My internship is made up of many programs, tasks, and joys, but one of its main focuses is our Go Van Gogh program, which helps the Museum take art lessons into schools all over our community. Every week I drive the van to schools in Dallas to help teach students about artworks in the DMA’s permanent collection, and when we’re done we do an art project inspired by the lesson.
This week, after many weeks of begging and bargaining, I let Arturo drive the van to Lake Highlands Elementary School to observe our Stories in Art program! He asked to fly, but the supplies were a little too heavy for his wings, so I figured his pilot’s license would do on the Dallas highways. Here is a documented look at Arturo’s van day!
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To learn more about Go Van Gogh or to schedule a visit to your classroom, check out our website!
Whitney Sirois
McDermott Graduate Intern for Gallery and Community Teaching
Any other year at this time, I would be heading home to enjoy Thanksgiving with my family in Maine. This year, however, marks my first Thanksgiving away from home – the journey from Texas to New England is a bit too far to make for the holiday! I recently moved to Dallas to take part in the DMA’s McDermott Internship Program, which runs from September to May. Being away from my family is difficult this year, but I am grateful for all of the experiences that have been offered to me as the McDermott Graduate Intern for Gallery and Community Teaching.
While my intern duties cover a wide variety of roles here at the Museum, one of my main focuses is Go van Gogh, our community outreach program that brings a piece of the DMA to local elementary and middle schools. This past week, I spent time at Martha Turner Reilly Elementary School with a class of 4th graders. Our program was called Art of the Lone Star State, and it offered the students (and myself) the chance to learn more about the history of this state through art. We looked at works of art that depict Texas landscapes and cityscapes before making our own landscapes with watercolor pencils.
Clara McDonald Williamson, Get Along Little Dogies, 1945, Dallas Museum of Art, Ted Dealey Purchase Prize, Seventeenth Annual Dallas Allied Arts Exhibition
Alexander Hogue, Drouth Stricken Area, 1934, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase
Julian Onderdonk, Untitled (Field of Bluebonnets), 1918-1920, Dallas Museum of Art, bequest of Margaret M. Ferris
The opportunity to work with children is one of the reasons I applied for this internship, so I am extremely happy that I get to work with our Go van Gogh program.
All of the amazing Go van Gogh programs would not be possible without our volunteers! Go van Gogh has over 30 volunteers, both in Dallas and the surrounding Metroplex. These individuals volunteer their time with the programs in schools, but also spend time here at the DMA for volunteer training. During training, the volunteers become the students as we simulate the programs that they teach. We also spend time in the galleries, looking at the works of art that the students will see. Being a Go van Gogh volunteer shows a commitment to the DMA and to education, and we are extremely grateful to have such wonderful volunteers!
Go van Gogh volunteers during the training for our “Into the Wild” program!
Go van Gogh is just one of the many programs I have been involved with during my time at the Museum. Three months into my nine month internship, I have worked closely with the docents, given school tours, and been involved in programs with Booker T. Washington High School, just to name a few! While I miss my family, I am thankful that I have this position and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the internship brings! And of course, I’m thankful for the opportunity to drive our amazing van around town!
Arturo & I posing with the swanky Go van Gogh van!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Liz Bola McDermott Graduate Intern for Gallery and Community Teaching
Go van Gogh, the DMA’s elementary school outreach program, is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. Before we pack up the Go van Gogh van and head out to schools across the city, we thought it would be fun to take a look through all thirty-five years of the program.
1992 Go van Gogh program led by DMA educator Phil Collins
Below are a few fun facts about Go van Gogh through the years.
The first Go van Gogh van was actually a bus!
First Go van Gogh vehicle, 1978
When the program began at the then Dallas Museum of Fine Arts in Fair Park in 1978, school outreach presentations could be given in classrooms or on the Museum Outreach bus itself.
DMFA teaching staff member Roberta Mathew conducting an outreach program in the Go van Gogh bus in fall 1979
DMFA education staffers Susan Geyer and Roberta Mathews conducting an outreach program aboard the Go van Gogh bus in fall 1979
Go van Gogh vans (and buses) have always been easy to spot on the freeway.
Go van Gogh van in 1981
Go van Gogh van, c. 1988
Go van Gogh program, c. 1988
Bright and colorful, Go van Gogh vans often feature artworks from the Museum’s collection in painted or vinyl designs. The Go van Gogh van from the late 1990s included a design from Henri Matisse’s Ivy in Flower.
Go van Gogh van in the 1990s
Today’s Go van Gogh van
Go van Gogh programs have always included a visual presentation of artworks from the Museum.
Go van Gogh program using a slide projector, 1980s or 1990s
Through the years, we’ve made many updates in the technology we use to bring these artworks to life. What began with projectors and large printed posters led to overhead transparencies and laminated images.
Go van Gogh program with 4th graders at Reilly Elementary School
Later this school year, Go van Gogh will go digital: using iPads and projectors to bring images of artworks to life in the classroom.
Looking ahead to fall, we are excited to unveil a new facet of Go van Gogh outreach–a program designed for Special Education classrooms called Color My World. To learn more about the program, visit our website.
Amy Copeland is the Manager of Go van Gogh and Community Teaching Programs at the DMA.
With the recent introduction of our DMA Dashboard, we’ve been keeping a careful eye on the mileage of our Go van Gogh van, which has made for some fun stats tracking.
So far, our outreach this school year has taken us 1,300 miles—enough for a trip from the Museum to Washington D.C.! Below are a few other fun facts about our outreach destinations and the van trips we’ve taken this year.
Destination closest to home: Ben Milam Elementary, a mere 2.6 miles away—soo close we could almost bike there.
Farthest afield: Brentfield Elementary, a 63.4 mile round-trip!
All the usual places: L.K. Hall Elementary, Ronald McNair Elementary, and Thomas Tolbert Elementary are in our van’s GPS frequently—we’ve visited each at least five times.
Home(s) away from home: William Anderson Elementary and Zion Lutheran School are our homes away from home. We’ve made ten trips to each for a whopping one-fifth of our total mileage!
Portrait of a Woman
Crown with deity figures
Single-spout strap-handle vessel depicting a wounded warrior
Our next van excursion will be tomorrow, Saturday March 23. The Go van Gogh team will be at Firewheel Town Center in Garland, to provide art-making activities at Kidsfest, from 11:00am-3:00pm. We hope you’ll make the trip and join us there!
Amy Copeland
Manager of Go van Gogh and Community Teaching Programs
Even though it’s still warm outside, it seems like fall now that school has started. Those of us in the Teaching Programs and Partnerships department spent our summer vacation getting ready for the 2011-2012 school year. We were busy planning for tours, Go van Gogh outreach programs, and teacher workshops that relate to the DMA’s collection, as well as our upcoming special exhibitions. We thought it might be fun to share with you a “by-the-numbers” look at the different programs we offer for students and teachers.
66,661—Number of K-12 students from the DFW Metroplex who had a DMA experience (museum visit, Go van Gogh program, or special partnership) during the 2010-2011 school year
51,166 – Number of views accumulated thus far since launching theDMA Educator Blog in September 2009
34 – Number of online teaching material units available FREE on the DMA website
578 – Number of teachers who participated in professional development sessions at the DMA during summer 2011
3.5 – Number of CPE credit hours teachers will receive for attending one of seventeacher workshops this year
$5 – Price of admission (half off) for teachers attending the September 16 Late Night
1 – Number of nights each week that teachers receive free admission. Show your school ID between 5:00 and 9:00 p.m. on Thursday nights and gaze at art free!
$40 – Price of a teacher membership, which provides free admission and parking for you as well as discounts on shopping, dining, and attending teacher workshops!
All of our programs will officially begin the week of September 19, and we are currently accepting reservations for the 2011-2012 school year. We look forward to welcoming you and your students to the Museum soon!
Shannon Karol is the Manager of Docent Programs and Gallery Teaching.
