Alexa Baldwin

Masks Around the World, Pomolita Middle School

This hands-on visual art project teaches students the history and significance of masks in dance, theater, and various cultural celebrations. Students create masks in a specific cultural style from a country explored in their academic curriculum, using plaster bandages, acrylic paint, feathers, glitter, fantasy jewelry, ribbon, etc.

Viviana Field

Web of Life, Round Valley Elementary School and Round Valley High School

Local flora and fauna are the inspiration for students to choose one and create a habitat for it, learning about the food chain, watershed, survival challenges, and adaptation. Older students learn basic anatomy by constructing realistic animal sculptures using clay and papier-maché.

Ada B. Fine

Art Adventures with Shape, Line & Color, Frank Zeek Elementary School, Grades 1–3

This project explores the visual elements of shape, lines, and color; visiting artist brings reproductions of master artworks to demonstrate these concepts. Students then work with shape, line, and color in creating a Matisse-inspired cut-paper collage. In another project, shape, line, and color are observed in natural habitats and landscapes, and students are taught to use oil pastels and watercolors to create their own masterwork.

Jessie Langston

Marching Bucket Drum Line, Whale Gulch School, Grades 9–12

Students learn the basics of marching to rhythm, listening and moving to a beat together in a group. They then learn basic drumming rudiments, and using sticks and warm ups, read basic rhythm notations and play rhythms in a group setting on five-gallon buckets. The class culminates in a performance at the local Halloween Fair.

Trudy McCreanor

Using Dance to Tell a Story, Multiple School Districts

Trudy McCreanor is artistic director of the Mendocino Ballet Company, which presented performances of “Alice in Wonderland” to schoolchildren throughout the county. Twenty to thirty dancers in full costume and makeup present these stories with original choreography, along with information about translating literature into dance, choreography, and other activities linking the performance to the students’ curriculum.

Cathleen Micheaels

Where the Wild Things Are, Arena Union Elementary School, K–8

This project is an extended artist residency of over thirty sessions of poetry writing and bookmaking, including accordion-slat, “dos-á-dos,” and triptych book structures, as well as decorative papers, prints, lettering and collages The project culminates with school-wide book exhibits and poetry readings at the annual Open House, Author’s Fair, and Family Arts Night.

Cathleen Micheaels

Arts Across the Curriculum, Anderson Valley Elementary School, Grades K–6

This poetry-writing and bookmaking project begins with the middle grades, and then moves on to the early grades with older students assisting younger ones. The focus of the poetry writing is on celebrating ordinary and not-so-ordinary animals, culminating in in-class reflections and a school-wide poetry reading and book exhibit.

Cathleen Micheaels

Where The Wild Things Are—Bringing Together Literary and Visual Arts Through Poetry Writing, Printmaking and Bookmaking! Willits Elementary Charter School

Professional development/teacher mentoring in hands-on art education.

Cathleen Micheaels

Where The Wild Things Are—Bringing Together Literary and Visual Arts Through Poetry Writing, Printmaking and Bookmaking! Coastal Adult School

Professional development/teacher mentoring in hands-on art education.

Blake More and Nelson Lunding

Honoring the Aural Tradition – Multimedia poetry through writing, speaking and performance, Mendocino Community High School

High school students experience a multidisciplinary approach to literature, spoken word and performance in this project, offering California Poets in the Classrooms instruction to incorporate writing with multimedia components such as audio recording, video illustration, animation, graphic art, and “web uploading.” Piano master Nelson Lunding provides live piano to accompany spoken-word and lyrical singing in the recording sessions.

Marie Pera

Creature from Where? at Calpella Elementary School, Frank Zeek Elementary School, Ukiah, Grace Hudson Elementary School, Ukiah, Oak Manor School, Ukiah, Yokayo Elementary School, Willits

Using nature study field trips and animal skulls, students learn to observe and then draw natural items with vine charcoal and then with colored pencil. Classes include color theory, composition, materials and technique, and information on the animal or plant itself, and its habitat.

Marie Pera

Drawing with Grace, Brookside Elementary School, Willits, and Willits Elementary Charter School

Children learn about the life and work of Ukiah painter Grace Hudson, and drawing and painting techniques she used. They then create their own watercolor from still life. Color theory and materials techniques are included as students learn to be painters themselves.

Elizabeth Raybee

Peace Path Mosaic, Frank Zeek Elementary School, Grades K–6

This project involves construction of an outdoor mosaic pathway. Students begin to learn ceramics, making tiles, mosaics and concrete settings. The “peace path” becomes part of the students’ outdoor activities area.

Artist in the Spotlight

Event Spotlight

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats

March 30
at Arena Theater
in Point Arena.