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.