Splash

Made This was an expansive program that actively engaged around 155 students ranging from pre-K to age 16 including 30 seniors who received free art classes. This initiative is the sole ongoing professional art class in three urban low-income neighborhoods in Chattanooga TN the Westside community South Chattanooga and East Chattanooga. SPLASH firmly believes in nurturing children's artistic journey from an early age and encouraging them to lead a creative life throughout their entire existence. To ensure quality instruction this project was overseen by 2 lead teaching artists and 4 additional teaching artists employing a specially designed rubric that assessed skill level comprehension and attitude or behavior. Spanning multiple locations the program took place at James A. Henry School an old disused building and extended to Calvin Donaldson Elementary School Brown Academy Chattanooga Parks and Recreation the Senior Center Sharon's adult daycare and Lynn's Playpen in East Chattanooga an area plagued by high crime rates and gang activities. Under the guidance of six professional Teaching Artists students found themselves in a professional art studio setting delving into the realms of drawing and painting. For many of these children it marked their inaugural exposure to the world of art thus granting them the opportunity to learn fundamental principles and techniques through a meticulous hands-on approach. The projects showcased a diverse range incorporating elements of Art History Culture various genres styles mediums and approaches to art creation.

Title: Art is for Everyone The only visual art class in the neighborhood Art is for Everyone reached 117 under-served kids with professional art training discovering and developing young underestimated and underserved mostly African American youth with free art training. The project takes place in an abandoned school building and a middle school located at the center of low-income housing changing lives by utilizing art as an agent of change. Mentoring is integrated into all classes as kids enter this different studio environment and as the kids gain more confidence through completing projects they learn to see themselves in a new positive light and start to get along with their peers. This project introduced many kids to making serious art for the first time. They worked with 6 professional exhibiting artists learning various skills about drawing or painting. Volunteers were present to help encourage and work with the young artists. They learned basic principles and techniques through an intricate and patient hands-on approach. They learned the proper way to hold utensils posture and mixing of paints and gained a larger vocabulary both artistically and literally. Studio Practice and production are very important and students pursue their ideas in a directed but patient way. After the project their art was framed and exhibited at AVA Gallery selling some $1500 worth of art with the kids receiving half of the sales.

Title: The Art Tank SPLASH an apprenticeship-based youth arts workshop believes that kids can begin their journey to becoming an artist early in life. SPLASH is the only visual art class in the neighborhood. The Tank an extension of our Entrepreneur program introduced the business of art to kids focusing on design fabrication quality control framing marketing and distribution of their work for exhibition and sales. The kids learn studio practice and get to make the connections between focus in the studio and reward at the end. For example we had an 11-year-old win a $200 first-place prize for her portrait in the National Craniofacial Society Art Contest Faces and four of our kids are exhibiting their art in Wuxi China. They are mentored in art practices as well as behavior collaboration skills studio and workplace etiquette critical analysis self-pride pricing display design salesmanship and all the things necessary for a successful career. Students learn every aspect of drawing including the physicality of making marks with dry or wet media ie. relaxation posture etc. All classes are taught in an apprenticeship style teaching studio practices helping individual kids find their voice.