Archive for the 'Technology' Category

The D3C Detectives

Published February 10, 2015 People , Resources , Technology Closed
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We are thrilled to welcome four new members to the DMA’s Education Division–Jeelan Bilal-Gore, Elaine Higgins, Samantha Robinson, and Emily Schiller–who are our new digital collections content coordinators, or D3Cs. This newly-created team is responsible for the research, aggregation, and digitization of rich, contextual information that will be presented on our online collection.

Essentially, the D3Cs are like detectives that unearth and build upon research the Museum has conducted on our collection. Then, they package that information for public consumption. For example, virtual visitors to the DMA will eventually be able to not only search for an artwork and find beautiful images, but also learn interesting details like who made the work, why or how they made it, and when. Our D3Cs will focus on artwork that is on view and recently on view, so that visitors will be able to access this content via smartphone or tablet while they meander through our galleries.

The work the D3Cs are doing is part of a five-year project funded by a generous $9 million gift to the DMA to support free general admission and free online access to our permanent collection. We are excited to be able to enrich our online collection and to provide this resource to onsite and digital visitors alike.

L-R: Samantha, Elaine, Jeelan, and Emily

Meet the D3Cs

Jeelan is working with our Asian, African, Pacific and Contemporary collections. She holds a Masters degree in Art Museum and Gallery Practice from Newcastle University and a second MA in Art History from the School of Oriental & African Studies at the University of London. Her BA focuses on Asian languages and civilizations from Amherst.

When asked what DMA work of art she was most excited to research…

Just one?! The ones I am excited about are not currently on view but have been in the last five years (though of course there are some that haven’t been on view longer that I’m dying to look into like Shirin Neshat’s Soliloquy and Willie Doherty’s Ghost Story). It’s a toss-up between Yinke Shonibare’s Un Ballo in Maschera and Koki Tanaka’s Everything is Everything.

Elaine is focusing on our pre-Columbian, American Indian, and Latin American collections. She returns to the DMA as a Ph.D. candidate focused on Spanish Colonial art at the University of New Mexico. She also holds an MA in Art History with an emphasis in Pre-Columbian art from UT Austin and a BA in Art History from TCU.

When asked what DMA work of art she was most excited to research…

The Seated hunchback holding mirror and Reclining hunchback holding rectangular object, displayed together. Since I conducted my thesis research on the dwarf motif in Mesoamerican iconography, I am most looking forward to finding out more about these extraordinary works in our collection!

Samantha will be concentrating her focus on our extensive Decorative Arts and Design collection. Most recently, Samantha served as a McDermott Intern (2014-2105) and holds an MA in Art History with a concentration in 19th and 20th century American silver from SMU. Her BA is from Macalester College in St. Paul in International Studies.

When asked what DMA work of art she was most excited to research…

I am most excited to research our Valeri Timofeev martini glass. Acquired in 2014, the brightly colored and profusely patterned martini glass is the first design by Timofeev, a Latvian born designer trained in the former USSR and active in the United States, in the DMA’s permanent collection. I am eager to learn more about the Russian designers, such as Rasul Alihanov, and studios, such as Fabergé, Ovchinnikov, and Khlebnikov, that influenced the material and formal elements of Timofeev’s designs.  

Emily is focused on our American and European collections, in addition to working with our aAncient Mediterranean and Contemporary collections. A former McDermott Intern (2012-2013), Emily is a Ph.D. candidate at Penn State University, concentrating on the History of Photography and African American art, and she also holds an MA in Art History from American University. Her BA is in Art History and Women’s Studies from Hollins University.

When asked what DMA work of art she was most excited to research…

Something that excites me about researching an object is if it was acquired during the early decades of the collection. Any work that has an accession number from the 1900s through 1940s is fun because then it has two historic narratives. One is the history of the art and its creation, and the other is the history of how that piece has been exhibited or discussed since coming into the DMA’s collection.

 One work that has intrigued me since the start of my Internship is Zoltan Sepeshy’s The Whole Town. He is an artist I know very little about, but his name repeatedly popped up when I was doing my dissertation research. I have a feeling he was an individual who socialized and interacted with some of the major art figures during the New Deal and WWII-era, but got neglected by later generations of scholars.  

Be sure to keep an eye on our online collection to discover the interesting facts they’re sure to find!

Andrea Severin Goins
Interpretation Manager

Bringing Artworks into Focus in the Most Delightful Way

Published February 20, 2014 Art & Teaching , Technology , works of art Closed
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I like to think of our Go van Gogh volunteers as the Mary Poppinses of Dallas elementary schools. They’re the special guest bearing a big bag full of magical things (art supplies! stories of Museum treasures!) that promise fun, adventure, and, when you least expect it, a lesson or two. Our volunteers also happen to have cheery dispositions, so the comparison works well on several levels. In a perfectly Poppins world, we could reach into our magical outreach bags during programs and pull out real DMA artworks, large and small, bringing the Museum right into the classroom. Until we figure out how to work that final bit of enchantment, we travel to classrooms with the next best thing—reproductions of artworks and the masterful storytelling needed to bring these artworks to life.

Over the years, our bags have been filled with reproductions of all kinds. First there were large posters of artworks to roll up and carry, then we traveled with the heavy hum and whir of slide projectors, and more recently we slipped sets of bright, colorful overhead transparencies into our bags. These reproductions came in all shapes and sizes, but each allowed us to show with clarity and accuracy, the beauty of our Museum’s treasures to students who had never seen them before.

Our latest method of magic involves paper images of artworks that we project using document cameras available in classrooms. When the quirks and glitches of this classroom technology left us projecting artworks in the least delightful way, we decided it was time to fill our bags with newer things—iPads and projectors. With the great ideas and lots of hard work, DMA colleagues Danielle, Amanda, Nicole, Ted, and our friends, Emily, Shannon, Bernardo, and I spent last summer writing a proposal for the Sprint Local Grant Program and pouring our best ideas into a video to convince The Sprint Foundation that all we needed was some wind in our kite (and the help of a generous Mr. Banks) to leap into the 21st century and get back our classroom magic.

The storyboard for our video submission

The storyboard for our video submission

Late last year, Sprint gave us the happy ending we were hoping for (we’re your biggest fans, Sprint!), and we are in the process of purchasing iPads for our outreach programs. This means that the next time we teach our Arts of Mexico curriculum, we can point to a well-projected, sharply-focused image of the Mask of Tlaloc and explore precious, tiny pieces of turquoise that form a delicate mosaic. We can zoom in and in and in again on the sixty foot mural, Genesis, The Gift of Life, discussing fine details usually reserved for Museum visits and having much richer discussions for it.

We’ll finally have the tools to unpack the best quality artwork images from our magical outreach bags—images that will spark great conversation and moments of wonder, like museum experiences with real artworks do. We’ll be as close to the real Mary Poppins as we can get (I draw the line at flying into classrooms!!), and that’s pretty exciting.

Amy Copeland
Manager of Go van Gogh and Community Teaching Programs

More than Meets the Eye

Published July 9, 2013 Creativity , Technology , works of art 1 Comment
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Sometimes we associate certain objects with specific people, places, or memories. A seemingly ordinary object can hold very personal meanings. When I was young, my grandmother gave me a rose pendant. It consisted of three layers, each with small images carved into the surface. I wore it throughout my childhood and adolescence and remember frequently running my fingers over the textured surfaces when I felt anxious. To anyone else this rose pendant may seem to be a simple trinket, but to me it holds significance and reminds me of my grandmother.

2001_358_A_F   PortraitofPapacrop

Similarly, there is often more to a work of art than meets the eye. In Family Portrait 1963 by Martin Delabano, the artist has depicted his mother sitting in a red chair. To most viewers, this may simply seem to reflect the reality that she was sitting in a red chair; but in fact, this chair is significant to both the artist and his family. The chair is a family heirloom that also appears in a painting by Barney Delabano, Martin’s father. In Portrait of Papa, Barney paints his own father sitting in the same red chair.

During July and August, the DMA is asking you to discover the stories behind works of art in our collection and then share your own stories about significant objects in your life. DMA Friends who complete all three activities below can earn the More Than Meets the Eye Badge with codes gathered upon the completion of each activity.

1991_75_55See
Discover stories behind other works of art in our collection by completing the More Than Meets The Eye smART phone tour. Bring your web-enabled device and pick up a list of the suggested stops on this tour in the Center for Creative Connections (C3).


DSC_0327cropMake
Stop by the C3 Art Spot to re-create an object from your home that holds a special meaning for you. Fill out a label for your creation and tell us why this object is meaningful.

 

 

mirrorCROPDo
Contribute your photographs of objects that hold a special meaning or personal story to the C3 wall of monitors. Simply join our Flickr group and share your images. For more information on how to participate click here.



Can’t make it to the DMA today? No worries! You can start participating right now from your computer at home. Look around you, what objects do you see nearby that are special to you? Grab your camera (or smartphone), take a picture, upload it to Flickr, and add it to our group. One step down, two to go!

Artworks Shown:

  • Martin Delabano, Family Portrait 1963, 2001, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Bryant M. Hanley, Jr., Lorine and David H. Gibson, and Sonny Burt and Bob Butler.
  • Barney Delabano, Portrait of Papa, 1972-73, Dallas Museum of Art, Barney Delabano Memorial Fund and gift of the Delabano family.
  • Wreath, Greek, 4th century B.C., Dallas Museum of Art, Museum League Purchase Funds, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, Inc., and Cecil H. and Ida M. Green in honor of Virginia Lucas Nick.

Jessica Fuentes
C3 Gallery Coordinator

Hotel Texas: Oral Histories

Published May 28, 2013 Resources , Technology Closed
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John F. Kennedy’s legacy is continuously remembered and honored nation-wide, especially this year, which marks the 50th anniversary of his tragic death. If you were alive in 1963, you may have personal memories of President Kennedy’s fateful trip to Texas, or perhaps memories of that time have been recounted to you by family or friends. As you stroll through the newly opened Hotel Texas: An Art Exhibition for the President and Mrs. John F.  Kennedy, consider using your smartphone or other web-enabled device to listen to eleven individuals recount vivid memories of JFK’s time in Fort Worth and Dallas.

To access these audio clips, visit www.dma.mobi and scroll to the section titled Hotel Texas: Oral Histories under Special Exhibitions.

photo of jfk stop

The tragic ending of that trip often overshadows the excitement and optimism that characterized the Metroplex as the area planned for this presidential visit, a rare occurrence at the time. Hear Kaye Buck McDermott, Jim Wright, or Ronnie Martin recall the preparations made for JFK’s visit to Fort Worth. Or listen to Michael Okon and Jarrold Cabluck remember the crowds waiting to catch a glimpse of the president and First Lady. Certainly, many memories of this trip were sad ones. In a powerful and moving interview, Diane Cody remembers turning twelve on November 22, 1963.

These audio clips are part of an ongoing audio-visual Oral History Project at The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza (TSFM). Through informal personal interviews, TSFM staff explore the history and culture of Dallas during the 1960s and preserve personal recollections about the life and death of President John F. Kennedy. Learn more about the project and listen to more personal recollections on The Sixth Floor Museum’s Oral History Project page.

smartphone logo

 

Look for this smartphone logo next to a three digit code on labels in the galleries to access more audio and video material about works of art in our collection at www.dma.mobi.

Andrea V. Severin
Interpretation Specialist

Cindy Sherman SmARTphone Tour

Published March 19, 2013 Technology , works of art Closed
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Cindy Sherman, a retrospective exhibition of the artist’s work from the mid-seventies to the present, opened this past weekend.  About 160 larger-than-life photographs fill up the Barrel Vault and its adjacent galleries. The majority of the photographs show the artist as model, posing in a variety of costumes and guises.

Sherman often creates her photographs in a series. In this exhibition, for example, you can see Sherman’s Untitled Film Stills, which were created to appear like snapshots of movie scenes, or her History Portraits that stylistically reference Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, and Neo-classical portraiture.

Cindy_Sherman_Untitled_Film_Still_56

Cindy Sherman, Untitled Film Still #56

Before, during, or after a visit to the exhibition, check out the Cindy Sherman smARTphone tour. This tour includes audio commentary from MoMA curators and from Cindy Sherman herself about her work. It also includes ten video interviews, with artists and other art-world figures who are asked to discuss their favorite Cindy Sherman photograph. These offer a unique, personal perspective to work in the exhibition. Which Cindy Sherman photograph is your favorite?

sherman sp

The DMA offers free Wi-Fi in the galleries, so be sure to connect before accessing the smartphone tour for optimum access!

Andrea V. Severin
Interpretation Specialist

Artwork shown:

  • Cindy Sherman, Untitled Film Still #56, 1980, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, Acquired through the generosity of Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder in memory of Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd © 2012 Cindy Sherman

Teen Learning Lab

Published January 29, 2013 Art & Teaching , Creativity , Museum Insight , Teaching for Creativity , Technology 1 Comment
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dma_logo[2]Perot-Logo

 

 

 

The DMA, in partnership with the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, is a proud recipient of a 2013 IMLS Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums Grant! This grant is for the planning and design of a joint, media-based Learning Lab for middle and high school students to collaborate, create, and connect with peers, experts, and mentors in an environment that is comfortable, social, and cutting edge. One of only twelve projects to receive funding this year, ours will examine the question, “Where do art and science intersect?”

The most exciting part is that the entire project–from its design to its programs–will largely be teen-generated. In addition to getting feedback from local teens, a teen council will be formed that will work directly with Museum staff to shape a more specific vision and plan for the Lab. It will be especially interesting to hear the specific aspects of art and science teens want to explore.

The Learning Lab will be informed by research on teen participation in new media such as the concept of HOMAGO (Hanging Out, Messing Around, Geeking Out). So not only will teens be able to participate in programs centered around issues that interest them, they will also be able to experiment, tinker, and learn on their own using state of the art media tools in the areas of audio, film/video, drawing, photography, communication/writing, and design.

Urban Armor 1

All of this represents an exciting shift in the way we think about our audiences and it’s our hope that the Lab truly gives teens a sense of ownership in the DMA and the Perot. Having them generate their own content instead of participating in what we think they want is a concept that’s at once scary and exhilarating; but above all, it’s one that’s long overdue.

The Learning Lab Team is just beginning the planning phase of the project, so we will post updates as our ideas grow and develop. In the meantime, check out the Chicago Public Library’s YOUmedia, an amazing Learning Lab example. And tell us what you think–where do art and science connect? What types of programs involving the two would you want to see?

JC
C3 Program Coordinator

Silent Disco DMA-style

Published October 2, 2012 Technology , works of art 1 Comment
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Our recent September Late Night was full of programming firsts.  We spent the night texting works of art (that texted back). Docents were on-hand to be “checked-out” for a range of customized mini-tours.  Visitors, taking inspiration from selected artworks, struck poses in front of our green screen—the resulting photos of which we are stitching together into several videos soon to be available on Flickr.

My favorite experiment of the evening was by far our silent disco-inspired program called Silent Soundtrack, which brought music into the galleries via wireless headphones.  We partnered with Austin Silent Disco who brought crates of headphones and everything we needed in the way of technology to broadcast iPod playlists via radio signal.

Headphones had three channels for three separate soundtracks, each tailored to a different floor in the Museum.  Staff from across several departments–Education, Curatorial, and Design–collaborated to create track lists.  Selections were inspired by artworks and exhibitions, some loosely and others more literally.  Below are our soundtracks and some of the artworks that inspired them, and below that, feedback from visitors.  What music would inspire you in our galleries?

            

Contemporary Art, Level 1

  • The Times They Are A-Changin’, Bob Dylan
  • Beginning to See the Light, Velvet Underground
  • Hot Butter, Popcorn
  • Help Me Somebody, Brian Eno and David Byrne
  • Crayola Doesn’t Make a Color For Your Eyes, Kristin Andreassen
  • Kids, MGMT
  • Walk on the Wild Side, Lou Reed
  • Born, Never Asked, Laurie Anderson
  • Get Off of My Cloud, The Rolling Stones
  • Shadows, Warpaint
  • Come with Us, Brian Eno and David Byrne
  • Ecstatic Shock, Squarepusher
  • The Sun is Down!, Yoko Ono
  • Animal, Miike Snow
  • Born in the U.S.A., Bruce Springsteen

            

European Art, Level 2

  • Ce Ju, Yelle
  • Reflet, Paris Combo
  • Hands, The Ting Tings
  • Et Moi, Et Moi, Et Moi, Jacques Dutronc
  •  Colourless Colour, La Roux
  • Let It Fall, Lykke Li
  • L’appareil à Sous, Brigitte Bardot
  • J’arrive pas à Vivre, Maido Project
  • Midnight City, M83
  • Tgv, Housse De Racket
  • Dancing on My Own, Robyn
  • Elevator, Minitel Rose
  • The Golden Age, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
  • Liar, Dragonette
  • Les Dalton, Joe Dassin

        

African Art, Level 3

  • Gbada, Bandani
  • Mbube (Wimoweh), Ladysmith Black Mambazo
  • Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, Paul Simon
  • Sanfene Foli, Mamadou Diabaté
  • Baxabene Oxamu, Miriam Makeba
  • Masigiye’bo, The Soweto Gospel Choir
  • Nakatiye (Meje), Oboto Sukume
  • Zombie, Fela Kuti & Afrika 70
  • Tulinesangala, Béla Fleck
  • Gitari Na Congo, Bakia Pierre
  • New Africa, Youssou N’Dour
  • Baba, Salif Keïta
  • Youne, Dobet Gnahore
  • Sopeak (Begging), Staff Benda Bilili
  • Sénégal Fast Food, Amadou & Mariam

Level 1 made the art seem to evolve.  Watching progression happen as music went on.

Today I thought I was in for another hum-drum museum trip until I met headphone lady… I wish I had themed headphones for everywhere.

What a great idea to incorporate another art form while strolling around!  Would like this more often–or maybe I’ll try my own music.

Artworks shown:

  • Anytown USA, Jack Pierson, 2000, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the Junior Associates, 2004.10.a-i, © Jack Pierson
  • Orb, Adolph Gottlieb, 1964, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase
  • Untitled, Donald Judd, 1988, Dallas Museum of Art, Museum League Purchase Fund, General Acquisitions Fund, H. Harold Wineburgh Fund and gift of an anonymous donor
  • Composition with Large Blue Plane, Red, Black, Yellow, and Gray, Piet Mondrian, 1921, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of Mrs. James H. Clark
  • Murnau, Burggrabenstrasse 1, 1908, Wassily Kandinsky, 1908, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase
  • Valle Buona, Near Bordighera, Claude Monet, 1884, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of the Meadows Foundation Incorporated
  • Kneeling female figure with bowl (olumeye), Olowe of Ise, c. 1910 to c. 1938, Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, Inc.
  • Waist pendant, 18th century, Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, Inc.
  • Helmet mask (mukenga), mid-20th century, Dallas Museum of Art, gift in honor of Peter Hanszen Lynch and Cristina Martha Frances Lynch

Amy Copeland
Coordinator of Go van Gogh Outreach

Friday Photos: Peaceful Space

Published May 25, 2012 Art & Teaching , Community Connection , Friday Photos , Museum Insight , Technology 1 Comment
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Imagine you are in a peaceful place.  What does that place look like?  Is it a serene hillside, a secluded beach, or even just the comfort of your home?  Images on the Center for Creative Connection’s Monitor Wall explore the idea of peacefulness through photos in the latest installation: Peaceful Space.  To find out more about the Monitor Wall in the Center for Creative Connections or C3, I’ve asked C3 Specialist Jessica Nelson about the project.

The Monitor Wall in the Center for Creative Connections

Who are the artists behind the artwork?

The images on the Monitor Wall fall into three different categories.  We have images submitted by our visitors, images from the DMA’s collection, and images from around the DMA.  Knowing the “artists behind the artwork” can be a little tricky because our visitors submit their entries on our Flickr page.  However, I do know that we have some DMA employees who contribute regularly such as Amanda Blake, Jonathan Toles, and myself.

What was the inspiration for the C3 Monitor Wall?

So, in relation to those three different categories of images, there were a few different things that inspired the creation of the Monitor Wall.  First, we wanted to have the ability to show more works of art from the DMA’s collection, and in doing so create a connection between the C3 theme Encountering Space and the rest of the collection.  Also, we wanted to provide an opportunity for visitors to participate in the content of the exhibition.  We see the Monitor Wall as an opportunity to take the idea of “programming” and move it beyond the museum walls, in the sense that our visitors are participating in the exhibition by contributing their photographs, and this participation happens after they have left the physical space of the museum.

How often do you change the images?

The theme for the Monitor Wall changes every six months.  Previous themes include: Texas Space, Filled Space, and Designed Space.  Throughout those six months, we add images that our visitors submit every month.

Capture your peaceful place and submit your photograph to the Dallas Museum of Art’s Flickr page! 

Wishing you all a peaceful weekend,

Loryn Leonard
Coordinator of Museum Visits

High School Day: Students Connect with Filmmakers and Art

Published April 19, 2012 Art & Teaching , Community Connection , Museum Insight , People , Teaching for Creativity , Technology 2 Comments
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Students arrive at the Dallas Museum of Art for High School Day

Last Friday, we had nearly 400 students visit the Dallas Museum of Art  for High School Day, a free educational event that was held in the Dallas Arts District.  This event was presented by the Dallas International Film Festival, and the students attended discussions and workshops at the DMA, the Nasher Sculpture Center, the Crow Asian Collection, and the Annette Strauss Square at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. 

High School Day was a day chock-full of workshops and discussion panels from 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m., during which the students had the opportunity to work with local and regional filmmakers and professionals. 

Digital Cinematography with Paul "Bear" Brown

One of the three sessions held at the Museum was Digital Cinematography, which was held in our outdoor sculpture garden.  This workshop was led by Paul “Bear” Brown, a professor at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).  Students in this session learned what type of digital cameras are commonly used in filmmaking,  such as the Canon 5D MKII. Other topics included popular production tools such as Sliders.

Students experiencing "Cinematic Response" in the galleries at the Dallas Museum of Art.

While half of the students interacted with Mr. Brown, the other half were making connections between art and film in the Youth and Beauty: Art of the American Twenties exhibition.  Cinematic Response, a DMA staff-led experience, allowed the students to be the film “critic” of works of art that are featured in the exhibition.  Each student was given an award title, such as “Best Cinematography,” and they selected the work of art that best fit this description.  This was a great way to get the students discussing the art of the Roaring Twenties in the context of film.

Another workshop featured at the DMA was The Nuts and Bolts of Screenwriting with Carolyn Hodge, the president of the Dallas Screenwriters Association.  Ms. Hodge broke down the fundamental basics of a script and gave some pointers for the students.  Then she discussed loglines, and had the students create their own logline based on the movie The Hunger Games.  A logline is basically a summary of the film in one or two sentences. This is what one group came up with:

“A young, impoverished girl who struggles to survive a totalitarian government is forced to fight to the death in a competitive feudal match. ”

The Nuts and Bolts of Screenwriting with Carolyn Hodge.

Lighting as Storyteller session with Michael Hofstein

The third and final workshop held at the DMA was Lighting as a Storyteller with SCAD professor Michael Hofstein.  Students learned to match specific lighting techniques with the story being told.  Holfstein used examples of cinematic lighting rendered in paintings and popular films, and then discussed the importance of lighting within a specific story.

Overall, High School Day was fun and educational for all.  The event provided many opportunities for local students to connect with professionals in the filmmaking world.  I can’t wait to see what the future of filmmaking holds!

Cheers,

Loryn Leonard
Coordinator of Museum Visits

Educator Resources: The JASON Project

Published January 17, 2012 Art & Teaching , Creativity , Resources , Teaching for Creativity , Technology , works of art 4 Comments
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In this Educator Resource series, I would like to introduce The JASON Project.  My first experience with JASON was three years ago, when I was the education intern for the Ulrich Museum of Art in Wichita, Kansas.  We had a week-long marathon of Argonauts come through the Museum (the name derives from the ancient Greek myth Jason and the Argonauts).  Ever since then, I have been focused on adding science components to my docent-guided tours.
What is The JASON Project?
The JASON Project is a science initiative founded by Dr. Robert Ballard, a renowned oceanographer, and is led by a team of scientists to provide students with hands-on, science-based experiences.  The standards-based curricula are divided into five different units, and are designed for grades 4th-10th.  Since the beginning of the project, over twelve million students and teachers have used JASON’s printable curriculum, including myself.  The best part about The JASON Project is that it’s completely free for educators.
How does The Jason Project apply to art teachers and the Museum?
The relationship between art and science dates back to antiquity and has provided our society with many great disciplines including architecture, engineering, communication design, and the visual arts.  Today, discovering art with a scientific lens can be easy, with the right tools, of course.  One of the best tools to connect art with science is The Jason Project.

One of my favorite units of The JASON Project is Operation: Tectonic Fury.  This geology-based unit provides an in-depth look into what makes Earth’s landscape unique: minerals and rocks.  The rock cycle can apply to many of the works of art in our Museum.

The properties of sedimentary rocks

For example, let’s look at Vishnu as Varaha.  This object is not only incredible for the heroic story that it illustrates, but also for the natural properties it possesses.  Vishnu as Varaha is made from sandstone, a sedimentary rock, which is formed when sand becomes compacted and lithified, a process where loose sediment becomes solid.

Vishnu as Varaha, India, 10th Century, gift of David T. Owsley via the Alvin and Lucy Owsley Foundation and the Alconda-Owsley Foundation, E.E. Fogelson and Greer Garson Fogelson Fund, General Acquisitions Fund, Wendover Fund, and gift of Alta Brenner in memory of her daughter Andrea Bernice Brenner-McMullen

Another unit that I reference while teaching in the galleries is Operation: Monster Storms.  This unit discusses the dynamic weather patterns and how those patterns can effect society.  Two divisions of this unit that are applicable to some objects in the Museum are wind and rain.  The water cycle is a great diagram that describes the evaporation and precipation process.

The water cycle

The discussion of rain can be applied to many different works of our in our collection, but my favorite one to use is A Mountain Landscape with an Approaching Storm.  This composition gracefully depicts a treachous storm approaching from the distance, spouting out rain and forceful wind.

A Mountain Landscape with an Approaching Storm, Joseph-Claude Vernet, 1775, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, Mrs. John B. O'Hara Fund

The JASON Project can be an invaluable resource when connecting science with art.  The organization provides us with teachable material, and a curriculum that we can continue to connect science with our own passion for the arts.  I hope these small examples provide inspiration for future collaborations with science and art!
Sincerely,
Loryn Leonard
Coordinator of Museum Visits

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