3 Ways of Community Outreach at the VisArts

I have been having the most inspiring, touching and fun time of my teaching career this last few months thanks to the amazing outreach programs at the VisArts Center in RVA...

From senior citizens, to adults, to school kids and just about everyone in between, it has been a delight and privilege to work with such amazing people that I would not normally have come into contact with otherwise.  

Here are a few of them...

CBIS Adult Drawing and Painting

  I just started teaching a 6 week introduction of basic drawing and painting to a great group of adults through the Community Brain Injury Services component of the Miller School, thanks to support from the Sharon Siegel Visual Arts Program.

What a charming, funny, creative group of people!  My only problem is our class time is waaaaay too short.  I would love to hang with these people all day if possible.  

Exploring line, color and composition 

Engage

 No photos unfortunately, but I am getting to work with school age kids from Binford Middle and other area public and private schools as they come into the center to learn about our current exhibit, Kiyomi Iwata: From Volume to Line. 

 An intensely cool field trip...

First students watch a brief video in which the artist demonstrates techniques and discusses motivations.  Then the kids go into the studio to see the actual work and finally come to me to make a project loosely based on what they have seen while putting their own unique spin on it.  

What an amazing way for students to explore an artist and their work! 

Studio S

 This is a real gem of a program.  

Touring the Exhibit Area

I have been able to work with some fantastic seniors who often tell me that they have no art talent and then proceed to turn out the most poignant and beautiful work ever.

Creating "furoshiki" , a traditional Japanese wrapping carrying cloth

Just like Engage, it is based off of the current exhibit.  This particular activity involves some writing and many seniors made loving tributes to their loved ones who are now gone.  

Thinking of her husband

You know, it is kind of hard for me to wrap up a lesson when I am misting up.

 But it is funny how much lighter they all seemed... I find that art has a way of doing that.

Want to know more or just sign up a group that you work with?  Please message me and I would love to talk your ear off about it or just help you set up your own tour and studio time.

A BIG thank you so much to Caroline Wright, Jordan Roeder and Nicki Stein of the Visual Arts Center in Richmond, Virginia for creating these programs letting me work with such great groups!