Blog: South Chicago Art Center

Jan - May 2010 Blog Entries

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 ~ Thanks Tara!

About a year ago, Tara Morin contacted us to volunteer. She wanted to help out with art classes and started assisting with Open Studio. Tara was cheerful, eager to help out and the kids were drawn to her.

While assisting, she mentioned that she knew some design programs so if we ever need help creating newsletters, marketing materials, etc., she would be happy to help out.

Fast forward to March of this year and we needed some major assistance with the layout of our newsletter. Tara provided her services pro bono, saving us a lot of time and headaches. The newsletters were sent out last month and we are very grateful to Tara for her help.
Picture of Tara

Thanks so much, Tara!

Love, the Art Center

Friday, May 21, 2010 ~ Blake's Quote

Blake Lenoir, age 23, lives in South Chicago and has been coming to the Art Center to work on his artwork for several years now. He works downtown at an organization called Project Onward that "supports the creative growth of visual artists with mental and developmental disabilities."

Blake, an artist with autism, currently has a few pieces on display at Chicago Cultural Center, outside of Project Onward's studio. While checking out his artwork, I noticed his beautiful quote:
"I'm trying to make art not just for viewing, but to change people's lives and change the world. If I can do that, then we will be blessed with a greater future on Earth."

Check out some of Blake's artwork here.

*This just in---I was handed a Green Festival pass. The artwork on it is Blake's. He also has his artwork on the Green Festival program. Yay Blake!

Thursday, May 13, 2010 ~ Fun with Gifs

America and Kenya pose with some bird artwork!

Monday, May 10, 2010 ~ Little Boxes

On Wednesdays, kids are making miniature houses in Lisa Tasner's class.

Students are thoroughly enjoying designing their rooms (see the disco ball, speakers, and washing machine)!

We have some future architects and interior designers in our midst...

Miniature House

Thursday, May 6, 2010 ~ Woodlawn Outreach Program

The 6-week outreach program in Woodlawn is winding down. We are teaching classes at the Employment Center at 61st & Evans.

This week kids made books with a garden theme. Book-making classes are great because students can take them home and write or sketch in them.

Making books Posing with book

The group Making a book

Tuesday, May 3, 2010 ~ Shorebank Green Neighbor Award

For the second year in a row, Shorebank has asked us to create their Green Neighbor Award. This year's winner is the Resource Center, a non-profit organization that has led the way in demonstrating innovative techniques for recycling and reusing materials. Congrats!

Shorebank Award

Thursday, April 29, 2010 ~ Parent Workshop

painted mask
While we predominantly offer visual art classes for youth, we also offer art workshops for parents at local schools. Schools have money set aside for these programs and the parents really enjoy creating art. Most recently, teacher Maria Villarreal led a mask workshop at JN Thorp Elementary.

Maria leading class

Mother working on mask painted masks

Thursday, April 22, 2010 ~ After-School in Englewood

The Center has started to provide after-school programs in Englewood, Washington Park, and Woodlawn.

Pictured are kids at Parker Elementary in Englewood. Teaching artist Lisa Tasner is working with a class of 15 kids for 6 weeks. The kids range in age from 5 to 11 years old. They are currently making multi-media sculptures of birds.

Englewood, like South Chicago, lacks parks and after-school activities for children. Lisa tells us the kids don't have gym or recess, which makes them very squirrelly during class. This is not an uncommon issue in the communities the Art Center serves.

Lisa with Parker kids

Kids after-school Lisa's class

Saturday, April 17, 2010 ~ Once upon a time

Once upon a time, on Friday, April 9th, students from the
South Chicago Art Center
visited the Smart Museum of Art
in Hyde Park.

They went on a docent-lead tour and learned about the artwork there.

The kids were eager to answer questions!
At the Smart Museum

Looking at art Sketching artwork

After the tour, kids sketched what they found interesting.
The group posed for a picture (below).

Group pic at the museum

It was a beautiful and sunny day so the group walked to a nearby park to swing.

Elijah outside Swinging!

They took a break to eat some delicious pizza from Medici on 57th then went back to playing at the park (making sand castles!).

Eating pizza outside Playing with sand

A wonderful time was had by all on that day off from school.
The end.

Friday, April 9, 2010 ~ Artwork...

The kids have been doing some really great artwork--painting, sculptures, and drawings. Below are a few samples!

Maria doing artwork

America's artwork

Dolphin sculpture

Friday, April 2, 2010 ~ Trip to the MCA

Installation at MCA
On Tuesday we took a field trip to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA). We viewed the show "The Artist's Studio" as well as artwork from the permanent collection. Studio Manager Kris Casey created a scavenger hunt type activity where students had to use their art know-how to fill in answers. In was a fun and creative way to exercise their minds during Spring Break!

Viewing the fish at the MCA America views a figurative piece

Viewing the exhibit

Sock monkeys! Mud on wall

View from top floor

Monday, March 29, 2010 ~ Roman on TV

Roman on abc 7

In case you missed one of our teachers, Roman, on tv (seen entry below),
you can watch it by clicking here.

Did you see those cute Art Center kids?

Wednesday, March 24, 2010 ~ Tune In This Weekend!

ABC 7 News came in last week to shoot a segment on teaching artist,
Roman Villarreal.

"N BEAT: "TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS" will air Saturday, March 27 at 6:00 p.m. with an encore presentation on Sunday, March 28 at 2:00 p.m."

"Roman Villarreal is a sculptor with 30-years plus of experience carving stone, alabaster and, more importantly, a legacy in South Chicago working with youth at the South Chicago Ars Center. A former steelworker, we get an intimate look at the artist at work in his studio."

To read more, click here.

Artist Roman Villarreal

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 ~ Free Workshops For All Ages

We are offering free
family-oriented
art workshops every Saturday!
Check it out!
Maria leading a workshop

Tuesday, March 9, 2010 ~ Roman's Sculpture Class

Local artist Roman Villarreal is teaching sculpture in the Center's after-school program. Using clay and foam, kids are learning how to create 3-dimensionally.
Here are some of the works our youth have created.

Roman teaching class Bird sculptures

fish sculpture Cardinal sculpture

America's sculpture Roosevelt's horse sculpture

Jamal's sculpture Maria's large scale sculpture

Tuesday, March 2, 2010 ~ Ice Skating Trip

Elijah skating
In January 2009, we took the kids ice skating-- for many it was their first time doing so. Starting in about November, kids brought up this ice skating trip and asked when were going again. By popular demand, we took the kids skating on February 11th and a good time was had by all.

Below are some pictures and just for kicks, here is a video of pictures from last year's skating trip.

Tyrese skating Alanna helping younger ones skate

Miracle ... resting Kids taking a break

Friday, February 19, 2010 ~ Mayor Daley's Landscape Awards

Sarah and Lucy with Mayor Daley

The Artists' Garden continues to win awards thanks to all the hard work of community gardeners and the Summer Links intern we receive every summer from the University of Chicago.

This year the Garden won 2nd Place in Mayor Daley's Landscape Awards. Last year it won honorable mention and the two years before that it won 1st Place.

Above is a picture of Executive Director, Sarah Ward, with Summer Links intern Lucy Hall and Mayor Richard Daley.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010 ~ "I'm Nobody" Poem

Before class one day, long time Art Center participant America, age 11, wrote a poem to express how she was feeling.
We are happy to provide a healthy, creative outlet for these kids!

I'm Nobody

I am nobody
Who are you?
Are you one of me too?
The sun is gleaming through you
But I'm nobody
The sun don't go through me at all
While you walk through a whole crowd of people
And they recognize you
But when I walk through the crowd they see nobody
Not even a shadow coming
Not even a little squeak coming from the floor
But when I walk through that door
I'm going to be recognized
Everywhere I go
And I'm going to start a new life
NOW that I walked through that door
I glow even more
And now that I walk on the floor
They hear all of my squeaks everywhere!

America doing artwork

America doing some drawing

Thursday, February 11, 2010 ~ Tour AND Studio Project!? Yes please!

For our last field trip, we visited the Art Institute,
taking public transportation as we always do on field trips.

First, kids received a guided tour by a docent and viewed paintings by Van Gogh and Picasso. The tour was followed up with a studio project in the Institute's brand new Education Center (very fancy). The kids had a great time making Victorian avatars while admiring the fantastic view!

Not a bad way to spend a day off from school...

Looking at a van gogh painting at the Art Institute

Viewing a Picasso painting Cubist horse sculpture

In the studio Making Victorian avatars

Thanks Art Institute for the
great experience!

Wednesday, February 3, 2010 ~ Maria's Big Day

Monday, January 25th was a big day for our intern, Maria.
Not only was it her 19th birthday but it was her first day of college!

She is a freshman at Loyola University and spent her birthday attending her first college classes. We are so proud of her! Maria will continue working at the Art Center as her classes are in the morning and she works here in the afternoon.

Maria in her birthday hat

Thursday, January 28, 2010 ~ Sculpture Class

This session, Tuesdays are "Sculpture Day" at the Art Center, taught by local artist Roman Villarreal. This is the first time many participants have worked with the material, balsa foam, and the first time many have tried sculpting. It provides a challenge by having kids think in a 3-D way.
Kids sculpting

Qunicy sculpting Sierra sculpting

Maria's piece Maria sculpting

Maria, above, is working on a large-scale piece.

Saturday, January 23, 2010 ~ Cramped Quarters

The Art Center continues to be the place for kids to go in the neighborhood. There have been 20+ kids participating in our after-school program each day. If you've been in the Art Center, you know this makes for cramped quarters!
But, we are happy to give kids something constructive to do after-school! (And we hope one day to have a bigger Art Center.)

Here are some pictures from "Ben & Cody's Painting Class"
that takes place on Fridays.

Khadeja View of painting class

Tuesday, January 12, 2010 ~ Starry Night

Yesterday, kids learned about the life of famous artist Vincent Van Gogh. Using "Starry Night" as their inspiration, kids created their own mixed media pieces using chalk, colored pencils, black construction paper, and paint.

Sierra's Starry Night

The students' pieces

Wednesday, January 6, 2010 ~ Jackets and cameras and gifts - oh my!

Nadia, age 7
Nadia, age 7, created this camera as a direct representation of a camera the Art Center was able to give her for Christmas.

This holiday season the Art Center was able to presents through a program funded by the South Shore Hospital and give coats with a program funded by the South Chicago Chamber of Commerce.

Nadia with her camera

This is one of the things I love about the South Chicago community-- that organizations are able to work together for the betterment of the children and families. This holistic approach to community gives us all more strength and support.

Roosevelt, age 10,
models his new coat
Roosevelt with his new coat

The 6-week outreach program in Woodlawn is winding down. We are teaching classes at the Employment Center at 61st & Evans. This week kids made books with a garden theme. Book-making classes are great because students can take them home and write or sketch in them.

For the second year in a row, Shorebank has asked us to create their Green Neighbor Award. This year's winner is the Resource Center, a non-profit organization that has led the way in demonstrating innovative techniques for recycling and reusing materials. Congrats!

	While we predominantly offer visual art classes for youth, we also offer art workshops for parents at local schools. Schools have money set aside for these programs and the parents really enjoy creating art. Most recently, teacher Maria Villarreal led a mask workshop at JN Thorp Elementary.

Once upon a time, on Friday, April 9th, students from the South Chicago Art Center visited the Smart Museum of Art in Hyde Park. They went on a docent-lead tour and learned about the artwork there. The kids were eager to answer questions!

After the tour, kids sketched what they found interesting. The group posed for a picture (below).

It was a beautiful and sunny day so the group walked to a nearby park to swing.

They took a break to eat some delicious pizza from Medici on 57th then went back to playing at the park (making sand castles!).

	On Tuesday we took a field trip to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA). We viewed the show "The Artist's Studio" as well as artwork from the permanent collection. Studio Manager Kris Casey created a scavenger hunt type activity where students had to use their art know-how to fill in answers. In was a fun and creative way to exercise their minds during Spring Break!

This session, Tuesdays are "Sculpture Day" at the Art Center, taught by local artist Roman Villarreal. This is the first time many participants have worked with the material, balsa foam, and the first time many have tried sculpting. It provides a challenge by having kids think in a 3-D way.

The Art Center continues to be the place for kids to go in the neighborhood. There have been 20+ kids participating in our after-school program each day. If you've been in the Art Center, you know this makes for cramped quarters! But, we are happy to give kids something constructive to do after-school! (And we hope one day to have a bigger Art Center.) Here are some pictures from "Ben & Cody's Painting Class" that takes place on Fridays.