The
artist: Jane Steele-Meagher had the good fortune to be selected as a
Washington State Artist in Residence for the school year 2003-2004. In addition,
she teaches clay classes for the
Jane
has a BFA in Fine Arts with a concentration in Ceramic Art from the
Jane
studied art history extensively and is particularly interested in the art of
other cultures. Her graduate classes included the art of the First People and
Asian art. She is knowledgeable in the sciences and the natural history of the
Pacific Northwest and
Upcoming
Teacher Workshops
August 5 and August 19, 2005
Where:
Registration fee: $25.
Extra credit: $15 for 8 Washington Science Teachers Association
clock-hours.
Suggested for teachers of grades: K - 8
Workshop Description: Using native plant leaves as a theme, this
two-session workshop will help you plan and present a fun art project that
opens the door for students to work on writing, communications, and science.
During Part 1 We’ll give you an introduction to native
plants and show a few ways others have successfully used native plant leaves as
a theme that automatically lead students to incorporate science,
communications, and writing into their art project. What kind of art class
would it be if you didn’t have a tangible project at the end of the workshop?!
You’ll be the student and we’ll show you how to turn a fallen leaf into
beautiful clay art. Clay leaves make wonderful bowls, tiles and stepping
stones. Your imagination is the limit!
Part
2 After the leaves have been
low-fired, you’ll return to glaze your project and then we’ll give you tips for
making your clay leaf project go smoothly in the classroom, we’ll give you more
background on the science of native plants, we’ll take a “field trip” to the
Kiln room to show you what happens to the leaves “behind the scenes”. Learn all you need to know about clay, glaze
and kilns to complete this and other clay projects with your students. Finally,
we’ll show how others have connected the fine art to the language arts and
science.
For more information contact: Jane Steele-Meagher at (425) 741-1259 or jane@steele-meagherartist.com OR Suzi Wong Swint at Surface Water
Management, (425) 388-6476 or s.swint@co.snohomish.wa.us.
Download the Art of Falling Leaves Registration Form.
Upcoming
Youth Classes
SUMMER CLAY CAMP AT THE SEATTLE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM
Children ages 6 to 12 are invited to participate in a new clay program starting this summer at the Seattle Children’s Museum. Students will fashion their very own clay creations as they learn the basics of clay construction techniques. Students will tour the grounds of the Seattle Center for inspiration and visit the professional studios at Pottery Northwest. We will be creating a clay mural for permanent installation at the Seattle Center, as well as individual creations including scary (or nice) monsters, bird feeders and houses, tiles and large pots. This clay studio offered by the Children’s Museum gives students a unique opportunity to experience different clay traditions from cultures around the world.
Weekdays from 10AM - 1PM
Session I: July 11 - 15
Session II: July 25 - 29
Session
III: August 22 - 26
Where: The Seattle Children's
Museum, 305 Harrison Street, Seattle, WA 98109
Registration fee: $175 for non-members, $157.50 for members. (Financial
Assistance available)
For more information contact:
The Children's Museum, Seattle at (206)441-1768
AFTERSCHOOL CLAY AND ART CLASSES – Call for information.
RESIDENCIES OFFERED:
Textiles:
Part I: Students study color theory, the
history of textile dyes and the use of resist methods of dyeing in other
cultures. They receive a square of cotton fabric. Students can also dye a T-shirt
or other cotton item. Students learn different styles of twisting and binding
their garment. New ideas and combinations of the basic styles are encouraged.
Students then dye their garment item and fabric with bright, permanent dyes.
Suitable grades and populations: Grades 3 – 12, (Note: K-2 and special
populations can succeed at fabric dyeing with modifications)
Curriculum integration: Dyeing fabric has applications in world
history; patchwork quilting in American history. Quilt blocks have a strong
geometrical learning component, including pattern and tessellation.
The
Salmon Return: Students
learn about salmon and Salish art and culture. Students help make a plaster
cast of an actual salmon. The children create Salish style replicas of the
salmon by pressing clay into their mold. The completed clay salmon are either
assembled as a mural or mounted as 3-dimension sculpture. Students incorporate
facts and short poems in their art. The clay salmon are fired in an electric
kiln or raku fired. Children then complete their own art piece with a watershed
or Salish theme.
Materials needed: Frozen salmon, clay, kiln, ceramic tools, glue and mortar for
installation, workspace.
Suitable grades and populations: Grades 5-12, (K-4 and special populations can
accomplish a congruent project focusing on clay and/or natural history)
Curriculum integration: The lesson plan can stress
Geographic Area: Statewide
Availability: School year
Teacher workshops: Teachers, staff and volunteers learn about techniques involved and
background information about the project. Since projects depend on parent and
community volunteers, these helpers are encouraged to complete their own projects
in workshops and lessons. Some examples include quilting instruction and help
with volunteers own quilting projects, or a staff and volunteer raku workshop.
Community outreach: An installation or school wide project is unveiled and dedicated. Individual
projects are displayed at a community art event or school open house. Families
are invited to a workshop or activity, and after school classes can be offered
to students and the community.
Residencies
2004
– 2005 “Salmon Stream”
Students in Grades Kindergarten through 2nd
grade learned about the importance of
riparian native trees and made a tile with the imprint of a leaf . Grade
3 students learned about the life cycle of the salmon and made a tile that
reflected their learning. Grades 4 and 5 toured a salmon hatchery and then made
plaster casts of several salmon which were then replicated in clay. The salmon
will be fired using the raku technique. All ceramic pieces will be installed as
a mural in the entryway to the school. All children also completed individual
ceramic projects.
2004 “Salish Roots Create!”
Loyal
Heights Elementary,
All students at Loyal Heights Elementary participated in a clay tile
project. The students learned about the art and culture of the Salish people
with emphasis on the spindle whorl. Students learned about native plants and
animals and then reflected this learning by creating a ceramic tile. Some of
the tiles adopted the round shape of the spindle whorl. The finished tiles are
installed in the playground area.
2003 “Several Salmon Swimming”
250 students in Grades 4 through 6 participated in this ceramic project.
4th grade students learned about native riparian trees and made a ceramic print
of their leaves. 5th grade students learned about Salish art and salmon and
made a Salish-style ceramic salmon. 6th graders made a ceramic salmon and fired
it using the Japanese Raku technique. The salmon and leaves will be displayed
together in common areas of the school.
This project involves 500 children in grades Kindergarten through 6th
plus a transition class. The students made ceramic tiles and ceramic salmon
replicas; the tiles will be cast into concrete mosaics, the salmon replicas
mounted above. Grades 5 and 6 learned about salmon lifecycles and Salish art.
2001 - 2002 Mosaic Stepping
Stones
275 students in grades Kindergarten through 4th made mosaic
stepping-stones with found objects. The stepping-stones were installed in the school
playground.
100 5th and 6th grade students tie-dyed T-shirts
brought from home. The students learned about the color wheel and the use of
color.
2000 Tie-dye T-shirts and quilt
Children in grades 1 through 6 tie-dyed T-shirts
brought from home. All students learned about the color wheel and use of color.
Children in grades 3 through 6 learned about the history of fabric dying and
resist techniques, as well as how culture affects color choice in fashion.
Children dyed fabric that was made into a quilt by the artist.
2000 Patchwork
Quilt
Children from grades 1 to 6 participating in a
special learning program made a geometric patchwork quilt.
All images © Jane Steele- Meagher 2005. Reproduction of images explicitly
denied without permission of Jane Steele-Meagher.