South Bend Museum of Art Education Blog
A Place Where Art Education is Discussed and Explored!We’d love to be your stepping stone
Michiana artist, Mary Firtl, began her brilliant career as a youth art student at SBMA.
As the young students in our youth classes fill our studios this summer, we can’t help but wonder where art will take them. It is our sincere hope that all of them will discover an inner excitement and creativity that will bring them confidence and joy, no matter what they go on to do. But perhaps there are a few children here this summer who are embarking on a lifelong journey in the fine arts, and will someday look back upon SBMA as the foundation of their passion and success.
This is the story of local artist, Mary Firtl. A Michiana native, Mary first came to SBMA – known as the “Art Center” back then – when she was five years old, and now her artwork is for sale in our Dot Shop. We are proud to have been a constant companion and support network for Mary throughout the years and to be a place that she can call home. To LEARN MORE ABOUT MARY FIRTL and A LIFELONG CONNECTION to SBMA, CLICK HERE.
A Nice Escape
Cindy, left, and Cameron, right working steadily on their designs
We first introduced you to the Kanczuzewski family a couple of weeks ago. As you may recall, mom Cindy and two of her children, Maddie and Cameron, are participating in this year’s pop art inspired Festival of Banners. They have been working steadily on their designs, visiting our studio almost weekly to put the finishing touches on their colorful artworks. We recently popped in on them again to see how things are moving along, but also to learn more about what Festival of Banners can teach a first time painter. Join us by reading more about what Cindy, Maddie, and Cameron have learned on their journeys, one brush stroke at a time.
The best advertising ever
When we plan out the editorial calendar for this very blog, we find ourselves brainstorming ways to communicate to you, our readers, and anyone else who may come along, just how much we want to be a place you can appreciate and turn to for all things art-related. We set up our schedule of postings and get to work fine tuning this message, hoping that it will be well delivered and well received.
Then, a guest contributor agrees to help us out and blows us out of the water.
We find ourselves thrilled and humbled by what our friend and long-time SBMA member, Karen Chambers, had to say when we asked her to share why she has been so committed to the programs and classes we offer. Without further ado, we invite you to LEARN MORE ABOUT the VALUE of SBMA ART CLASSES by CLICKING HERE.
And, most importantly, thank you, Karen!
Why You Should Meet Us on the Island
Here at SBMA, we pride ourselves on lots of things. From our quality exhibitions to our excellent educational programs to our stellar staff, we have a lot to be proud of. Did we mention our ability to throw a rocking summer party? On Friday June 29th, we invite you to join us at one of our signature summer events, “Meet Me on the Island”. In collaboration with WVPE, we are pleased to present you an ART-ful evening filled with live music, cool drinks, and local art and artists along a beautiful river front location. Still undecided? Keep reading as we share with you our top reasons why you should “Meet Us on the Island” June 29th.
Easy Breezy Summer Art
One of the best parts of living in Northern Indiana in the summertime is its close proximity to Lake Michigan and all the beauty which she provides. From the sands of Saint Joseph to the dunes of Sawyer, there is no shortage of beach or summer fun to be found. Just as the shoreline stretches for miles and miles, so too do the possibilities for easy breezy summer art projects! Put on your flip flops, grab a towel, and join us in the sand for some great ideas to keep those young minds busy!
Mom (and kids) go Pop! for F.O.B.
Coming soon…a banner featuring South Bend’s Mayor Pete – pop style!
A little while back we told you that Festival of Banners was coming, and now it’s here! Submitted designs for this year’s theme – “Pop on Parade” – were judged, and winning designs were chosen. But it’s right about now that the action is really underway as the selected artists are beginning to work on their original, hand-painted banners in the SBMA studios. With only two months to go until the banners are on display in downtown South Bend, our Festival of Banners participants are busy bringing their pop art visions to life.
From now until August, we’ll be checking in with not one, but three of our Festival of Banners participants, to see what it’s like to take transform their 4″ x 6″ submissions into banners. The dynamic, creative members of the Kanczuzewski family have agreed to let us look over their shoulders as we bring you an inside experience of this great community-based program.
To LEARN MORE about Cindy, Maddie and Cameron, and their BANNER DESIGNS, CLICK HERE.
Reaping what we sow at SBMA
Jewelry by metal smith Stefanie Buysse, who will teach one of SBMA’s summer courses this year.
Sometimes we at SBMA feel like proud momma birds as we watch our studio art students develop the talents and passions that allow them to take flight as our local, gifted artists. We offer our students the resources, time and space to learn an art form, and in no time at all they are inspiring us with their artwork, or in the case of Stefanie Buysse, returning to us as faculty members leading their own studio art classes.
This summer, Stefanie will be teaching our “Explore Precious Metal Clay with Metal Smithing – Beginner” class, which is designed to teach students the basics of both PMC and metal smith techniques. To LEARN MORE ABOUT STEFANIE and how SBMA NURTURES ARTISTS, CLICK HERE.
Why you should win a marathon
Ceramics artist Kathy Fodness is a prolific, inspiring presence in our SBMA studios.
For the great majority of us, some SBMA staff members included, it’s nearly impossible to imagine running a marathon, let alone winning one. If you’ve ever watched a marathon in person and seen the leaders at mile 20 or so, you know those people have got something that you just don’t. And when this year’s Sunburst Marathon winners sprint across that finish line on June 2, they’ll get something else you wish you had: artwork by Kathy Fodness.
Native American ceramic artist Kathy Fodness has been a friend of SBMA for many years, volunteering with youth classes and events, and frequenting our studios to perfect her artistic techniques. So when the Sunburst Races asked us to commission a local artist to create the first place awards for the 2012 races, Kathy came to mind instantly. Given the way these awards are turning out, we know we made the right choice. We’ll give you a sneak peek at what Kathy has been creating, but we have to warn you – this click may cause the sudden dusting off of running shoes!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KATHY FODNESS AND HER HANDMADE SUNBURST RACES ART, CLICK HERE.
We Honor the Masters: Moms
Emil Jacques’ “A Mother’s Care,” a painting in our permanent collection at SBMA.
Once upon a time we could stick our hands in a bucket of paint, slap them on a canvas and call it a Mother’s Day gift. But time has passed, we’ve all gotten older (not you, Mom – you’ve evolved with grace and beauty), and we know how important it is to find just the right thoughtful, special something for the ladies we love and honor on Mother’s Day. The good news is that we at SBMA provide the perfect approach to accomplishing this daunting task: come on into The Dot Shop.
Located right here in the Century Center, The Dot Shop is unlike any other retail space in South Bend. From watercolors to ceramics, from jewelry to garden accessories, our fabulous array of artwork by local artists is sure to include the gift you know is just right for your Mother’s Day honorees. The fact is that everything you can buy at The Dot Shop is a one-of-a-kind, handmade masterpiece. And isn’t that what Mom would say about you?
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR FAVORITE MOTHER’S DAY GIFTS AT THE DOT SHOP, CLICK HERE.
Rain Candy
Our Sculpture Corridor is radiant with the color and beauty of the Michiana Rain Barrels.
There are already a fair number of reasons to hope for rain in the forecast: You’ve planted a new garden that needs a jumpstart; there’s a Nora Ephron movie marathon on tv; or, you’re the coach of a 5-and-under tee ball team that has a scheduled practice. But now there are fifteen even better and more beautiful reasons to pray for precipitation…the arrival and auction of this year’s Michiana Rain Barrels.
As partners with the Indiana University-South Bend Center for a Sustainable Future, SBMA is proud to display the rain barrels painted by local artists and artist groups. They can be seen in our sculpture corridor from now until May 4, when they’ll be auctioned to those smart and savvy citizens who know that these rain barrels are garden-, budget- and earth-friendly ways to support art right here in our own backyard.
Teachers: Time to Get Planning…for a night out!
Our friend and colleague at the University of Notre Dame’s Snite Museum of Art, Sarah Martin, has asked that we help her extend an invitation to the Snite’s Teacher Night event, and we couldn’t be more pleased to oblige. Teacher Night events—held here at SBMA every Fall and at the Snite every Spring—are fun and FREE opportunities for our museum education departments to congratulate, thank and treat our local educators for all they do.
So teachers, we hope you will mark your plan books for next Thursday, April 19, 2012 from 4-6 p.m. Head to the Snite Museum of Art on campus at Notre Dame (parking will be available in Lot C; you’ll see signs when you arrive), any time between 4 and 6 to enjoy refreshments, mingling, and some raffle prizes, as well as the amazing galleries at the Snite. We know you spend tremendous energy enriching the life of your students each day; don’t pass up this chance to indulge yourselves!
To LEARN MORE about TEACHER NIGHT, or DOWNLOAD a FLYER, CLICK HERE.
We eggspect to see you!
Make a sock bunny this Saturday at our Eggstravaganza event!
With Easter just under two weeks away, you may notice that the ol’ Bunny Trail is starting to pick up a lot of traffic. Before you get swept up in all that cottontail congestion, we suggest you take the next eggxit marked “SBMA!” Join us here in our studios this Saturday, March 31, from 2-4 pm for an art-making hop-portunity that will everybunny will be talking about, including bunny mask making, “bunny putty” eggs and sock bunnies.
Make your own art table
Quick and Easy Art Table
by Cheryl Ricks
A great idea for every home, this amazing art table was designed by mom and local graphic designer, Cheryl Ricks. Designating a space in your house for art keeps you organized and makes a great “discovery” station for your kids!
What you need:
• A coffee table (old or new)
• Chalkboard paint
• Dowel rod and hardware to hold the rod on (curtain rod hardware was used in the table pictured)
• Roll of paper
• Plastic containers to hold art supplies
• Long, narrow wood board to attach the containers to (see picture)
• 2 wood spacers to raise the long, narrow board up off the table so the paper can slide underneath it (see picture)
• Art supplies: chalk. crayons, markers, watercolors, popsicle sticks, stickers, stamps, playdoh/clay, glue, pipe cleaners. etc.
Instructions:
- Sand the top of the table.
- Paint the top with chalkboard paint.
- Attach the hardware at one end for the doll rod and paper roll.
- Nail the long narrow wood board with the spacers at each end of it to the opposite side of the table than the paper roll.
- Nail, screw or super glue the plastic containers to the long narrow wood board so they can’t fall off the table easily. This is a great place to store some of the art supplies. Other supplies can be stored in containers underneath.
Tips:
Michaels sells great paper rolls. You can get plain white and you can also get some that have activities and coloring pages on the roll. My 3-year-old son and I use this table all the time for art projects. Everything that is on the table is appropriate for his age, so he has full reign to use his creativity to the fullest!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day from SBMA!
9.5 out of every 10 leprechauns prefer SBMA projects!
In homage to all wee artists of Irish and not-so-Irish descent, we’d like to share with you one of our favorite St. Patty’s Day projects. Our most recent family day visitors tried it themselves earlier this month and it was a great success!
So while the soda bread is baking and the corned beef and cabbage are slow cooking, here’s a quick and fun way to add a rainbow or two to everyone’s luckiest day.
Young Artist of the Month: Lexi Brock
Penn High School 12th grader and Scholastic Gold Key recipient, Lexi Brock
“Lexi is extremely creative and inventive on all her projects, always excited to learn new techniques and take them the extra mile to carry her artwork to fruition,” says Barbara Miller, an art teacher at Penn High School whom we thank for getting Lexi Brock onto our radar. A recipient of multiple Gold Key awards in the Scholastic Art competitions, this 12th grade student demonstrates excellence and enthusiasm in creating original works of art and contributing to the arts community.
One of Lexi Brock's acyrlic paintings entitled "Twisted Reality." She first drew in dry pastel and then reinterpreted into a painting using Van Gogh as an inspiration and influence.
We join Penn High School in celebrating Lexi’s achievements, and look forward to a day when her artwork hangs again in our SBMA galleries!
To LEARN MORE about LEXI and SEE SOME OF HER ARTWORK, CLICK HERE.
Festival of Banners 2012
Enter the Festival of Banners and share your artwork with the community!
Whenever there’s an email in your inbox from Candie Waterloo, (aka Miss Candie, one of our beloved youth instructors), the mastermind behind so many of our brilliant family, youth and community art projects, you know there’s something fun in the works. The latest message she sent out was no exception: time for Festival of Banners 2012!
A joint program we present in association with Downtown South Bend Inc. and the City of South Bend, the Festival of Banners project is one of many programs SBMA shares with the community to celebrate the visual arts in Northern Indiana. The event embraces art from all ages and backgrounds, giving everyone in the community an opportunity to be a part of the celebration. And, of course, for those of us who can only dream of seeing our artwork on display in a museum gallery, being able to drive or walk through downtown South Bend and see a banner you designed and painted yourself hanging for all to see is quite a thrill!
To LEARN MORE about HOW TO ENTER THIS YEAR’S FESTIVAL OF BANNERS, CLICK HERE.
Happy Valentine’s Day from SBMA!
From our permanent collection, "The Love Letter" by Luigi Gregori
Love is in the air and on the walls of our galleries at SBMA! We’d like to share that love with you today on our blog with some of our loveliest works and to remind you that a date at SBMA is a sure way to add romance to that special relationship in your life! To LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR VALENTINE ART, CLICK HERE.
No Bones About It – Family Day was FUN
Family Day artists at work!
We’re willing to bet that for the families who attended our Family Day last Sunday, the big football game on t.v. that night was pretty anti-climatic. How could anything be more exciting than disguising yourself as a dinosaur or digging for dinosaur bones?
You’ll see for yourself in this slideshow of our little guests in action that we had a great turnout and that fun was anything but extinct in our studio.
If you missed Family Day this time, have no fear. We’ll do another one on Sunday, March 4 from 1-3 pm. You can also still learn how to make our dinosaur masks and try them at home. Just CLICK HERE to LEARN MORE about our DINOSAUR MASK PROJECT.
February Family Day
For about six weeks now, Adrian Hatfield’s King of the Impossible exhibit has been on display in our Art League Gallery. It’s an incredibly intriguing collection of artwork which, in the words of Hatfield, “examines the modes of visual communication developed within religion, science and fine art and the role they play in humanity’s attempt to understand itself and its place in the universe.” Take this piece, entitled “KT and The Second Coming”:
KT and The Second ComingImage credits: detail, KT and the Second Coming, mixed media, 70”x60”x36” 2010
Our adult audiences might spend a few minutes gazing upon this piece, questioning the meaning of humanity and its place in the universe, but we are pretty sure we know what our younger visitors see: DINOSAURS.
So this weekend, as we prepare to host our Family Day event, we are not going to overthink it. We’re going to leave the “meaning of humanity” to the grown-ups and take on Adrian Hatfield through the eyes of a child—by making dinosaur art. Come by and bring the family as our veteran youth instructor, Miss Candie, leads a project of prehistoric proportions.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR DINOSAUR FAMILY DAY EVENT CLICK HERE.
Setting Up for Scholastics
When we arrived at work on Monday, this is how we found our Warner Gallery:
Kind of a mess. But the truth is, it’s the first sign it’s time for one of our favorite exhibits: Scholastics.
The artwork you see strewn about the gallery is actually a collection of hundreds of pieces of art that have been submitted by our region’s 7th-12th graders for this years Scholastics Art Awards competition. Jurors for the program were here all day last Saturday to judge the work which covers a wide array of media—ceramics and pottery, photography, jewelry, and painting to name a few, and in the coming days the Warner Gallery will be transformed into a breathtaking exhibit of creativity and energy, revealed at our “Meet Me in the Gallery” event on Friday, February 3.
Be sure to come out next Friday for this amazing celebration of youth and art!
Beat Winter Blahs with ART!
We’ve come to the end of the first week of a new class session at SBMA, and we’ve found the creative juices flowing in our studies almost intoxicating. Are you yearning for a winter escape? A place where you can have fun, unwind, and yet grow at the same time? Then tell your inner artist to wake up from her long winter’s nap and start creating – it is not too late to register. The courses we have available promise opportunities for aspiring artists of all interests and ability levels. Browse our class offerings here: Wntr12Classes and see which artsy itch of yours starts to tingle under those long underwear you’ve got on. We’d love to see you in our studios!
The Best of SBMA 2011
Skateboards, shopping and Rain barrels…just a few of the things that represent the highlights of the past year here at SBMA. As we cross over from 2011 to 2012, we want to thank all of our members, visitors, students and instructors for all they have done to help make the past year such a successful one here at SBMA. When the “all call” went out to our staff asking for their favorite memories of 2011, the number of events and accomplishments that were recalled and shared was overwhelming! We have every reason to look back with gratitude and pride and ahead with excitement. LEARN MORE about the YEAR’s BEST AT SBMA by CLICKING HERE.
Faux Faux Faux! Merry Sculpting!
If you sit in the SBMA offices on a Friday morning, you’re bound to hear the sound of 5th grade voices echoing off the walls of our sculpture corridor. As guests in our Sculpture Quest program, the 5th grade students of our neighboring Penn Harris Madison school district join us every week to explore sculpture with our docents and make 3-dimensional art with our instructor, Miss Candie. This year’s project is this fabulous and colorful wire faux glass sculpture.
Lovely and inspiring, these sculptures are the work of our 5th grade visitors!
With just a few simple materials and some basic directions, students are able to create these intriguing pieces that add color and beauty to any desk, shelf or display space at home. To LEARN MORE about this project, CLICK HERE.
Soap Opus
Our galleries were a-flurry for the snow soapmen!
Our last Kids’ Night Out event was a huge success – we were thrilled to host dozens of families here in our galleries and to watch our young guests create art. One of our most popular activities that night was sculpting soap snowmen. In fact, our staff could barely keep up with the demand for Ivory soap shavings! We ultimately ran out of supplies and had to promise some of our guests that we’d share the instructions for the project on the blog so that they could try it out at home. Trust us when we say this will be one of the cleanest, most fragrant ways to make a mess you’ll ever try! To LEARN MORE about HOW TO DO THIS PROJECT, CLICK HERE.
Our Favorite Art Books for Young Artists
Everyone deserves an art book for Christmas!
Even if a Kindle is on your wish list this holiday season, we’d like to put in a plug for good old fashioned books – the kinds that come with covers and pages and pictures and look lovely on shelves. And while browsing the art section of a bookstore sounds like a perfect way to spend an afternoon in December, we realize that a go-to list might also be handy in expediting your gift-giving mission. If there are children or teens to shop for this year, we’d like to recommend just a few art books that we think are especially fun. CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR LIST.
Teachers, Let Us Treat You!
The weather is changing, the leaves are nearly done falling, and the 2011-12 academic year has been underway for nearly 12 weeks already. It’s a difficult time of year to feel energized, especially in the classroom. What teachers need right about now is the chance to take a breather — to sip some wine, mingle with friends, wander through works of art, and maybe even buy a little something lovely, just because; they need our Teacher Night!
Teachers, please let us treat you to a special evening this Wednesday, October 26, from 6 – 7:30. This free, open house event is our way of thanking and acknowledging you for all that you have done this semester, and all that you will continue to do. We will have free wine and appetizers for you to enjoy, as well as discounted shopping for you in The Dot Shop, our new retail space. Our galleries will be open for you to see our latest exhibits, especially, Full Deck: A Short History of Skate Art, and we will have representatives from SAX and United Art & Education here to show you new products and ideas for your classroom. It’s going to be a “no requirements, just relaxation” kind of night, and we hope you will join us!
Teaching with a “Full Deck”
"Full Deck" in SBMA's Warner Gallery
For those of you just joining us, here at SBMA we’re all ramped up about Full Deck: A Short History of Skate Art, which opened in our Warner Gallery two weeks ago. This electrifying exhibit of skateboard art is especially appealing to children and young artists, and we would love to host any school or other groups who would like to see it.
There are many ways in which a viewing “Full Deck” can serve as a platform for learning and meeting curricular standards in nearly all subject areas. This week we would like to offer an engaging science lesson plan that focuses on the physics of skateboarding and would make a fantastic follow-up to a “Full Deck” field trip, hint hint.
If there’s one thing that a skateboard will help you remember (four times over), it’s that the wheel is a beautiful thing. Therefore, we’re not even going to try to reinvent it. Instead, we offer you this link from “Teach Engineering,” an outreach of the University of Colorado at Boulder. Entitled “Skateboard Disaster,” it promises to be a great success among the middle school crowd. Enjoy!
Ramp Up Your Teaching With “Full Deck”
"Full Deck" in SBMA's Warner Gallery
“Full Deck: A Short History of Skate Art” is now open at SBMA, and we are certain that children and young adults throughout Michiana will want to see it. Before all of you classroom teachers cry out in protest, “No! I don’t have the time to leave my classroom and squander precious time-on-task minutes!” we would like you to know that the possibilities for integrating “Full Deck” into academic goals and standards are endless. In fact, we are so certain that a field trip to SBMA would be a highlight of the 2011-12 school year for both students and teachers, we are going to be posting a series of activities and lessons that correspond with this exhibit.
This week’s lesson was developed by Melissa Green, a junior high language arts teacher, and offers a way to spin off the skate ramp and into poetry. For those of you who try this lesson with your students, we would love for you to share with us the poems that your students create.
Skate Art Master Coming to SBMA for SKATE DAY!
Don Pendleton and his iconic graphic art
If you’re a skater, you probably already know Don Pendleton. Maybe not by name, but definitely by his iconic skate art, which has been displayed on thousands of skate decks in the past decade. Pendleton, a true graphic master who has been the visual force behind Alien Workshop and Element Skateboards, was also a sponsored skater himself by the time he graduated high school. On October 16, Pendleton comes to SBMA for Skate Day to lead a hands-on workshop in skate deck design as well as skate demonstrations.
The first 50 participants who register (pre-registration is required!! email: candiewarhola@yahoo.com) will have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from and design with Don. If you can’t make it to the Design-A-Deck workshop from 12-2, there will be plenty of other Skate Day events throughout the afternoon that you won’t want to miss:
From 2-4 p.m.: Skate Demos/Tricks – Don, along with another pro skater area, will lead all skaters through a very hands-on workshop in which he’ll teach them some cool tricks with their skateboards. This will take place in our front circle, and kids are encouraged to bring their boards and skate.
ALL DAY: We are creating a MONSTER deck; a skate deck so monumental it will blow everyone’s mind. This activity is going to perfect for all ages, and everyone is welcome. Here, kids/families/friends/etc can add their own personal touch to our deck via paint//markers/stickers/whatever we have on hand. This is a community-wide art project, and we want all hands on deck!!!
Noon -5 p.m.: SBMA’s American Series exhibit, “Full Deck: A Short History of Skate Art” will also be open for viewing from noon until 5 p.m. that day.
Don Pendleton, skateboard artist
Sculptural Vessels by Bill Kremer
Bill Kremer’s ceramic sculpture is a bit of an oxymoron. His sculptural vessels are meant to evoke and draw out ideas, rather than to contain or confine them. As Kremer explains it, “the best work…reveals new possibilities for greater experience.” He develops and takes his art work through a creative process including drawing, casting with large-scale molds, and finally painting, putting forth a thoughtful and “harmonic” contrast between shape or structure and linear brush marks. The gestural vessels made from this process are salt fired in a 30′ wood firing kiln located at his home studio in Cassopolis, Michigan.
Kremer’s ceramic art, entitled Out Side from Within, will be on display in the South Bend Museum of Art’s Art League Gallery starting Saturday, September 17 through December 4, 2011. A reception for the exhibit will be held on Friday, October 7, from 5 – 7:30 pm, with Bill Kremer speaking about his work at 6:15 pm.
Kremer is the Chair of the Ceramics department at the University of Notre Dame. His work has been shown in more than 150 exhibitions and he has conducted more than thirty workshops and lectures.
Do You Know a Young Artist Who Deserves Recognition?
Oscar Joyo, one of our 2010-11 Young Artists, with his artwork
Every winter, when SBMA hosts the Scholastic Art exhibit showcasing the artwork of local 7th – 12th graders, we are blown away by the artistic talent that is developing right here in our own backyards. As we contemplate the art they create, we continuously find ourselves asking, “Who exactly are these young people, and where do they find their inspiration? What is it in their young lives that shapes their artistic philosophy?”
We believe it’s time to get to know these amazing young artists a little better; to honor and thank them, and to do our part to make sure they can continue to grow in their creativity. We have therefore committed to carving out space every month right here on our blog to feature a young artist and his/her work. In addition, SBMA will award featured students with a free studio art class here at the Museum.
Teachers, we know that as the mentors and guides for these young artists, you can help lead us to these talented young people. We ask that as you watch them work and grow this year, you bring them to our attention. The form provided here can be downloaded and used at any time to nominate an artist that you think is deserving. There is no deadline for submission – we will accept nominations on a rolling basis. Thanks for doing your part to unveil these hidden gems in our community!
I Got It at the Dot!
“I got it at the Dot!”
Trust us, Michiana, when we say you’ll find yourself hearing and repeating this phrase around town in the coming weeks and months – “I got it at the Dot!”
“I’m a Dot Shopper,” you’ll say again and again, as you suddenly find yourself invited to more and more parties and celebrations, being that your reputation for giving fabulous gifts is blossoming around town.
“Just Dot it!” you’ll recommend to your very stylish and interesting friends who are searching for the perfect accent piece for an outfit or a room.
That’s because on August 27, 2011, The Dot Shop, the new retail space the South Bend Museum of Art will be opening, making it possible to purchase the handmade work of dozens of artists in our region and to achieve the all-too-elusive thrill of finding the perfectly unique and lovely gift for your friends and loved ones in one simple outing.
In fact, you’ll spot that ideal treasure so quickly, you’ll even have time left after shopping to browse our galleries and view our collections and exhibits.
So mark your calendars with a big, fat Dot – come August 27, 2011, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the true art of shopping.
Just Glue It!
Little ones love to glue!
Muffin Pan Glue Project
Kids love to use glue! This project is good enough to eat:)
What you need:
12 muffin pan
sturdy cardboard (any size)
12 different items to fill in each tin. Examples:
-Fruit Loops
-Cherrios
-dried beans
-macaroni
-decorative sprinkles
-spices
1. For older kids have them draw a picture. For younger kids, draw a simple picture or shape for them.
2. Give the kids some glue and the muffin pan filled with the above examples and/or anything else you wish.
3. Have the kids “fill” in their pictures/shapes by gluing the items into their picture.
Meet Our Featured Staff Instructor for July!
Janet Leazenby
By: Jennifer Talvensaari
If I walked into your Art classroom, what should I expect to see?
People working in clay, tools in buckets, and mud up to your elbows!!
An Art Project to Remember!
Create Your Own Memory Game
Easy-to-make memory cards
Kids will love creating their very own personal game! This is super easy to do and not only an art project, but the kids will be able to play with it afterwards!
What you need:
White Paper
6 Different Ink Stamps
1. Cut the white stock (thicker) paper into 12 equal sized pieces.
2. Separate the pieces into sets of 2.
3. Stamp 2 peices of paper of each stamp so you have 2 of each.
4. Label the card (see pic example)
5. You can have the child color in the stamp for extra fun!
When you are done you willl have your very own memory game.
How to Play:
1. Shuffle your homemade memory cards
2. Lay them face down.
3. Take turns turning over 2 cards at a time to find a match.
4. If you don’t have a match, flip the cards back over and it’s the next person’s turn. If you find a match, collect the 2 cards and it is the next person’s turn.
5. Whoever has the most matches at the end wins!
This project comes from our contributor, Cheryl Ricks. For more kid-friendly art at home, CLICK HERE.
SBMA Gets “Ugly”
It’s a tale that we can all somehow relate to, even if we’ve never read the book. Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Ugly Duckling” tells the story of a duckling immediately rejected at birth due to his outwardly “ugly” appearance. Ultimately transforming into a graceful swan, “Ugly” teaches everyone that beauty truly is found within.
It is this message of acceptance that was the theme for a community outreach project in which the South Bend Museum of Art teamed up with the City of South Bend, the South Bend Civic Theatre, and the Weed and Seed Alliance to lead children in the creation of a backdrop to complement South Bend Civic Theatre’s production of “Honk!” (a modern adaptation of Andersen’s “Ugly Duckling” story).
Through teamwork, story telling, and the creation of personal drawings, the children, as young as seven and as old as thirteen, developed interesting works of art based on what they took away from “The Ugly Duckling” story: accept people for who they are.
SEE MORE pictures from this project and LEARN MORE about it here.
Getting “Ugly” part 2
From ugly eggs hatching beautiful flowers to a black and grey plaid duckling to an egg literally hatching “love,” it seems as though every child who participated in the SBMA’s “Weed-N-Seed” project was able to relate to the message of “The Ugly Duckling”. And though their artwork revealed mixed visual images, in the end, their messages were clear: accept people for who they are, which was actually the title of one child’s artwork.
The fruits of their efforts came to life on Friday May 6th as the finished 16’ x 7’ backdrop was revealed at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church for performance night. A colorful and childlike creation, the backdrop exists as a combination of everyone’s artwork. It features an “ugly” duckling swimming under a bright yellow sun with the message “accept people for who they are” floating in the clouds. Each child has a bit of him or herself in this artwork, whether it is in the painting, the drawing, or their actual signature as a stamped handprint. In the end, everyone, including the parents, were all smiles, because let’s face it – it just feels good to be a part of something.
SBMA Opens Ian Weaver Exhibit
SBMA Opens Ian Weaver Exhibit
Once upon a time, there was a neighborhood called Near West Side of Chicago. It was a land rich in cultures where immigrants of many races and colors lived, worked, and played. It was a community, where families took root and passed on traditions while learning about and even absorbing those of their neighbors. And then, the wicked bulldozers in their steeled armor arrived, and the houses and neighborhood of the Near West Side were destroyed.
Such an account of Chicago’s Near West Side may sound too much like a fable or fairy tale to many, but for Ian Weaver, depicting the history of this lost community is as much mythology, folklore, and fiction as it is representing facts. His exhibit, Ian Weaver: An Incomplete History (2004-2011), now on display at the South Bend Museum of Art, features works of art that reconstruct the story of the Near West Side neighborhood. Using the testimony and family documents he collected from his mother, Weaver found himself an artist, taking on the role of archivist. What emerged was a fictional history museum, showcasing handmade maps, documents, sculptures and textiles, whereby Weaver portrays and commemorates the life of this extinct Chicago community.
“My work is informed by the concepts of history, memory, and mythology…conceptually it is located in the territory of the constructed narrative,” Weaver says of his project. “I was empowered to re-imagine this lost history, rather than simply to record it.”
The Ian Weaver exhibit will be on display at SBMA from June 18-September 4, 2011.
Meet Our SBMA Staff Instructor of the Month!
Birgit Scott
By: Jennifer Talvensaari
If I walked into your Art classroom, what should I expect to see?
We are fortunate to be able to hold our classes in the library where we sit in comfortable chairs around a large table. I bring the latest knitting magazines and a variety of knitting books to class besides yarns to use for practice and a supply of needles. I usually have knitted samples on hand to inspire students and I generally wear something I have designed and knitted myself.
Tell us about your teaching experiences.
I am a foreign language teacher by profession- all levels from grade school through college and adult education. After I retired, I was thrilled to be able to teach my passion: knitting. I have given workshops at numerous knitting shops in several states, and have taught knitting classes at SBMA for about 10 years.
Art and Green Living Made Fun
Creating art with young children sometimes ends so quickly, we wonder if it’s worth all the effort. We set up the project, build the enthusiasm, navigate through the chaos, and then, suddenly, it’s all over. The child is happy, but we are left confused and wondering, “Was it worth it?”
Of course it is. But don’t allow yourself to forget that creating art with your child is about her, not you. Outcomes aren’t nearly as important as what the child gains from the experience—and that can happen in an instant. Art is process. Art happens when we provide the environment for our child to wonder, to explore, and when we give them the time to problem solve.
Green living is a popular topic right now, and as I was thinking about that and the arts and trying to avoid the obvious recycling projects, the infamous “Ch-ch-ch-chia!” TV commercials popped in my mind.
What’s Fun, Creative and Green All Over?
The kids still may rush through the applying of color or building part of this project, but after the project is done and the paint put away, you’ll still have many fun days of anticipation together. Happy Creating!
What you need:
• Wheat berry seeds
• Spoon for dirt or digging
• Container: Potato, Garden Pot, or Old shoe
• Paint or markers to decorate container
• Googly eyes or cloves for eyes
• Tooth picks for potato legs
Instructions:
• Purchase seeds from health food store and soak overnight.
• Add more water to seeds and cover with newspaper, visit http://www.sproutpeople.org for more growing tricks.
• Select container: Potato, Garden Pot or Old Shoe.
• For potato, use spoon to dig out meat of potato to make room for grass to grow and decorate a face and legs using cloves, toothpicks and /or pipe cleaners.
• For garden pot, decorate with a fun face or colors that will help emphasize the green grass as it grows.
• For old shoe, clean and prepare for decoration. Place small plastic container in the heel for soil.
• Once seeds have sprouted, and container is decorated, add soil and sprouted seeds.
• Watch your homemade Chia pet grow within days!
Tips:
Be sure to soak and prep your seeds for the best growing. Also talk about color and color mixing if you chose the garden pot. Have fun with this project and enjoy the many phases as you watch your art grow. For more activities and art resources visit southbendart.org and become a subscriber to our Learn More Blog.
Fiona Found Her Passion – Find Yours Too!
Eight-year-old Fiona Hutchens found her passion at the South Bend Museum of Art.
“Mommy, I just love this!” Fiona’s mother, Erica Fischbach, recalls her saying after coming home from her first pottery class at SBMA. “I want to do this all year next year!”
That’s why Erica was so happy to see the catalog of South Bend Museum of Art Summer Class offerings arrive in her mailbox, and to show Fiona that it is once again time to register for summer camps and classes. “She couldn’t wait until summer,” Erica remembers. It was her opportunity to feed her craving for the hands-on art making she has come to love.
Upon surveying this year’s options, Fiona decided to not only continue with pottery in “Youth Clay – Wheel and Handbuilding” with veteran SBMA instructor, Kari Black, but to try the “International Puppets and Fairy Tales” class too. In this new class offering, students will learn about and create art and puppets from various cultures and fairy tales around the globe.
There’s still time to register for these and other youth summer classes at SBMA. To learn more about our summer offerings, click here: SBMA Summer Youth
SBMA’s Friday Forecast: Artistic with a Chance for Rain Barrels
April showers have brought us May…barrels! Rain barrels, that is, made possible through the Indiana University at South Bend’s Center for a Sustainable Future and hand painted by a dozen different local artists and art groups. These unique works of green art are not only perfectly practical, economical, and good for the environment, they’re just plain fun to look at. They’re even better to own.
That’s why we welcome all visitors to our First Friday event, tonight – May 6 – our Rain Barrel Auction at 7 p.m. Guests are invited to bid on these one-of-a-kind containers and to enter a drawing for a free, unpainted rain barrel. The evening will also feature a brief lesson on how collecting rain water benefits the budget and beautifies the garden.
For more information about the IUSB Center for a Sustainable Future, go to <http://iusb.edu/~csfuture>
The Art of Play
By: Sandra ChappellNew Art Lesson from Cheryl Ricks!
Dry Erase Board Fun!
by: Cheryl Ricks
Don’t be afraid of giving your child a dry erase board! There are washable dry erase markers and crayons available!
Kids will love to create pictures, play tic-tac-toe. Older kids can play hang man! My 3 year old loves to sit at the table and draw pictures (the attached picture is a picture of his “Frosty the Snowman” drawing).
Teacher Night at the Snite!
Teacher Night @ the Snite
by: Sarah Martin
Head to the Snite Museum of Art after school to relax, rejuvenate, and reconnect with colleagues, art, and your creativity! The first Teacher Night @ the Snite is this Thursday, April 14 from4-6pm.
Meet an SBMA Art Instructor!
Featured this Month: Gundega Penikis
By: Jennifer Talvensaari
Gundega is a true gem.
One of the nicest and most genuine people I have ever had the opportunity to talk to and interact with. Gundega is a ceramics instructor here at SBMA and she LOVES her job, as you will find out!
If I walked into your art classroom, what should I expect to see?
Well…Ceramics! It is a very big room; lots of space. There are many large tables for my students to spread out and work on as well as numerous potter’s wheels. It’s a beautiful and well-equipped studio space.
Learn more HERE…..
Meet David Lester Learn!
This weeks featured post is a question and answer segment with SBMA’s very own art instructor David Lester Learn. Trust us…you want to check this out!
Check out the interview here under the “For Artists & Students” page!
Check out Amy Keenan Amago’s New Art Lesson!
Be sure to check out Amy’s new lesson for art teachers titled Ex-Techy, Insecty, ReCreatures. It’s a great way to integrate science and art and it makes wonderful use of old machine parts, deconstructed electronics, and other found objects.
Check it out here!
Student Artist of the Month
Oscar Joyo
Senior @ Clay High School
By Jennifer Talvensaari
Congratulations to Oscar Joyo! He is our first STUDENT ARTIST OF THE MONTH for the South Bend Museum of Art. He will receive a gift certificate to attend any of the SBMA’s studio art classes valued at $150. It’s wonderful to see quality talent in our youth. Keep up the Oscar!
Click RIGHT-CLICK HERE to fill out a nomination form for your student! Learn More…
Found Object Art
Creative Reuse Art Making
by Amy Keenan Amago
The United States produces more trash than any other country in the world. The average citizen produces 4.4 pounds of solid waste each day, which adds up to almost a ton of trash per person, per year. While these statistics are staggering, there has been a growing movement to stop this disturbing trend by finding new uses for the plentiful trash our country produces. Creative reuse or “upcycling”– the act of taking objects that would otherwise be discarded or recycled and transforming them into artful, decorative or utilitarian items – has gained popularity among artists and educators in recent years as budgets tighten and concerns for the environment mount. As an artist and art teacher, I have found great value in working with recycled or rescued items both in the classroom and in my studio. Working with non-traditional art materials poses unique creative challenges and thrills, as it stimulates my intellect in a way no other art medium can. I find the rationale compelling for working with theses Learn More…
Museum Morning Feature!
by Candie Waterloo
The Museum Morning program at the South Bend Museum of Art is one of the Education Departments longest-running outreach programs for our local schools. Nearly 200 South Bend Community School Corporation fifth graders come to SBMA for Museum Morning each week from February until May, to both tour our galleries and create art in our studios. Learn More…
Learn More!
Welcome to the first official posting of the SBMA Education blog! We hope that you will consider today’s visit to our learnmoresbma blog the beginning of a long, enlightening friendship, as we set out on our mission to bring you a steady stream of inspiring and useful art-related resources!
So, happy exploring to you as you become acquainted with this space today, and do not forget to subscribe! We know you’ll love the chance to check in often and learn more about:
• Current art events at SBMA, in South Bend, and in the Michiana region
• Fresh and proven links and suggestions on teaching, integrating or creating art with your students in the classroom and/or your children at home
• How to nurture or unleash your inner artist
• The local artists in our community; how and what they create and where to find their work
• The young artists in our local schools (grades 7-12), featured once a month. Teachers! – Download a nomination form here!:
• Whatever art-related topic you want to discuss! Use our blog to pose a question or start a forum for discussion with others!
South Bend Museum of Art Education Blog 
