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Kicking off a New Program for Teachers

Published September 3, 2009 Art & Teaching 1 Comment
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On September 10 at 7:00 p.m., all educators are invited to participate in our first Thursday Evening Program for Teachers.  Artist Lesli Robertson will join us to share her creative process and to involve teachers in a community response project.  Participation is free and advance registration is not required. 

Lesli is a textile artist by training, but in her creative process she often combines materials that are a sharp contrast to the usual fibers. She will create a piece incorporating elements created by DMA visitors and other community members.  Check out photos of other programs Lesli has led for Museum visitors lately. 

Get here a little early and enjoy the “Teachers Lounge” in the Atrium Cafe, starting at 6:30.  Look for the reserved tables and relax while listening to the live Jazz in the Atrium.  Food and drinks will be available for purchase.  We’ll depart from the Atrium at 7:00 to meet with Lesli.

This year a different Thursday evening program will be highlighted for teachers each month, including gallery conversations, lectures, and art-making opportunities.  Visit our website for information about upcoming programs. 

I am looking forward to this opportunity for educators to come together in a community for a monthly experience that explores creativity and makes connections to our collection.  Gather up your teacher friends and join me on September 10 for this first program.

Molly Kysar
Head of Teaching Programs

Diego Rivera: A Closer Look at Cubism and Mexican Modernism

Published September 1, 2009 Art & Teaching Closed
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An opportunity to partner with the Meadows Museum for a two-part teacher workshop on Diego Rivera resulted in an exciting collaboration over the past two weekends. The Meadows Museum’s current exhibition, Diego Rivera The Cubist Portraits, 1913-1917,  explores Rivera’s artistic production during the formative years he spent in literary and art circles in Paris during World War I, and provides a new perspective on this lesser known and crucial period of the Mexican artist’s career.

 During the first part of the workshop, which was held at the Meadows Museum, we explored Rivera’s work and discussed various influences on his paintings. Personally, I enjoyed examining Rivera’s works through his connections with other artists like Pablo Picasso and Juan Gris. 

 The second half of the workshop was held at the DMA. We explored important Cubist works of art by Pablo Picasso, Juan Gris, and Georges Braque.  We also spent time with our own Diego Rivera painting, Portrait of Dr. Otto Ruhle as well as works by fellow Mexican artist Rufino Tamayo. Teacher participants had in-depth conversations related to these works of art and made connections with the artworks through journaling, sketching, and artist quotes.

 This workshop was a great kick-off for our 2009-2010 school year. Information on our upcoming teacher workshops can be found at: www.DallasMuseumofArt.org/Education/Teachers/index.htm.  

 Amy Wolf
Teaching Programs Coordinator

The Sounds of Art

Published August 28, 2009 works of art Closed
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The Icebergs

What do artworks sound like?  This spring a group of graduate students from the Institute for Interactive Arts and Engineering at The University of Texas at Dallas and their professor, Dr. Frank Dufour, explored this question.  The Institute is an interdisciplinary program offering degrees that merge technology and the humanities.  Dufour and the students created digital soundscapes for works of art in the DMA, introducing visitors to new ways of interpreting and experiencing art.

Emma-O

Emma-O

A sculpture of the Buddhist judge Emma-O, Frederic Church’s painting The Icebergs, and the ancient sculpture Head of the rain god Tlaloc are among the artworks that students chose as the inspiration for soundscapes.

Each of the soundscapes that were created is a layering of collected and found sounds that students mixed and manipulated with a variety of editing software.  The process began with a study of the artwork.  What do I see?  Do I imagine real or abstract sounds?  Are historical references also an influence for my soundscape?  Melanie, a graduate student who created one sound design for The Icebergs, said “… I wanted the sound to represent the volume and expanse so I moved the sound from left to right. I then added waves and a hollow moaning sound to create the feel of the sea, the desolation of the place and the immense uninhabited space of the environment.”

Head of the rain god Tlaloc

Head of the rain god Tlaloc

All visitors can experience the soundscapes while viewing the works of art in the galleries.  Bring your smartphone to the Museum, or check out an iPod Touch at the Visitor Services desk.  To listen to a few of the soundscapes and to hear more about the project in an interview with Dr. Dufour, visit KERA’s Art & Seek blog.

Nicole Stutzman

Director of Learning Partnerships with Schools and the Community

Welcome Back, Teachers!

Published August 26, 2009 Art & Teaching Closed
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A big part of my job is planning professional development programs for educators.  This year we are offering a variety of experiences, including Saturday teacher workshops, Evenings for Educators, and new Thursday evening programs for teachers.  Through these programs, we want to help teachers connect with works of art in the Museum; with people, including artists, museum educators, and classroom teachers; and with creativity – that of artists as well as their own. 

Here are some tips about how to join us this year and how to get the latest information for teachers:

  • Learn more about our programs for teachers in 2009 – 2010 by checking out our newly designed Web site with more accessible information about Saturday teacher workshops, evening programs, and summer programs.
  • Send your name, school name, and email address to teacherprograms@DallasMuseumofArt.org to receive the latest news in our new monthly Educator E-newsletter.
  • Join us for a new series of monthly Thursday evening programs for teachers.  Arrive early for a little social time with DMA education staff and other educators in the “Teachers Lounge” in the Atrium Café.  Food and drink are available for purchase.
  • Stay tuned to this blog to get behind-the-scenes info about the Museum and how we serve students and teachers.

I hope to see you at the Museum soon.  Have a great year!

Molly Kysar
Head of Teaching Programs

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