Faulconer reaches out after school

September 23rd, 2011 | By Andrea Nemecek nemeceka@grinnell.edu | Section: Arts

Armed with clay, glaze, painting shirts and other art supplies, Tilly Woodward, Faulconer Gallery Outreach Curator, and Eleni Irrera ’14 traveled to the Galaxy Youth Center last Wednesday afternoon for a community arts project.

Five kids participated in their art project, each making their own unique clay creation. One made a vase; one made an abstract sculpture, one made a face and one sculpted house with a hairy roof.
“I like art projects,” said Reghan, an elementary school student in Grinnell and one of the participants. “I really like drawing. Drawing horses is my favorite.”

Woodward and Irrera provided creative and logistical feedback. More importantly, they fostered a lively and creative environment where kids could be kids.

Allowing kids to be kids is what the Faulconer Community Outreach Programis all about.  It aims to connect the college and community through events like Art in the Park, gallery tours, programs like the one last Wednesday and whatever people think of that sounds fun. The Faulconer Gallery has been doing arts outreach since it opened in 1999. This year, it will take on an additional form with the creation of the Faulconer Arts After School Program.

The After School Program will include seven students in kindergarten to second grade at Fairview Elementary School chosen based on creative and economic need. The students will meet once a week in Bucksbaum to work on different projects and learn about the exhibits in the Faulconer Gallery.
The program was invented by Woodward, who came to Grinnell five years ago as the first full-time arts outreach programmer.

“[When I came to Grinnell], I immediately started the Faulconer Arts Gallery Community Outreach Program,” Woodward said. “And last year we started taking pieces from our collection out and doing a lesson about it, and this year we’re starting the Faulconer Arts After School Program.”

The After School Program should meet for the first time in early October and Woodward couldn’t be more excited. The program’s structure will allow Woodward to build relationships with students and make the program very student-centered.

In addition to making their own art, students will study art by seeing and discussing Faulconer’s changing exhibits.

“It’s great for kids to have an ongoing relationship with a collection… rather than a quick one-time 45-minute visit with their class,” Woodward said.

As to what projects the students will work on, Woodward is open to anything that “fits in the room and fits out the door.” Some of her ideas include working with clay, wood, photography, painting, collaging and print-making.

Woodward also hopes that the students won’t be shy about telling her what they want to know and work on because she wants them to enjoy the class as much as she will.

The After School Program is a new and has experienced some setbacks so far in identifying and selecting students. However, Woodward is confident that the program will be a great addition to the arts outreach the college is already doing.

“The arts programming we do is a really fun way of connecting the college and the community, and serving needs as well,” Woodward said.