"I can't cut with scissors." Cameron said dryly with a hint of attitude. "You can't use scissors?" I said really just thinking aloud. I believed Cameron was trying, once again, to escape the assignment that I had asked for him to complete. "Nahh, I'm not good with those." I gave Cameron the scissors and said "Practice". What I thought was just an obstinate fifth grader looking for an excuse turned into a different discovery. I quickly realized it was a school wide phenomenon; from kindergarten to eighth grade, students were unable to use scissors. I was disturbed and appalled. The push-out of Art and the emphasis on Reading and Math had created a school full of children with the inability to perform a basic pre-school task. I also noticed students lacked vision, imagination and creativity and they struggled deeply with problem solving skills and anger management.
I had a visceral need to share with my students the love of art, the power of vision, and the ability to imagine and create change. This began the ART project. Four days a week for two hours I had an open art studio. The studio was really just a big classroom filled with markers, paper, paint, glitter, and a medley of other art supplies. I opened the doors and encouraged my students to explore, play, discover and create! They loved the project!
May 2010:
It was hot, stuffy and late but the room still buzzed with excitement. The young people were reluctantly cleaning up the array of art supplies that were spread across the school tables. I was tired and drained. The extra two hours tagged onto the school day was getting the best of me. "Art makes me happy, and I like candy!" Aria ran to me and said. I laughed, exhaled and smiled. This is not in vain, I thought to myself. Art can create change and we must make space for ART!
