At Mass MOCA–Massachusetts Art Education Association Conference this Weekend!

Road Trip!

Happy Kids with their Bowls at Thompson School

Melody and I are taking the show on the road today to present at The Massachusetts Art Ed Association’s annual conference.  Art teachers from across the state will learn how to make simple and elegant works in clay with kids as well as how to partner with a local food pantry or non profit.  They will return  ready to use more clay in the classroom and with strategies to build community in their schools.

 

 

Here we are–if you are an attending the conference, we are Session C on Saturday in the Old Kids’ Room at Mass MOCA.  3:45-5PM

The Program

Mass MOCA is a cool place, just sayin’.  So excited to be there.

 

 

The Dawn Grant Award

Wow.  Check it out!  We are speechless, and so full of thanks to everyone who helped us with this project.

a letter from AEF Board President, Jane Biondi:

 

Dear Eileen and Melody,

 

The Arlington Education Foundation has recognized Art.Food.Community. as our Dawn Moses Memorial Grant for the 2014-2015 year.  Each year the AEF Board gives special recognition to the Innovations in Education grant that most embodies creativity, rigor and commitment to the students and teachers of Arlington.  By recognizing annually an outstanding Innovations grant we honor Dawn Moses, a former AEF Board member who passed away in 2012.

 

This year the AEF Board unanimously identified Art.Food.Community., among the many Innovations grants we funded, as the one that most embodies Dawn’s spirit.

 

Thank you for sharing your talents and commitment with the students and teachers of the Thompson school, Arlington EATS and the larger Arlington community.

Best regards,

Jane

AEF Board President

 

The Arlington Education Foundation unanimously chose Art.Food.Community as the recipient of the Dawn Grant Award this year.

400 Bowls Event and Celebration

On Saturday night, May 16, Art.Food.Community held our event, a fundraiser for Arlington EATS.  Over 600 people came to buy a bowl and enjoy music, games, crafts and a delicious dinner catered by John and Jodi of  Something Savory.  Thompson’s Art Show was also held at the same time.  Beautiful art, including origami mobiles and gelli prints, was on view, thanks to Mrs. Campagna and Ms. Greenland.

Approximately 600 people attended, ate dinner and took home a bowl.

The mood was light, with lots of laughter and smiles as both kids and adults chose their bowls to take home.

 

So many wonderful bowls to choose from! Decisions, decisions!

This one looks good!

Found it!

Every one looks so good…

Enjoying a meal together

Did our friends make these?

 

Kids helped out at all the stations, from handing out bowls to wrapping to serving food to cleaning up!

Helping out at the Bowl Table

There was music….

 

 

And games…

 

And more art…

 

And Speeches…

 

 

And good food (much of it donated from Food Link).

 

 

 

We raised $12,000 after expenses, which will fund this summer’s weekday luncheon program (75 lunches a day for seven weeks) and toward a grant from Arlington EATS to the Arlington Boys and Girls club for summer snacks and lunches.  Good job, Thompson School kids!

 

Thank you!

Eileen, Sayaka and Melody.

400 Bowls Going Home

“When do we get to take our bowls home?”

“Are our bowls ready yet?”

“How much longer until we can see our bowls?”

We were greeted with these and similar questions for several weeks in the hallways of Thompson. Finally, after weeks of waiting, the day arrived.

We met with each classroom and gave students time to look at the two bowls they created. We talked about the curriculum connections and the ceramic process and gave students time to reflect on what the act of making their bowls meant to them.

Then it was time to say, “goodbye” to the bowl chosen for Arlington Eats. Students were reminded of the symbolism of their gifts and how much they would be cherished by their new owners. We were so impressed with the generosity and grace showed by our Thompson kids. They truly are amazing.

 

 

We leave you with one last quote from this day:

“I had a hard time deciding which bowl to give away. I finally decided to give away the best one, and I’m OK with that.”

Today is the Day!

Thank you to all the children of the Thompson School who worked so hard and donated their beautiful pieces to Arlington EATS!

The benefit is tonight 4-8 at the Thompson School.

Come on down to see what the kids have made and bring home a bowl.

All proceeds will go toward feeding the children of Arlington this summer and beyond.

 

Presenting – Fifth Grade

Have a look at these pieces made by Thompson’s fabulous fifth graders!

 

Students decorated their red terra cotta with white slip reminiscent of the wares made by potters in New England during the Colonial and Revolutionary eras. Some chose to finish their pots in a more traditional fashion with a clear amber glaze and others chose to add an extra splash of color.

 

Come see all their wonderful pieces on Saturday. Purchase tickets or sponsor another family at http://www.arlington-eats.org/bowls/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fourth Grade

Here are the results of the fourth graders’ experiments with glaze trailing and melting marbles in their bowls as they went through the kiln.  The different color marbles created puddles of green, blue and iridescent at the bottom of the pieces.   Lots to look at here!     Photo by Eileen de Rosas

Spotlight–Third Grade

What did the Wampanoags make in the 1600s?  Woven baskets and beadwork, among other things.  Since they made no pottery, the third graders made woven clay baskets and decorated their bowls to imitate beading.

And what a fine job they did!

 

Photo by Eileen de Rosas

Today’s Featured Artists–Second Grade!

These are the wabi-sabi pots.  Full of natural texture, quickly made, glazed in natural white or glossy green, these pots exude confidence.  Kind of like the second graders themselves.

 

 

 

Beautiful work, second graders!

 

Photos by Eileen de Rosas

 

 

 

 

Showcase–First Grade

This Saturday is the big event!

Starting today we are going to feature the work of a different grade level each day.  We are excited to share the finished work that first graders made!

If you’ve been following the blog, you’ll remember that each grade had a different project, and that each student made two bowls.

This one is more of a plate, but it’s a beauty!

We looked at Mexican talavera pottery, so we used a strong blue as the color base with vibrant accent color

 

 

For the white bowls, we decided to invoke the lighthearted and quick spirit of Mexican painted pottery, and let the kids splatter colors on to the white surface.

 

 

Tomorrow: Second grade!

 

Photos by Eileen de Rosas