Red Bull: The Art of the Can

Last night we went to the Galleria in Dallas, Texas, for a reception for Red Bull's Art of the Can, curated by our good friend Myra Walker. The exhibition features more than 50 pieces including a life size racing airplane, an old world style painting, a baby bull, a ball gown, armadillos, and much more. The exhibition is free and open to the public from July 31 until August 22 at Galleria Dallas.

The Red Bull competition challenges artists to construct pieces created with or inspired by the iconic Red Bull cans. This is one of my favorites. It's based on Japanese vinyl toys.

New SchoolArts Available

The Aug/Sept. issue of SchoolArts is now available online. Sarah Brooks' student appears on the cover for her article, The Wish Tree Project. 


The theme of this issue is Compassion. I continue to be amazed and thankful that just about everyone seems to intuitively understand and accept that art can best express concerns for other people. And lest you think one person cannot make a difference, take note of all the projects detailed in this issue that are the result of one or two people beginning with just an idea and determination. You and your students can make a difference!


With this issue, we are delighted to introduce a number of new features, especially an innovative approach to our pull-out resource, Looking and Learning. Looking and Learning now feature multiple images by a variety of artists and explores "big" or "enduring ideas" expressed through contemporary art and art from other times and places. The feature is being written by Marilyn Stewart's able team of graduate students at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.


We also welcome new columns by contributing editors Theresa McGee (Tech4ArtEd), Martin Rayala (Design Thinking), and Pam Stephens (Art Teacher's Round Table). Welcome back to school!

SchoolArts' Venice Trip Summer 2011

Just a reminder, we still have spaces available on the SchoolArts' Venice trip for July 2011. Pam Stephens and I will be your hosts for a wonderful city stay that begins June 18, 2011. Several years ago we took a group to Venice, Florence, and Rome, but we only had two days in Venice. We knew we would have to go back and also visit Murano and Burano, nearby islands reachable by water taxi. (Maybe this time I won't fall asleep on the gondola!)

The trip is not limited to art teachers; anyone can come. You can look at the itinerary and trip details and then let us know if you have any questions. You can also join us on Facebook at Venice, 2011. The trip will be announced in the Aug/Sept issue of SchoolArts, so you are getting advance notice. A $300.00 deposit will hold your place.

Updates on Summer 2011

The day after we returned from Santa Fe, we found out that Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe is going to close at the end of the year (not making enough money, apparently). I'm just beginning to recover from the shock and disappointment as our two offerings this summer were so successful and enjoyable. We had wonderful participants and fantastic experiences for both of our offerings. We had even planned to add a third offering next year, Hispanic Art and Culture.

Since I learned this news, I have been exploring options for next summer. We're looking at another venue in Santa Fe for Folk Art Traditions and hope we can move Pueblo Art and Culture to Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu. Stay tuned for further developments in New Mexico.

SchoolArts' Venice trip for Summer 2011 is still available and will be featured in the Aug/Sept magazine. You can find out more details about it on Facebook (Venice, 2011) or email me directly. Happy travels!

Making Milagros in Santa Fe

One of the hands-on activities in our first SchoolArts Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe workshop of the summer, Folk Art Traditions and Beyond, was making milagros. Milagros ("miracles" in Spanish) are small votive objects traditionally used in many countries in Latin America to describe small metal images of eyes, hands, legs, praying figures or other objects of symbolic meaning. Made of silver, tin, or mixed cast metal, milagros function as votive offerings through which the prayerful may offer petitions or thanks.

I first learned of these many years ago through the wall of milagros from all over the world at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe. In storage for some time, they have been returned to exhibition where they are now the first display one sees on entering the museum.

We used precut squares of aluminum tooling (sold in art supply catalogs) and different kinds of tools to create textures. Color could be added with permanent markers if desired. You can download my clay or metal milagros lesson plan and a PowerPoint presentation to use with your students. I have used this lesson with students as young as third grade.

More Scenes from Firing at San Ildefonso Pueblo

More scenes from our Pueblo Art and Culture firing at San Ildefonso Pueblo: stacking pots, surrounding them with metal trays and dried cow patties, looking for the fired pots in the hot ashes.

Peruvian Artwork at the International Folk Art Market

One of my participants in SchoolArts Magazine's Pueblo Art and Culture at Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe arrived early to attend the International Folk Art Market and found me looking at these owls made from gourds in Peru. We were amazed to discover that one woman created all of the decorated gourds there. We were most impressed with the ones that had additions of details in silver, as in this owl. Tom surprised me at the end of our second workshop with the very same owl I had photographed. Thanks, Tom!


From the Folk Art Market website:
The artist is Bertha Medina, from Cochas Chico Huancayo, a small village high in the Andes of Peru. Bertha learned the art of gourd carving at the age of five from her father, Evaristo Medina, who is also world-famous for his work. Gourd carving goes back generations in the Medina family. Each gourd is unique and tells a story of daily life in the Peruvian Andes. The gourds she carves are grown only on the coast of Peru, and she travels there to find the right gourd for each creation. Once collected, the gourds are painstakingly hand-carved using a variety of knives, awls, and other tools. Details are then hand-painted onto the gourd, or other shading effects are created using burning cords or small twigs to mark the gourd’s surface. 

Firing at San Ildefonso Pueblo

Today Pueblo Art and Culture traveled to San Ildefonso Pueblo, home of famed potter Maria Martinez, to fire our pots with Kathy Sanchez' family. Kathy guided us through the amazingly short process of firing the pots, stacking the pots, surrounding them with cow patties, and smothering them with horse manure, in the space of five hours. Everyone's pot survived!

In the evening, we all met for a final group meeting to share our thoughts and reflections on the week. We were honored that Kathy Sanchez' family attended, and shared their reflections as well. Near the end of our get-together, it started to rain heavily (always a good thing in New Mexico) and then a double rainbow came out. What better blessing could we ask for than that?

Progress on Pottery

Today our participants (Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe Pueblo Art and Culture) sanded and wet-wiped their clay pieces to prepare them for adding slip and polishing them tomorrow. First, though, we all travel north to the 38th Annual Northern Pueblos Arts & Crafts Show to see the best of the best.

We'll also travel to the Poeh Museum and Roxanne Swentzell's Tower Gallery on the way back to Ghost Ranch.

Making Clay Pots

Today at Pueblo Art and Culture, San Ildefonso potter Evelyn Sanchez and members of her family guided our participants through making small pots with clay she had previously prepared from her pueblo. She pointed out that all the materials and tools they use come from Mother Earth - no need to run to Walmart! She brought sieved clay, river silt, volcanic ash, tools made from dried gourds, yucca, and rubbing stones.

Pueblo Art and Culture

Today our Pueblo Art and Culture group went to the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe to tour the collection, especially the exhibition on Huichol beading and yarn painting.

We were given an introduction to the museum by Joyce Begay-Foss, the Director of Education at the Museum. She spoke about the difficulties of honoring different tribes' or pueblos' beliefs concerning what could and what should not be on display in the museum.

She said that most native peoples have no word for art.  For most native peoples, there is no separation between art, religion, and life. I was reminded of this when I came across the following wall text:

"In my culture we are all artists. Just as we breathe, so must we make art."
Michael Lacapa (Apache-Hopi-Tewa)

This afternoon, we are going to make pots with native clay with Kathy and Evelyn Sanchez, potters from San Ildefonso Pueblo who are descendants of the legendary Maria Martinez. This weekend we will go to the Pueblo to fire them in the traditional way.

St. Bonaventure Feast Day at Cochiti Pueblo

Pueblo Art and Culture at Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe started tonight. Half of our participants are alumni from last year - nice to see everyone again!

Tomorrow we are going to Cochiti Pueblo for the St. Bonaventure Feast Day. Cochiti is the pueblo where the tradition of the storyteller figure was popularized by Helen Cordero.

Arnold Herrera, an artist and Cochiti member, spoke tonight to our group to provide background for tomorrow. He included Cochiti rules about which we must comply.

The following is from the Cochiti Pueblo website:

As a pueblo people, respect for others and oneself is primary to maintain balance in life.  The Pueblo de Cochiti requests that respect be given for privacy of its members, for the rules and regulations for visiting the Pueblo, and for Tribal Officials by all visitors to the Pueblo.  In turn, the Pueblo offers a wide variety of experiences to visitors including recreation areas, pueblo dances, access to pueblo artists, and many more.  

Visitor Rules and Regulations:

1. Sketching, recording, picture taking, and any other means of audio or visual reproduction is prohibited within the Pueblo.  The Pueblo de Cochiti belief is that when an experience is unforgettable, that the experience is maintained in ones heart and mind, and cannot be reproduced unless experienced first-hand.  This gives the opportunity to re-visit the Pueblo de Cochiti and bring friends and family to share those experiences.
2. Please refrain from entering ceremonial buildings or other structures and areas without permission.  Most ceremonial structures, and restricted areas are clearly marked with signs within the Pueblo.  If a visitor is unsure whether they should enter a structure or area, they should obtain permission from a pueblo member before entering.
3. Please refrain from littering on the Reservation.  The Pueblo has recently instituted a fine schedule for littering.  These fines are strictly enforced.
4. Observe all traffic rules. 
5. Respect the Pueblo, its Laws and its People.  Tribal Officials police the area throughout the day and night; please show these officials respect by obeying our laws, and their judgments.
6. THE USE OF CELLULAR PHONES IN THE PUEBLO AREA IS PROHIBITED.

Much like the photography restrictions at Georgia O'Keeffe's house in Abiquiu, we will be forced to pay close attention.

International Folk Art Market Sales over $2 Million

The Folk Art Market announced today that sales for the market this past weekend were over $2 million. The artists take home 90% of that, with the remainder used for producing the festival. Estimated attendance is 24,000. Think what a difference the market has made in lives around the world since the 7 years it has been in existence!

Personal Shrines from Folk Art Traditions

Last night our Folk Art Traditions and Beyond participants completed their personal shrines and then shared their meanings with the group at our final meeting (with wine and chocolate pie). Camilla Trujillo brought back the clay adobe pieces everyone made so participants were able to take them home more safely.

It was very difficult to say goodbye to everyone this morning. Hope they will all come back next year when we might possibly offer three weeks of seminars.

These examples are by Julie and Marsha.

Ghost Ranch and Georgia O'Keeffe

Thursday and Friday, our SchoolArts Folk Art Traditions and Beyond seminar traveled north to Abiquiu, New Mexico to visit two "shrines" to Georgia O'Keeffe. The first stop was Georgia's house in Abiquiu. Tours of her house are available to only 12 people at a time and no cameras, purses, bags, or any art materials are allowed on the tour.

Though this may be aggravating to some, not having a camera really forces you to pay close attention. You view the inside of the house in some rooms through huge windows; other rooms you walk through. The house is still furnished and it looks like Georgia could walk through the door at any minute (and ask you what you were doing there!).

After that, we traveled further up the road to Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu. Once a dude ranch, it is now a conference and retreat center set in the middle of some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Georgia bought her first house on the edge of the property. Though this house is not open to the public, there is a landscape tour you can take that shows the actual locations of where she painted (and you can see the house from the road).

Folk Art Traditions and Beyond, Part 2

Last night artist Marion Martinez led our second hands-on session at Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe. Marion is known for her circuit board art which she makes from recycled parts of computers, phones, and other technological objects (only the safe parts), but using traditional Hispanic imagery. She brought all kinds of materials (many from Los Alamos laboratories) from which our participants could chose to make their own creations. Here you see one of the fantastic results (and her helper and nephew John). This is the third time Marion has presented at our Folk Art seminar and we are always delighted to work with her again.

Folk Art Traditions and Beyond

Here at the SchoolArts seminar, Folk Art Traditions and Beyond, at Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe, our first hands-on activity was working with clay with New Mexico artist Camilla Trujillo. As participants made adobe walls with micaecous clay, she wove in the history and culture of Northern New Mexico and adobe architecture.

Empowering Women: Artisan Cooperatives That Transform Communities

We spent the afternoon at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe for the opening of the museum's "Gallery of Conscience," a new space dedicated to exploring contemporary issues dealing with folk art production and consumption in the 21st century. The exhibit, Empowering Women, featured ten women's cooperatives that have been chosen to sell their work at the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market for 2010. Through these cooperatives and through the Folk Art Market, female artisans have been able to find a market, raise living standards, and transform the lives of their children, families, and communities.

Most of the cooperatives featured in the exhibit had one or more representative women present and they all spoke in turn on a panel in the atrium of the museum. Each told stories of how the Market has changed their lives. For many it was their first visit to the United States and perhaps their first trip outside their villages.

One of the stories was about women in Nepal who traditionally paint designs on the walls of their houses for special occasions. Claire Burkert, a woman from New England, saw these paintings and suggested that the women paint their designs on sheets of handmade paper, rather than on walls, so the work could be sold. Today more than 40 women of all ages and castes travel daily to a center where they work and eat together. Their paintings on paper are sold around the world and they have been given commissions to paint murals on public buildings and businesses.

The images shown here are from one of artworks from Nepal that is in the exhibit. All will be on view during the Folk Art Market this coming weekend. It is a great opportunity to meet all these artists and see amazing folk art from around the world. More than 120 artists from over 45 countries will be there. I can't wait!