K-12 Art Education

On November 15, 2007, the 190 year old American School for the Deaf in
West Hartford, Connecticut held their 3rd Interactive Artisan Workshop.
This all day event is sponsored by the school’s Career Academy. Each year the school has invited artists working in various mediums to draw out the interest and talents of their students and highlights careers in the Trades and Skilled Crafts. In the past, this event has featured wood turners, carvers, portrait artists, watercolorists, encaustic artists, jewelers, digital computer designers and even chefs and bakers. Two hundred students attend ASD from pre-school to 12th grade. Students are also invited from the Vermont School for the Deaf, hearing students from the Ben Bronze Academy for the learning disabled and the Klingberg Clinic for students with behavioral disabilities.

One of the teachers working with the students

Approximately 250 students attend the event. Invited hearing artists are provided with an American Sign Language interpreter. Students can spend as much time with each artist as they choose. Throughout the day, every student can try any and all of the mediums presented each year. Faculty and staff are also invited to participate.
Some students may spend hours working in only one medium and return again after lunch. Others may decide to sample all that is presented that day. Since the students are able to move freely from one artist to another, there are times that some artists are working with only a few students. And, at times, there isn’t an empty seat in the room.

A student sketching her composition from a photograph

     I have twice been the invited watercolor artist for this event. Both times it has been an exciting, sometimes overwhelming and emotional experience. There have been so many memorable occurrences during these workshops that I will never forget.
     One teenage student spent most of the morning painting and asking more and more specific questions about watercolor. If the ASL interpreter happened to be taking a break, this young woman would write her questions to me and I would either write the answers or demonstrate it for her. Later that afternoon while I was extremely busy with a room filled with students, I noticed her explaining and demonstrating to a group of very young grade school students.
I was in awe of her ability to learn so quickly and without hesitation impart her knowledge to others.
     A staff member told me that the hour she had just spent painting was the most peaceful and serene time she’d experienced in long while. She wanted to know if I could tell her where she might be able to take classes.
    A teenage boy joined the group, primarily it seemed to me, to spend time with a girl he obviously liked. I gave him painting supplies and suggested he try painting since it looked like his friend was going to be there awhile. Eventually he became absorbed in his painting and produced a most remarkable abstract painting. Although he never painted before, his sense of color and composition seemed to be intuitive.
      Earlier in the day, I had shown several students how to paint a bunch of grapes. Later in the afternoon a young grade school girl came in and wandered around looking at what paintings were being done. She came up to me and asked me to show her how I had done the small painting of grapes. She then went off by herself and proceeded to do a painting better then mine.

Preparing her palette

     Another younger teenage boy came by during the morning and worked very industriously and finished a painting of a boat.
He returned after lunch to paint again. He had come up with several ideas during lunch that he felt would make a better painting of the boat. So he started a new painting and he was right, he did create an even better painting then his first one.
     Everyone that attended the workshop had a wonderful day and everyone left with a painting and some with many paintings. Along with a hug, I was also presented with a painting done by one very prolific teenage boy that now hangs brightly in my studio. Many discovered an interest and a talent they didn’t know they had. Some students asked about Art schools after they graduate from ASD and about potential careers in art. Faculty and staff members asked about places to take classes.

The first paint color goes on the paper

    Each workshop, about 15 students or more, that seemed to have a strong interest in Art were supplied with their own complete watercolor kits: paint, brushes and paper to take back to the dorm with them. Any art supplies left at the end of the day are left to the school for use in their Art department. I can’t thank Jim Chandler of Camlin enough for his generous support of art events such as these.
Programs such as this one could not happen without outside support. People have discovered, some for the first time, talents they didn’t know they had and opportunities for the future. Or simply an appreciation for Art.
     At the end of the workshop, I don’t know who had the most wonderful day, the students and staff……..or me! I can’t wait to be invited back again.
     Elaine M. Garvin, Watercolorist
     The website for The American School for the Deaf is http://www.asd-1817.org

Students working on their projects

Past Featured Art Education Profiles:
September 2006: Santa Monica's Rosie's Girls Project

July 2006: Cerritos College High School Art Show

March: Fayette Academy Visual Art Program

June 2005, Teaching Watercolor to Elementary School Students

May 2005, Cerritos College Spring 2005 Student Show

October 2004, Carlsbad ArtSplash 2004 Children's Program

July 2004, Oregon Art Education Association's Youth Art Month

June 2004, The Country Shop

October 2003: Sedona Fine Arts Annual Scholarship Program

May 2003: Lakewood Artist Guild's Student Art Scholarship Program

March 2003; Camlin's All India Art Contest

January, 2003: Ms. Becky Kennedy's "House on Clay" Program

December, 2002 Linda Vista Leaders - Montgomery Academy

November, 2002 Multicultural lessons at Belmont Hill Elementary

October-September, 2002 Color Pencil Society work with Children at Risk

August, 2002 Peace Through Art program of the International Child Art Foundation

July, 2002 Native American Students at the Southwest Museum

The beginning of school, early childhood education embodies the concept of active learning and the correlation between knowledge and experience. Art Education promotes this concept in the later years but the funding for art programs is decreasing. Support Creativity.	February, 2008 American School for the Deaf Teaching Watercolor with Elaine M. Garvin

On November 15, 2007, the 190 year old American School for the Deaf in West Hartford, Connecticut held their 3rd Interactive Artisan Workshop. This all day event is sponsored by the school’s Career Academy. Each year the school has invited artists working in various mediums to draw out the interest and talents of their students and highlights careers in the Trades and Skilled Crafts. In the past, this event has featured wood turners, carvers, portrait artists, watercolorists, encaustic artists, jewelers, digital computer designers and even chefs and bakers. Two hundred students attend ASD from pre-school to 12th grade. Students are also invited from the Vermont School for the Deaf, hearing students from the Ben Bronze Academy for the learning disabled and the Klingberg Clinic for students with behavioral disabilities. One of the teachers working with the students Approximately 250 students attend the event. Invited hearing artists are provided with an American Sign Language interpreter. Students can spend as much time with each artist as they choose. Throughout the day, every student can try any and all of the mediums presented each year. Faculty and staff are also invited to participate. Some students may spend hours working in only one medium and return again after lunch. Others may decide to sample all that is presented that day. Since the students are able to move freely from one artist to another, there are times that some artists are working with only a few students. And, at times, there isn’t an empty seat in the room. A student sketching her composition from a photograph I have twice been the invited watercolor artist for this event. Both times it has been an exciting, sometimes overwhelming and emotional experience. There have been so many memorable occurrences during these workshops that I will never forget. One teenage student spent most of the morning painting and asking more and more specific questions about watercolor. If the ASL interpreter happened to be taking a break, this young woman would write her questions to me and I would either write the answers or demonstrate it for her. Later that afternoon while I was extremely busy with a room filled with students, I noticed her explaining and demonstrating to a group of very young grade school students. I was in awe of her ability to learn so quickly and without hesitation impart her knowledge to others. A staff member told me that the hour she had just spent painting was the most peaceful and serene time she’d experienced in long while. She wanted to know if I could tell her where she might be able to take classes. A teenage boy joined the group, primarily it seemed to me, to spend time with a girl he obviously liked. I gave him painting supplies and suggested he try painting since it looked like his friend was going to be there awhile. Eventually he became absorbed in his painting and produced a most remarkable abstract painting. Although he never painted before, his sense of color and composition seemed to be intuitive. Earlier in the day, I had shown several students how to paint a bunch of grapes. Later in the afternoon a young grade school girl came in and wandered around looking at what paintings were being done. She came up to me and asked me to show her how I had done the small painting of grapes. She then went off by herself and proceeded to do a painting better then mine. Preparing her palette Another younger teenage boy came by during the morning and worked very industriously and finished a painting of a boat. He returned after lunch to paint again. He had come up with several ideas during lunch that he felt would make a better painting of the boat. So he started a new painting and he was right, he did create an even better painting then his first one. Everyone that attended the workshop had a wonderful day and everyone left with a painting and some with many paintings. Along with a hug, I was also presented with a painting done by one very prolific teenage boy that now hangs brightly in my studio. Many discovered an interest and a talent they didn’t know they had. Some students asked about Art schools after they graduate from ASD and about potential careers in art. Faculty and staff members asked about places to take classes. The first paint color goes on the paper Each workshop, about 15 students or more, that seemed to have a strong interest in Art were supplied with their own complete watercolor kits: paint, brushes and paper to take back to the dorm with them. Any art supplies left at the end of the day are left to the school for use in their Art department. I can’t thank Jim Chandler of Camlin enough for his generous support of art events such as these. Programs such as this one could not happen without outside support. People have discovered, some for the first time, talents they didn’t know they had and opportunities for the future. Or simply an appreciation for Art. At the end of the workshop, I don’t know who had the most wonderful day, the students and staff……..or me! I can’t wait to be invited back again. Elaine M. Garvin, Watercolorist The website for The American School for the Deaf is http://www.asd-1817.org Students working on their projects Register to win the school pack of your choice: Click Here Past Featured Art Education Profiles: September 2006: Santa Monica's Rosie's Girls Project July 2006: Cerritos College High School Art Show March: Fayette Academy Visual Art Program June 2005, Teaching Watercolor to Elementary School Students May 2005, Cerritos College Spring 2005 Student Show October 2004, Carlsbad ArtSplash 2004 Children's Program July 2004, Oregon Art Education Association's Youth Art Month June 2004, The Country Shop October 2003: Sedona Fine Arts Annual Scholarship Program May 2003: Lakewood Artist Guild's Student Art Scholarship Program March 2003; Camlin's All India Art Contest January, 2003: Ms. Becky Kennedy's "House on Clay" Program December, 2002 Linda Vista Leaders - Montgomery Academy November, 2002 Multicultural lessons at Belmont Hill Elementary October-September, 2002 Color Pencil Society work with Children at Risk August, 2002 Peace Through Art program of the International Child Art Foundation July, 2002 Native American Students at the Southwest Museum