Archive for June, 2012

Professional Development at The Barn

Tuesday, June 26th, 2012

The Barn at Boyds Mills

Last month our Curator of Education, Rosemary, and I,  taught a weekend of  professional development workshops in Pennsylvania at a weekend hosted by the Highlights Foundation. Usually the hosts of workshops for children’s writers and illustrators, Learning Through Picture Book Art: A Workshop for Teachers, was the Foundation’s first weekend for educators, so we were honored to be in the collaboration.

Highlights Foundation - Ferns

The weekend was held at The Barn, the Foundation’s meeting facility and guest cabins in Boyds Mills, PA.  Teachers, guest presenters, and instructors alike were treated to warm hospitality, comfy accommodations in a beautiful setting,  and delicious food for our stomachs and our minds.

The Carle at The Barn

Rosemary lead two workshops – The Visual Thinking Strategies and The Whole Book Approach.

Meghan leads bookmaking workshop

I followed up with Making Art with Young Children and Bookmaking and Beyond.

Bookmaking Workshop

Guest speakers included Children’s Book Librarian Anita  Ditz, Author Illustrator Pat Cummings, and Author/Illustrator/Educator Neil Waldman.

Bookmaking at The Barn

A lot was covered in just two days and two nights, but one thing we didn’t get to do was discuss some of the reflections I asked the teachers to make on their work with their students, so stay tuned for that discussion to take place here in future posts. Also stay tuned to find out when the next teachers’ workshop at The Barn will be!

 

 

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Posted in On the Road, Our Approach, Professional Development, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Introducing Laurie

Friday, June 22nd, 2012

I want to introduce our second intern, Laurie Mills who will be assisting us in the Studio this summer.  She’s had a few weeks to work with us and below she wrote a little more about her experience so far.  Welcome Laurie!

Hello! I’m Laurie, the new summer intern in the Art Studio at The Carle. I graduated in May from Wheaton College with a degree in Studio Art. Although I’ve only been here for a few weeks, I’m impressed by how much activity and creativity has gone on during that time.

My first task in the studio was to help transition into the new Public Art Project inspired by Lucy Cousins’ Maisy books.  The new project is called “Lift, Peek, Pull”, where visitors can add flaps, tabs, or pockets into their own book. I put together a large-scale book for the display case outside of The Studio doors, which always shows an example of the featured project to inspire guests.

 

I went to the Lucy Cousin’s exhibit to brainstorm, and came up with the idea to illustrate “My House”. I pieced together large watercolor paper to make the book, and attached flaps in the trees, for the door, and in the house that have pictures hidden beneath. The finished product hopefully shows some fun, simple ideas for visitor’s own books.

My second week at the museum allowed for a fun opportunity to join Meghan on one of her outreach projects. Meghan went to a special Head Start event in Worcester to read stories and put together some art projects for children. The books followed a hat theme, so the kids were to create and decorate their own hats out of construction paper. I had fun getting an idea of how the studio educators, Meghan and Diana, adapt their art programs to schools and libraries in the community.

Baseball Bonanza was a big highlight of my third week. Visitors played games, made pennants and MVP trading cards, met illustrators, read books, and listened to special presentations. I again realized just how much taking time to appreciate art leads to a variety of learning experiences.

I know there will be many more projects and events to come throughout the summer, and I can’t wait to see what else is in store. I’ll report back soon!

 

Posted in At The Carle, On the Road | No Comments »

Introducing Aiyi

Wednesday, June 20th, 2012

This summer we are happy to have Aiyi Zhang assisting us in the Studio.  She just started last week, so she’s still fairly new to all that we do here, but getting the hang of it quickly.  She’ll be helping with planning upcoming classes and Public Art Programs this summer and orienting guests who want to work with the art materials. Welcome Aiyi!

Hi ^_^ ! My name is Aiyi and I’m from China. I am a rising sophomore in Smith College, majoring in studio art.  Most of the time I play with found materials; found digital media and paper to use in my collages. The Art Studio is really a good match for me because the way I work is the same way kids play with materials: to touch, to smell, to feel everything with curiosity!  At first, I was a little bit shy in the Studio, but now I’m more confident with my work, because I can fully use my creativity, my imagination and bring my love for life to The Carle.  I would like to bring my playful thoughts to the Studio and create interesting projects to inspire the kids.  This week I’m brainstorming ideas for the Friday morning Materials Play program with Meghan.  I’m also experimenting with paper sewing for a possible upcoming project. Maybe next time when you come to the studio, you will use BROCCOLI to paint with me!

DROP-IN PROGRAM
Materials Play in the Morning
July 13 – August 31, 2012
10:00 am – 10:30 am
Free with Museum Admission
(12-36 months with an adult) Fridays, July 13 – August 31
Have fun experimenting with materials selected especially for your young explorer and stay for storytime in the Reading Library at 10:30 am featuring related books. Always a surprise and sometimes messy, so dress accordingly!

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Posted in At The Carle, In the Studio | 2 Comments »

Books on the Battle Green

Wednesday, June 13th, 2012

Interior of Cary Library

I notice that my last post was over a month ago, telling you that I was preparing for a busy month of programs on the road and here at The Carle.  As it turns out, it was busy enough to take me off the blog altogether for a month.

Lexington, MA

I’m sharing some pictures from my May 10th visit to Lexington, MA, birthplace of the American Revolution and home to the beautiful Cary Memorial Library located just off The Battle Green.  Ruth Lynn, Children’s Services Department Head, invited me to present 3 programs  during National Children’s Book Week.

Collage made in preschool program

My day started with a group of enthusiastic preschoolers.  Together we read  Slowly, Slowly, Slowly Said the Sloth by Eric Carle and talked about shape. Then each person selected an interesting organic shape to use as the start of a collage.

I Am An Artist

I did our program I Am an Artist with  5-8 year olds.  I discussed Eric Carle’s techniques and process and they stamped papers with interesting visual textures and turned them into their own pictures.

Cary Prints

The 9-12 year old group was small but enthusiastic and excited to learn about how picture books are made and then go through the process of making their own 3-color monoprints in Possibilities in Print.

It was a great day. Thanks again, Ruth, for inviting The Carle to Cary Library!

Posted in Collage, Elementary School, On the Road, Preschool, Printmaking, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Baseball Bonanza

Tuesday, June 5th, 2012

Are you ready for the 7th Annual Children’s Book Festival this Saturday, June 9th?  Join The Red Elephant at The Carle and throw on your favorite jersey or cap and stop by for a day of baseball themed events highlighting picture books about baseball and the artists and authors who have created them.  All day in the Art Studio, visitors can design a pennant flag and create a trading cards to add to our MVP wall of fame.  Other ongoing activities include book signings, face painting, NLB items raffle, outdoor games and food from Foley’s Franks and Flayvors of Cook Farm.

Here’s the Lineup of Events Throughout The Museum:

10:15 – 10: 45 am (Auditorium)
Film — Baseball: A Film by Ken Burns (Excerpt from Inning 5)

10:45 – 11:15 am (Reading Library)
Museum Storytime—Kevin Markey (author of Super Sluggers series)

11:15 – 11:45 am (Reading Library)
Presentation— Andy Zimbalist: “Why are Baseball Players Paid So Much?” (author of Circling the Bases and Home Team, written with Shelley Rotner)

11:45 am – 12:15 pm (Auditorium)
Presentation—Rich Michelson (author of Lipman Pike, America’s First Home Run King)

12:15 – 1:00 pm (East Gallery)
Guided tour of We are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball, Original Paintings by Kadir Nelson exhibition by baseball historian Doron “Duke” Goldman

12:30 – 1:00 pm (Reading Library)
Meet the Artists—Shelley Rotner, Diane deGroat (author/illustrator team behind Homer)

1:00 – 1:30 pm (Auditorium)
Performance by Children’s Chorus of Springfield; Reading of Casey at the Bat

1:30 – 2:00 pm (Reading Library)
Meet the Artist—Jim Burke (Illustrator of All Star)

2:00 – 2:50 pm (Auditorium)
Special Program with members of the NLB: Robert Scott of the New York Black Yankees and Gilbert Black of the 1956 Indianapolis Clowns

3:00 – 3:30 pm (Reading Library)
Museum Storytime—Audrey Vernick (Author of She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story and Brothers at Bat)

3:30 – 4:00 pm (Auditorium)
Meet the Author and Artist— James Ransome and Lesa Cline-Ransome, (Author/illustrator of Satchel Paige)

4:00 – 4:45 pm (East Gallery)
Guided tour of We are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball, Original Paintings by Kadir Nelson by baseball historian Doron “Duke” Goldman

4:00 – 4:30 pm (Reading Library)
Meet the Artist—Matt Tavares, (Author of There Goes Ted Williams)

4:15 – 4:45 pm (Reading Library)
Film—Baseball: A Film by Ken Burns (Excerpt from Inning 5)

4:30-5:00 pm
Presentation—Martha Ackmann, (author of Curveball the Remarkable Story of Toni Stone)

To check out how we’ve dressed up Mo Willems‘s sculpture, The Red Elephant in the past see our post here.

To see the most up to date information including about Baseball Bonanza Day, click here.

See you Saturday!

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Posted in At The Carle, In the Studio, Special Guests and Artist Visits | No Comments »