and within them. To me, there is no better way to do this than through the beauty in art, the understanding in science, and the teachings about the earth. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: North Central AR Time Availability: Open Special Needs: Work tables and chairs; electric outlets and extension cables; art supplies as listed per residency; black board, markers | |
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Michael Merritt Multi-Disciplinary: Media Arts: film, audio, video, computer technology Little Rock, AR 501-569-8954 | 501-683-7444 merritt@knowstrings.com |
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Background While working toward my degree in Political Science at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, I published my second book of essays, stories, and poems entitled Coalescence. A year later, I moved to New York and went to the New York Film Academy. “Light Lies,” the first of a trilogy of black and white 16mm/MiniDV/8mm shorts, written, directed, and produced by Knowstrings, Inc., my production company, is currently touring the festival and television circuits. I am currently in production of the second short, “Looking for the Man,” and editing a documentary of writer and filmmaker Rick Schmidt, the author of “Feature Filmmaking at Used Car Prices,” to be ready by 2006. AIE Program My Arts in Education program would consist of an overview of the independent movie making process. With the aid of camcorders, lights, and a computer, the goal of the group would be to explore expressing their ideas and emotions as filmmakers. The residency would be divided into five phases: Phase I would involve discussing movies, directors, and the process in general. Phase II would allow the students to familiarize themselves with the equipment used by filmmakers. The students would write, shoot, and edit in Phases IV and V. The completed short films will be screened in Phase V, allowing for the student’s efforts to be positively reinforced. Throughout the residency, we would discuss how communication, cooperation, organization, problem-solving, preparation, time management, and responsibility play major roles in our lives. Preferred Age Level: Sr. High Geographic Availability: Statewide Time Availability: Open except July 15-21 Special Needs: Each 5-7 –member group will need the following equipment: 1) computer (Apple/Mac running OSX or higher, or a PC running Microsoft Windows XP) with USB or Firewire connections 2) camcorder (VHS-C, 8mm or Hi 8, MiniDV or Digital HD) with tripod 3) Lowel basic 3 tungsten light kit – consists of: 2 tota-lights; 1 omni light; barndoors; gel frame; gels; scrim; light stands; bulbs; LB-35 soft case – 2000 total watts | |
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Eden Miller Multi-Disciplinary: Theatre Rogers, AR 479- 790-4915 ihcr100@yahoo.com |
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Background Eden Miller is a multidisciplinary artist with an M.F.A. in Theatrical Design from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She is an eight-year Arkansas resident with teaching residency experience both here and in Hawaii in visual arts, theatre arts, and combinations thereof designed for particular schools. AIE Program My residency programs are designed around the particular goals of the educators requesting them; usually choosing to focus either upon the art form for its own sake, or upon using the art form(s) to enhance the teaching of the school’s core curriculum: i.e. using drawing to strengthen students’ abilities to visualize and illustrate; using theatre arts to provide storytelling skills vital to progress in writing. These programs are adaptable to any age group(s), with the understanding that classroom teachers should participate along with their students for maximum results, especially in an art/core curriculum program. Particular program content possibilities include, but are not limited to: drawing people, places, animals, and things; puppetry; theatre arts for self-respect and teamwork; songwriting; storytelling in words and/or pictures. Preferred Age Level: All ages Geographic Availability: Within 60 miles of Rogers Time Availability: Open Special Needs: For visual arts: blackboard and chalk or markers. For theatre arts: blackboard, a large empty space preferably carpeted and chairs for all participants. | |
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Martha J. Molina Multi-Disciplinary: Theater, Crafts, Photography, Literature, Folk Arts Fayetteville, AR 479- 871-2778 | 479- 582-0523 marthajsm@aol.com |
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Background Martha spent many years in the public school working with drama students and students with special needs. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters in Special Education. Having taught in the Arkansas school system she is well versed in curriculum frameworks and has been trained in Core Knowledge Curriculum. Martha works closely with Arts Live Theatre and the Arts Live Theatre & Walton Arts Center Young Actors Repertory in Fayetteville and Sager Creek Arts Center in Siloam Springs. Her work focuses on developing the skills of young actors while addressing social issues. Martha also enjoys working with students at Nadine Baum Studios teaching photography, theatre and crafts. AIE Program Martha completed eleven residencies between January 2000-May 2001 during which she worked to provide a positive and supportive environment where both students and teachers could experiment with self-expression. Martha develops goals and objectives based on desired outcomes and subject from the teachers. She works closely within the frameworks of the Arkansas curriculum to help teachers learn how to integrate the arts successfully through practical, everyday, process oriented activities that are easily reproduced by the teachers. Throughout each activity writing is given a center stage with a strong emphasis on multicultural issues and understanding. The following list is an example of the objectives for one residency: Creating: Develop self-expression through theatre performances. Use appropriate terminology to develop theatre vocabulary. Use improvisation and play writing to communicate ideas and feelings. Demonstrate sensory recall in pantomime activities and in reenacting experiences. Lead small groups in planning visual and aural elements. Expand appropriate terminology to develop theatre vocabulary. Effectively communicate directional choices to a small ensemble for improvised or scripted scenes. Experiment with creative choices by taking risks and appreciating risk-taking in others. Reading: Demonstrate listening, observing, focusing, and concentration skills. Apply skills learned through the dramatic process to other subject areas. Interact with others in acting real life or fantasy problems or resolutions. | |