MiniMasters

by Gina Thomas McGee, Associate Educator

Aside from working on programs, tours, films, concerts and lectures at the museum, the education department has been spending some time off-site bringing the museum experience to local preschool classrooms through our MiniMasters preschool art education program. The MiniMasters program, funded by PNC Bank’s Grow Up Great initiative, allows our staff to spend time in Summit County Head Start classrooms, teaching three to five year old students about our collection.

The last year of the MiniMasters program has taught us a lot. Who was it that said “We know nothing about children”? Whoever it was knew what he/she was talking about. We have been surprised and amazed nearly every day of this project. What I’ve learned personally is that I think children are the best people in the world. They may also be the smartest.

With that in mind, we decided to take a chance this July and work on an open-ended project with our summer class. If children are the smartest people around, why not let them lead their learning and see what happens?

We began with a loose idea. As the students would not be visiting the museum during our project, we wanted them to get to know the building through photos and then design an installation artwork for the lobby.

After a week of drawing, sharing ideas and creating prototypes, here is what the two separate groups came up with:This set of drawings was completed by a group of students who thought our elevator shaft looked like a tower (maybe even Rapunzel’s tower). The height of the tower inspired them to create a “tall” artwork for the lobby and hang it from the bridge.  We gave each student in the group a roll of register tape and they drew as much and as long as they liked before finishing the pieces with embellishments like colored tape and tissue paper. Their work was successful in drawing the viewer’s eye up to take in the height of the elevator shaft and the ceiling of the lobby in general.

Meanwhile, the other group tackled the space between the columns that support our video box. They thought this part of the lobby needed “color, light and beautifulness”. The group designed prototypes first on paper and then on clear plastic sheeting once they decided they didn’t want to block light from passing through the space. Finally, they combined their ideas to create this mural. The final touch was the addition of battery powered twinkling lights. Their piece really activated this space and provoked viewers to pay attention to an otherwise overlooked area.

So, have we created a new generation of installation artists? Only time will tell. Until then, they have certainly reminded us that children have incredible ideas if you just take the time to listen.

To read more about the MiniMasters check out their blog at http://minimasteraam.blogspot.com/

Inspiration from an Akron Art Museum Visit

By Bridgette Beard, Communications Assistant

Two covered light posts at Old Trail School.

Earlier this year the Art & Nature elective class from Old Trail School visited us after learning about Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s use of fabric, cloth and textile. The students were able to view Christo’s Wrapped Walk Ways (Project For J.L. Loose Park, Kansas City, Missouri), 1978,in the Art Inspection room because it is not currently on view at the Akron Art Museum.

Inspired by this work they returned back to school to plan “Covered Light Posts,” an environmental installation. This dedicated class presented the proposal to the school board, purchased red and purple fabric and created and installed the fabric tubes. Students from the quilting elective helped sew the fabric tubes and students in the iLife elective recorded and put together the video of the project. Check out the video to see the entire process from visiting the Akron Art Museum to final installation.

Several Akron Art Museum staff members were able to attend an opening reception on Thursday, May 19 and see the amazing work done by these young artists. It was a great chance to see work done that is so directly inspired by the Akron Art Museum.

Have you been inspired by a visit to the Akron Art Museum? Comment below for your chance to show us your Akron Art Museum inspired artwork.

A student installing the fabric.

Students viewing Christo's artwork at the Akron Art Museum.

MiniMasters Family Day

By Maria Iafelice, Education Assistant

MiniMasters is an educational outreach program, bringing a little bit of the museum to Akron Summit Community Action Inc. Head Start preschool classrooms.  After learning about the lines, shapes and colors in William Sommer’s watercolor portraits and creating works of their own, the preschool artists and their families were invited to a day at the museum.  During the MiniMasters Family Day, families made paintings together, viewed their artworks on display and helped a percussion group from the University of Akron drum up some noise! Special thanks to the Tuesday Musical Association for organizing the fun and interactive percussion group.

We are looking forward to our next Sunday Sampler on January 2nd, 2011!

Island of Misfit Toys

By Gina Thomas McGee, Associate Educator

This year’s Island of Misfit Toys workshop was a blast! We had a sold-out crowd of over 250 people who came ready to build misfit masterpieces. Families hammered, smashed and hot glued to their hearts content, transforming toys into spectacular sculptures (with the help of some googly eyes). We saw a tennis ball Spongebob Squarepants, basketball hoop train station and many wild animal creations. In addition to being creative, attendees were incredibly generous as they each came with a new toy to donate to Toys for Tots. Thanks to everyone who attended. We hope you can join us again next year. In the meantime, don’t throw away any old or broken toys- we’ve already started collecting for next year!