It has been my great pleasure to work in the education department at the Dallas Museum of Art for the past three years. My position as the Program Coordinator for the Center for Creative Connections (C3) has been such a huge opportunity to expand my K-12 art education and museum studies masters degree. I have had the great challenge to expand my knowledge in the classroom by leading the hands-on adult workshops in C3, working with local artists on the development of programs, leading programming for hundreds of people, mentoring young artists, and working with amazing people who have helped me grow as an educator. And now, I am thankful for a new opportunity to teach K-6 art for Richardson Independent School District and will forever be grateful to the DMA for my experience.
C3 Adults
To close, I would like to say goodbye by remembering some of my favorite times at the museum. There are far more experiences to remember, but thought I would count just thirty-six–one experience per month of working at the DMA.
My top thirty-six (my three years x twelve months) memories from the DMA:
- Meeting many artists and working with them to create dynamic workshops in C3.
- Co-teaching a creativity program for adults.
- Becoming friends with Meaningful Moments attendees John and Sue, and receiving my very own squirrel foot necklace!
- Coming up with crazy Creativity Challenges for Late Night.
- Working with studio art students from the University of North Texas to train them how to expand their practice by teaching workshops for adults.
- Being the loudest one in the Center for Creative Connections office.
- I loved being part of the Urban Armor graffiti camp with our teen specialist JC Bigornia and guest artist IZK Davies.
- Teaching Terrific Textiles summer camp with 6-8 year olds
- Developing educational components for DMA’s Available Space project
- Meeting one of my favorite pop-up artists Robert Sabuda, during a Late Night Creativity Challenge.
- Teaching a Think Creatively class and instructing participants to draw a work of art they hated.
- Reading my favorite Fancy Nancy book during summer story time.
- Leading a Creativity Challenge for our Meaningful Moments program.
- Sitting in front of Orange, Red, Red by Mark Rothko when I need to think about something important.
- Seeing people drop things into a work of art by Nobuo Sekine.
- Going bowling for our education retreat.
- Having a Task Party with the C3 Adults.
- Doing yoga after hours in the Cindy Sherman exhibition with Melissa Gonzales!
- Meeting so many talented adult visitors who have helped mold me into a better educator.
- $1 coffee
- Leading Creativity Challenges for J.P. Morgan; making them create a love story between two works of art and crafting what the baby would look like!
- My incredible work-pal who brightened my day by leaving notes, gifts, and encouraging words on my desk weekly.
- Giving impromptu tours to visitors of works of art in our collection.
- Hosting Wayang Kulit artists in C3.
- Holding Life Drawing classes in the DMA galleries.
- Meeting Taye Diggs and helping Shane Evans lead a drawing workshop in C3 during the BooksmART festival to promote their children’s book Chocolate Me!
- Hosting a poetry showcase with The Spiderweb Salon of Denton, Texas. I was able to hear many musicians and writers (many of whom were C3 visitors) respond through words and songs to an exhibition at the DMA.
- Taking creativity breaks in the Crossroads Gallery.
- Working with C3 Volunteer Robert Opel to create the vision for the C3 Adult Programs promotional flyer.
- Receiving a phone call that Think Creatively changed one of my visitor’s lives and he will never be the same.
- Having an incredible boss who took many chances by letting me run with my ideas!
- Making new friends and being challenged by my colleagues.
- Having access to see the Jean Paul Gultier exhibition anytime I wanted to.
- Meeting many new people every day.
- Working with Maria Teresa and experiencing how important art is to the community.
- Working with Lesli Robertson and Natalie Macellaio on The Motherload installation (opening September 2014) and the launch of parent and child summer camp called Side by Side.
Thank you DMA for all the amazing memories.
Signing off for the last time as:
Amanda Batson
C3 Program Coordinator