TOSSafter
November has been a month of exploration. As our students hone their skills we collectively develop a language of design. Harnessing the creative process through exploration allows us to make discoveries (and mistakes) awaking our everyday potential. Check out a few examples of how our students do just that.
Kindergarten-First grade
How does one transform a mental image into a two-dimensional form... then bring it into three dimensional space? Our first graders can tell you a bit about that in the making of sculptures which emphesize line and shape.
Second-Third
There is nothing as agonizing as a multi-step project...or wonderful: Layers of paint are like layers of thought. We are impressed with our students for executing projects which require extended attention with layer after layer, design and redesign.
Fourth - Fifth
Abstract art is sometimes equated with haphazard. The synthesis of orchestrated abstraction is what you will find 4th and 5th graders learning as they carefully plot their weavings.
Sixth-Eighth
Middle schoolers take techniques, such as drawing with one or two point perspective, to TASK. Here, everyone raises an eyebrow when Hannah says, "Now, use this principle to draw a wild animal and its house."
Ninth-twelfth
Sometimes we don't know the destination until we have arrived. This is often the case when we explore new mediums or set about breaking a preconceived idea. Whether we are making art about dreams employing color theory, creating a volcanic mirage of color with glue, or starting our career as illustrators (just saying, Jaylen), we are excited to be on the journey.
TOSSAiR
At TOSS, one of our goals is to give artists opportunities to make alongside students in the form of an Artist in Residency program (AiR). We see the beauty of this model as we work alongside the students, develop our own making practices and share our experiences with the broader community through community collaborations or TOSSafterhours classes. This month we have been doing just that: Hannah shared a new medium she has been exploring, hosting a macrame class. Kathryn began investigating a few avenues of figurative interpretation. ahm... and doing other stuff.
TOSSers
A special thanks to the Burke Arts Council for their support. We are also so so thankful to Melinda Davis and Samuel Kuehnert for their help in the studio. We love seeing them every week!
Featured Partner
Burke County Literacy Council is a non-profit organization committed to helping adults in our community learn to read and/or improve their literacy skills. In addition to adult reading classes, the Council has classes to train parents in how to better help their children in school. In addition, the Council offers English classes for those wanting to learn the language. They also train volunteers to tutor adults who need help with reading. All training, classes and materials are free, and you are invited to join the classes at any time.
This fall TOSS has been hosting weaving workshops for those participating in Project FLOWER. This is a program that we will continue into the Spring. We are so thrilled to be partnership with the BLC!
We love our College Street studio and part of that is having great neighbors doing incredible work in Burke County. For the next few months we are going to highlight a partner that we have had the privileged to work with, starting with our neighbors in the Old Junior High School.
Programs include:
One on One Adult is private and confidential tutoring.
Reach Out and Read is a partnership with Mountain View Pediatrics to provide free books to children at each well check visit from ages 0-5.
Motheread/Fatheread teaches parents how to help their children learn.
Project FLOWER is for adults who do not speak English.
Project Citizenship is for immigrants who need help to prepare for the INS (citizenship) test.
