Week 7

By 1 pm today, The Art Experience was a buzz of excitement.

This week, being Spring Break for Pontiac Public Schools, 14 students appeared for Open Studio. Their mothers brought them so that they may have them experience art and challenge their creative mobility.

All of the students were very positive and excited about being there. A couple of them came to The Art Experience the Friday before and already knew what they wanted to create. They grabbed old records and started painting decorative designs. The others, fumbling about at first, soon started painting and experimenting. They rummaged through bins of items and were searching not only for inspiration but also for materials that you could not find at home.

From paint, to paper, to glitter, to ribbon, to beads, markers, and the list continues. Each one created a different projects and explored endless possibilities.  Many started out with paintings and soon developed complex abstract works of art.  They communicated amongst each other and found ways to challenge their creative thinking process.

As the day continued forth, they talked amongst themselves with exuberating demeanor, they started to share what they were creating and why. Over hearing a conversation, one of the girls stated, “I could come hear everyday.”

Soon, it was not just the children that were excited about making projects but the mothers as well. They started to join in the creating process and started looking for materials for themselves as well as their children. They encouraged and brought forth inquisitive thoughts on what could be produced.  

Soon, one of the mothers started asking about hosting a birthday party at The Art Experience while another started communicating how she would love to bring her daughters Girl Scout troop here.

This week I was able to notice a different atmosphere. Individuals were coming here to explore and try something they have not tried before. They had the opportunity to discover and be apart of a group dynamic and work together to discuss problems and ideas. They gathered their strengths and fashioned ways that geared them to think and express creatively. All and all, they were able to come to a secure environment that allows art activities for children and students to occur. 

Week 6

It was a very quiet day for the Open Studio at the Art Experience. At first, the only artist who seemed to show up for the day was Renard. He quietly set up his spot and started to work diligently on his art.

But, later, at about 1, the atmosphere slowly started to change. Other individuals starting appearing the center and the studio because a slight hum as people started to work on their projects. Soon Beethoven was being heard in the background and slight chatter started to arouse as people began talking with one another and sharing their creations.

I also had the opportunity to experience sending out PR materials for future workshops. These workshops enable participants to gain an experience through art and creativity. They allow for beginners and experience alike to come and learn new techniques and meet new people.

The activities focus on creating an environment where opportunities of developing critical thinking and problem solving. It also creates a sense of craftsmanship while allowing the individual to think creatively. Lastly, these workshops allow for team-building skills and respecting and appreciating other individuals and their viewpoints.

Participating in art related activities is important because it produces a dynamic environment where people have the ability to imagine what might be and then expressing this through images.

Image making allows people to talk when they do have the ability to express what they want/cannot through words. It envelops ease in explaining their emotions through a creative process.

I find this important due to the fact that it motivates a positive energy that engages individuals in learning and stimulating memory that facilitates and understanding though communication that helps create new and future relationships. 

Community Art Lab

Upon leaving the Art Experience at 8 today, one would not notice that 17 kids varing from the ages of 6 to 17 were there.

Today, the Art Experience teamed up with Yapo Center to provide youth with the opportunity to experience the making art. This adventure continues as 4 week Community Art Lab. The youth will have the opportunity each week to create something new. This first week enabled students to choose the medium they wanted and create their own art piece. The children had the ability to choose from watercolor paints, markers, pencils, oil pastels, and even had the ability to create ink splots.

The following weeks will allow them to create an oversized jigsaw puzzle, pinhole camera, and a more detailed painting.

The Yapo Center provides the community with an outreach to learn about today’s technology and gain an understanding of computers. This program reaches out to children, teens, adults, and senior citizens. It provides a learning center while at the same time allowing them to explore the many uses of technology.

Judy Wilson (Director of the Art Experience) worked with Lauretta Christie and Yohannes Bolds to provide an art experience for the youth. The goal was to create a community where the youth is able to learn from the studio. This experience allows them to learn about art materials while providing the opportunity to think about issues creatively. Additionally, the Art Lab provides a learning experience for those you are helping with the activity. The idea is for all the participates to learn from each other. Communicating does this and allows for expressing ones own ideas. The arts demonstrate a way of further developing the spark of passion and curiosity, which persists the freedom to pursue and challenge ideas. It creates a realization that the process of learning can be inspired by creative experiences. With this in thought, people have the opportunity to think creatively about ideas that tend to produce a reaction of trying endless results.

It is essential for people to understand that the arts are still needed in the school curriculum. Many people view the arts as craft based and something beautiful that is hung on a wall. But what people are missing out on is the fact that the arts allow for people to solve problems and think about solutions in a creative way. The arts provide a new way of thinking and verbalizing. It permits the thought to be seen by images.

Reflecting on this event, I can truly say that I gained an experience that I will remember. The youth that participated had an amazing time. Each one had the opportunity to create multiple pieces that reflected their identity. Freedom was encouraged.

The room was filled with laughter and people talking with one another. The energy was high and everyone was painting and drawing and allowing the ideas to come up right after another. People were not afraid and were willing to try anything.

They were encouraged to create new and innovative works. A side projected was created where they had the opportunity to come and make works based on ink drips. They were to create them abstractly and then look at the image see what it could be. Then they were asked to create the rest of the image through a different techniques and drawing.  They would constantly come up and share their images and were always proud of what they produced.

A couple of the girls that participated voiced their opinion on how they wished that their school still had art. They explained that their elementary school was no longer able to offer art. Each one loved going to school and knowing that they had the opportunity to create art projects because they could not do this at home. Going to art class permitted them to be an artist. It created n environment where creativity was allowed. During these times, they explained that they were allowed to play with materials and create projects that were full of color. They liked knowing they could be an artist and were happy once again to come to do this by coming to the Art Experience

This workshop’s purpose was to provide awareness to community arts studio. It is to offer meaning and connection while sharing a welcoming environment where others have the opportunity to experience programs that allow for participation and communication. In the end, it did just that. The children cam and provided me with the knowledge that the freedom to create is not given to everyone and those that do have that opportunity should cherish it because you never know how long that can last. And when it returns, one should create the art and share it with full intentions.  

Quote of the Day

Quote of the day

Week 5

Today at the Art Experience has become a better opportunity. As time continues to go by the people that come in each week talk more with me about their own artistic practices.

Today, I had the opportunity to talk with James. He is a local resident of the Pontiac area. He comes in weekly. He writes poetry as well as his own music. Today, he shared with us one of the songs that he wrote and played the piece on a guitar. His voice sounded through the entire building as he strummed along.

Katie and Renard also came today. Renard  continued to work on his paintings while Katie worked on multiple projects.  Additionally, a mother and her two children appeared in the studio today.  New to the environment, the mother brought her children to try something new and artistic.

Yet, even though I had the opportunity to talk with the artists today, I spent most of time working on a project for the organization. I was asked to research some possible grant ideas and opportunities.

The will provide after-school art classes to the area to ameliorate the effect of recent budget cuts which caused the district to cut their art programs. By providing this to students, they will be provided with a positive learning environment where they will have the opportunity to express themselves while exploring the arts.

Two organizations that have approached the Art Experience are the Children’s Village, Grace Centers of Hope, and one of the elementary schools.  The idea is to reach out and provide after school activities.

Art projects for the Children’s Village would be geared more towards teenagers. This organization helps to provide the “best possible services within existing resources to children and youth who come under the jurisdiction of the court and are deemed to be temporarily in need of out-of-home care, custody and treatment, delivered in a caring, safe and therapeutic setting, which also serves to protect the public.” (from website https://www.oakgov.com/village/Pages/about/about.aspx)

For Grace Centers of Hope, the Art Experience would be working with their Children’s Program. Here, they offer a preschool program where they offer a safe and nurturing educational environment. 

(http://www.gracecentersofhope.org/ChildrensProgram.aspx)

The Art Experience would focus to create a learning environment through art related activities that would demonstrate the possibility of learning how to communicate while striving to provide creativity, personal growth, and self awareness by expressing ones’ own emotions.

One thing that I have come to notice is that the artist that come to participate in the open studio are very relaxed and feel welcomed to use the materials. The atmosphere is very relaxed. Everyone has the opportunity to work on his or her own. Yet, what has become important is to provide a positive learning environment where people can be provided with growth. 

Quote of the Day

Week 4

For the past couple weeks while attending the open studio time at The Art Experience, I have had the opportunity to see how people have the chance to be a part of an art community. Open studio allows for people of all different backgrounds to come and explore different areas of art. People come to talk about what they want to create, how they should create the piece, and to talk among each other. The studio time provides people with the opportunity to explore, yet, meet new people.

While starting to participate in the open studios, I have come to meet two of the artists that regularly attend, Katie and Renard. Both these artists create some of the most fascinating artwork.

Renard is the Artist in resident at the Art Experience and comes everyday to produce work. He creates work that is more abstract based. He uses a technique where he creates the piece while using oil pastel to draw then creates a color contrast with watercolor. Renard is an artist that has autism; yet, he uses his artistic ability to share his interests. Creating art allows him to interact with others while providing him with the ability to express himself. The color he uses creates a happiness and bright look onto life. Renard always appears happy while he creates, and provides an inspiration.

Katie creates work of many different variations. The first week I meet her she was working on a painting of trees. Recently, she created a display box where on top the painting was displayed, and when you opened the box, another painting was visible. Katie also uses art in a therapeutic way to help express what she would like to say. Art allows her to explore her creativity while providing a community.

Yet, even though The Art Experience has regular attendance, there are always new people coming that are interested in exploring their interest in the arts.

Recently, a couple came on Valentines Day as date. Both used a variation of materials to produce a piece for each other. Being around, one can tell that they were uncomfortable to the foreign materials, but after a small amount of time, both were able to let go. Their fear subsided, and they allowed the idea of fun to play a part in what they were doing.

What I enjoy about the Art Experience is the fact that people from all different backgrounds come to practice art. They come to discover something new. It’s enjoyable to see the community that has been created. By allowing people to come and produce art, it creates freedom. People have the ability to focus on new ideas.

Additionally, being an artist means not only creating but distinguishing the potential in others so that the beauty of art may continue to those all around. Art addresses concerns while creating a connection while also stimulating an ongoing dialogue among people.

Week Three- The Art Experience

The organization that I will be working with to form a service-learning project is The Art Experience in Pontiac, Michigan.

The Art Experience was created in 1995 to produces a community art studio that allows for healing power of the arts. This community is made up of children, adults, artists, therapists, and many others alike. Here, all are welcomed to participate and create and experience the joy of art making the ability to share with others.

The Art Experience offers class, open studio, and specialized programs. There is a variety of supplies that is offered to create any type of art that a person can imagine. But, creating art is not the only thing that TAE has to offer. They offer participants to communicate and build relationships. They allow people to reflect, uncover their own strengths, and allow the art to form a journey of self.

Here one has the ability to discover their own identity and examine and enhance their own life by connecting with those around them.

I was able to visit the Art Expereince on Monday Feb. 4. I met with Judy Wilson who is the director of the program. During our meeting we talked about the organization and what if had to offer to the Pontiac community. I discovered by talking with Ms. Wilson that the Pontiac public schools have recently diminished their arts.

Also by talking with her we discussed all possibilities that I could help out with my discussing my own background as a studio artist and the fact that I work for the galleries on Wayne State University. During my time at TAE I will be participating at the open studio hours to discuss with people about being an artist and providing feedback to what they have created during their studio time.

Also, we have discussed about working with after school children who would be interested in working with art. During this option the children would have the ability to experience art as a way to practice interpersonal skills and respect those around them because the project would possibly be a group effort. Yet, this project is still be working out and details are not finalized.

Additionally, in 2011, one of the founders, Katie Serewicz has passed away. They have asked if I would be able to propose an exhibition of her work to a gallery in the local area. Katie has a large artistic range and also has an art therapy background. “Katie guided youth and adults, including people with developmental disabilities, mental illness or those recovering from substance abuse, to realize their own creative potential and to see themselves as artists.  In her own creative work, Katie allowed the emotional component to inform her art and encouraged those whom she taught and mentored to do the same.” (description for the organizations website) I would find this exhibition very beneficial to all artists alike because it would show her dedication and passion to what she believe the arts can do.

On Thursday of that same week, I had the opportunity to participate during the open studio event. During my time there I was able to experience a variety of interactions. From young to old, disabled to shy, people were there to communicate, create, and form a community. In one are of the one people were painting. In another a group of women were performing and artistic dance movement where their movement acknowledged the music they were listening too. Everyone there was involved in a project and talking and engaging with one another.

The experience allowed me to see the importance of how art can act as a healing device. As an artist I always forget how art can be more than just creating a piece. Art has the power to let individuals talk and create ways of connecting while providing an on going dialogue.

Art acts as an advocacy. It’s a drive that formulates a remedy to what you are doing. It’s a voice to what doesn’t have one. Art contributes to finding one’s own identity and allows for participation in expressing one’s self.

Week 2

Week 1- discovering community art and the positive outcomes

Wayne State University offers a class titled Art as a Social Practice through the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts that provides students the opportunity to work with an organization and work on a service learning project. This will provide an active communication and engagement between the students and community partners while providing a look into the city of Detroit. 

Here, the goal comes from seeing how art can play an active role in the community. The idea is based on the fact that art can be healing and provide a way for people to come together and express their concerns and emotions. 

Having this in Detroit would create a positive outcome for the city. Detroit has gone through many hardships, and bringing forth a positive environment can create beauty. This can also provide a frame work to allow people to come together, which will help the people realize that the concerns that they have are not different amongst each other. 

Community art will allow the people of Detroit to come together not just focus on themselves but all the participants and the problem at hand. It provides interaction while providing an outreach for people to expose their identities allowing understanding to who they are as well as to their own community. It presents development to personal growth that can eventually affect the neighborhood as well because art allows stereotypes of age, race, and culture to be erased.

During these times people recognize only the positives; looking to each other’s strengths and potentials. This creates positive energy where people feel accepted and become part of a family. During a community project one feels a belonging and is able to feel productive in a way that is meaningful. People learn from one another and discover common interests and concerns. It becomes a learning environment where everyone can take a role and engage in communication that express a love helping to each other.

Further more, community art creates open-mindedness to explore and evaluate all things possible. It creates a sense of place while encouraging people to be open minded and try new things.

The importance of community art is that it provides a group experience.  It does not single anyone out, and only encourages all to participate. The experiences become a joy and allows people 

I believe in order to attain this, one voice needs to be heard but it needs to be a strong voice and one where people can come together and feel that they can be apart of that voice instead of being separate.

Mukti Khanna express this outcome through his article Creating Cultural Competency: Integrating Person- Centered Expressive Arts in Multicultural Pedagogy, while Senna S. Lowe expresses this outcome in the article Creating Communit: Art for Community Development. Throughout both these papers, Khana and Lowe, explore how art helps communities and states many examples of how a specific community works together to create a project. During these times people come together and appreciate one another and put aside their differences to create a positive out come on the situation, which brings closeness to themselves and their community. 

These articles arise the notion how art is therapeutic and how it arises the identity of the individual and the group. They explain how involvement communicates and stimulates a reaction. People start to respond and help one another. The art creates a method of formulating engagement to their community to provide a better existence to what is already there. 

In his article Khana quotes Natalie Rogers, stating, "The combination of expressive arts- the drama- and person- centered listening are powerful, creative ways to become aware of our feelings, about world events and to transform these feeling into self- responsible action. The expressive arts bring us into balance by engaging out imagination, intuition and spiritual capacities. He further states, "moving from art form to art form releases layers of inhibition, bringing one to the center in connection with the individual creative force. This center opens one to the universal energy source, bringing vitality and a sense of oneness." 

Lowe furthers this idea by stating "art is both given by an represents the community that is its context." "Collective art is shared; it permits man to feel one with others in a meaningful, rich, productive way."She further explains "learning new methods of self-expression and receiving positive responses, individuals added creative dimensions to their self-concepts and discovered new ways to represent themselves to others."

Art allows layers to dissolve and provides a way to express what concerns are around. Art allows people to learn and share. Its fun and provides a process to understanding and meaning. 

By examining these articles, one can notice how involvement in the community can provide a positive outcome. It creates a center where heart and unity emerge as the victor. People gather together to create peace and happiness. They will be able to acknowledge this outcome because the project will stand and show a remembrance to the occurrence and idea for new possibilities in the future.