Greetings, Afterschool Arts Immersion Parents and Guardians!
We’ve wrapped up our first four weeks of AfterSchool, during which students had the opportunity to work with resident artist Zora Medor on two separate residency projects. “Myth Tales and Stories” explored different myths from around the world and how they explain phenomena. Students then explored the energies and bodies of the universe through their second residency titled “Universe Around Us”. Both two-week residencies culminated with students creating props and characters to perform short plays that retold the stories they learned about with Zora. The performances from both residencies are available in the Microsoft SharePoint folder titled, “AAI – Pictures, Videos, Performances” that we shared with you all a few weeks ago.
We also held our first MiniCamp on Thursday, September 16! Resident artists Zora Medor and Mirna Ferreira collaborated with students on a day-long project entitled “A House is a Home”, which allowed students to create 3D foldable replicas of their homes or other familiar settings along with puppets of family, friends, pets, and other characters. Students then worked together to create short dialogues and scenes incorporating their characters and settings and presented them to the group.
This week, we met with all students to reiterate the expectations and rules of the AfterSchool program and get their feedback on any questions or concerns. Last week, we shared a “Parent Info” folder with you, also on Microsoft SharePoint. This folder includes our Family Guide to AAI and AAI Behavior Plan Information. You should have received an email this week that explains updates to the program structure and function. As we are striving to provide a safe, constructive learning environment for arts-related curriculum, we want to ensure that the structure and function of the program allow us to keep it operational. We appreciate your support and help as we work to plan activities, assist our resident artists, and monitor and support your students while at the ArtsCenter.
As we head into our fifth week of the program, your students will be working with Mirna, who heads up our next two residencies. The first residency, “Album of the Four Seasons”, focuses on mixed media art for each season, incorporating a variety of found and repurposed materials. Be on the lookout for your student(s) sharing their seasonal art projects with you and bringing them home! Below are some youth artists in action!
Looking ahead to October, Mirna’s second residency, “Creating with Intention”, focuses on how artists find inspiration for their work. Students will draw inspiration from artists encompassing a range of styles and eras while incorporating color theory, upcycled materials, and purposeful direction. We are excited to see what students will create!