NIAD at last!

Hello everyone! At last I am joining the blog team because after a slow start I am finally working at my site! In order to work at NIAD, I had to get a TB test as well as my fingerprints scanned, and after waiting for about two months for the fingerprint results I started to get a little nervous that there was something on my record I didn't know about. Fortunately I got the results, all is well, and I've finished up my third week of work. 

For anyone who doesn't know, NIAD (National Institute of Art and Disabilities) is a visual arts center designed to assist adults with developmental and other disabilities. The center is set up like a giant studio, providing lessons, materials, and space for painting, drawing, ceramics, textiles, printmaking, jewelry, and sculpture. There is an onsite gallery as well as offsite exhibitions that give the artists opportunities to display and sell their work. By showing their work, the artists gain a sense of pride and self esteem that they may not be getting else where, while simultaneously earning money.  Not a bad deal.

So far, I have just been getting to know everyone at NIAD, and really loving this process. There is such a wide range of artistic styles and amazing personalities,  I am continually blown away and inspired by every person I talk to or observe. Some people are very independent while others benefit from more assistance. I have been helping wherever I feel I am useful. Sometimes this just means finding materials and helping to get people excited about creating something or giving some personal feedback on art in progress. Other times, it means sitting down with one individual and physically assisting them with an aspect of their work. NIAD has a pretty tight budget, so I'm looking around for materials that they have but don't use a lot of and brainstorming some projects that can utilize these. After winter break, I'm planning on starting something, possibly collaborative,  that anyone can participate in on the days I am there. I'll keep you all posted....

I feel like I can go on for a while now that I've started, but I think that's going to be all for now. I do have to say, I encourage anyone who has not been to NIAD to stop by and check it out sometime. I can guarantee you will leave happier. 

fun at mocha

hey fellow CSF's just stopping by to say that so far working at mocha has been great, I get to do a number of different jobs and its a great way to end off my week. Well I hope all is well with the rest of you, have fun at your cites!! 

Out of Site

hello there cca friends,

i am starting on my third week at the out of site (www.outofsite-sf.org) youth arts center. i hang out in the office and work on design and marketing, collaborate with youth artists, and generally support the hard-working staff. beth is the ed, susie coordinates student programs, leah coordinates faculty programs, and rahn is a program assistant. besides that a pretty steady flow of students, art teachers, and TAs flow through the small, tidy office.

out of site is a non-profit that provides serious art education to interested high school students. all the classes are free. it is really this simple, beautiful model. they work out of a high school in a working class neighborhood and serve kids who would otherwise never get a chance to learn about architecture or black and white photography.

right now we are all gearing up for the fall celebration - twice a year out of site hosts a big performance and exhibition of their youth artists at the somArts cultural center. this one is happening on december 11, 6:30pm and anyone is welcome to attend. the invite that a youth artist (katherine) and i collaborated on is posted above, and here is the back:














it feels good to be in a high school and see kids that are so fresh. hearing how they speak and carry themselves and interact with me. it is all fascinating. it is like there is this layer that has grown up around our brains and bodies that just doesn't exist for these kids yet 'cause they are too young.

one of my idealist complaints is the segregation by age in our society. i primarily spend all my time with other twenties and thirties people. which is great too but i think we miss out on so much by only rarely being around older people or kids and teens. and visa versa of course.

anyways, that is all for now. mark the fall celebration on your calendar - looking/listening to what these young artists are making is super important to our own practices and to simply understand what it is like to grow up in this city.

bye,
sarah

Interning at the Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC)

Hello fellow bloggers!

I've started up a fresh semester interning at the Bay Area Video Coalition (also known as BAVC). The Bay Area Video Coalition is a non-profit production company that works with film makers of all ages and levels of expertise by offering classes and equipment. The division I work within, called "The Factory," works specifically with high school students who have the desire to make films. These students do not have the necessary resources available to them within their schools; by applying to be apart of The Factory they are expressing their desire to make films with others who share the love of film making. 

My job within The Factory is to work with the students in any way possible. This means I have a variety of tasks on any given day, which makes for an exciting and constantly evolving position. Past tasks have included critiquing student films; helping with edits of films; finding film festivals; and finding information on colleges that have undergrad film departments for the BAVC students.

So why is this job so great? Well, as a graduating senior within the media art's department, I am able to share my knowledge and experience with younger students. I am able to pass along a college point of view to high school students who are about to enter college to focus on film and video. Not only does this help them, but it helps me too. Their volunteered dedication to what they love is constantly inspiring and refreshes my perspective.

This is a fairly straightforward post; just a little introduction into what I do within my Community Student Fellows (CSF) position and who I am as a CCA student. More specifics to come next time! Until then, keep blogging!

Cheers,

Melissa

EOCL-Story Telling

Hello Everyone,

The story-telling has finally happened, and it was very touching to hear everybody talk.
While I am not proficient in Spanish, I was able to understand most of what people were saying. We interviewed nine people, and there were two more stations. There were art activities in the main hall, but I wasn't able to participate because I was busy recording.
At our DIY(Do It Yourself) video interviewing station we had mostly Latino families. Carlos was assisting me with the equipment, and he did all the asking of the questions in Spanish.
The stories were very reveling of how Latino immigrants view East Oakland and what are their dreams for the future. The melancholy for their home villages and towns, and the aspirations with which they came to this country- for their children to become educated and engaged citizens.
While I could write about their stories, I will instead keep posting some of the videos so you can see for yourselves. Sorry, you all have missed some incredible people and some really good soul-food, and I have missed the meeting at the Center.
The first video interview is actually with the principal of the Encompass Academy Minh-Tram-Nguyen.


Thanks Blaz

Far West is the BEST

I just recently started working at Far West High School right across the street from the Oakland CCA campus. At first I did not know what to expect. I have to admit, the graffiti used to decorate the school was a little intimidating. However once I started working I immediately fell in love with the school because of the kids that I encounter in Tonia Herrero's art classes.

I am a teacher's assistant for Tonia's Art I, Digital Photography, and Fashion Classes. Although the photography lab is not set up at Far West, the kids are content with working with Tonia in the classroom to create other projects. Recently the kids have been working on personal and Far West H.S. logos that they create using stencils and later spray paint onto paper and t-shirts. Through this project I was able to learn about some of the students individual personalities that were seen in their shirts. After the shirts were completed Tonia organized a class critique. Here we discussed composition, content, and color. It was interesting to see what each student had to say regarding each topic. The students were more interested in the content of each t-shirt and how each logo represented their school.

It is nice to be part of a community that is happy with what they are involved in. The community of students in Tonia's art class all want to be there. Often students stay after school to work on art projects with Tonia instead of going home. At Far West I am able to see what it means to reach out to a community through art.

First Day

Well- at last I was able to experience what being at Rock paper scissors Collective is like while "on the job". The place is cool,they have a gallery, zine library, retail spot for artist stuff and workshops throughout the month. I learned a bit about quickbooks-for purchases/receipts, and about the logistics of the place-I think I really want to propose a cca related art party/reception there-so if yall in the market for a venue, i have a possibliity!

starting fresh at...

Three weeks ago I started working at Washington High School in Fremont with Todd Elkin. In this initial stage, I have been observing how Todd sets up his classroom and implements projects– basically, his teaching process. I am getting to know the students more and more as I discuss their work with them individually and help guide them both in problem-solving and building technique. It took me a moment to wrap my head around what it’s like to be in high school again. Indeed, a switch from Creative Arts Charter School (K-8) in San Francisco that I’ve been working at these past two years with Leslie Keir. I’ve totally become attached to my old site and miss them, but I’m also really looking forward to get to know and work with the Washington HS community.

Todd & I brainstormed on some key focus goals for me this semester in my teaching practice:
*Scaffolding learning (in general)
*Teaching about the understanding of visual language/ becoming visually literate
*Successful implementation of Teaching for Understanding and Studio Habits of Mind teaching frameworks
*Writing lesson plans
*Classroom management

It used to be- and kind of still is a little -awkward for me looking particularly young & working with high school students because, well, I look like I could go to the high school I work at! However, there are also positive aspects to being a young teacher/mentor, in that I find students can relate to me openly. Students have been asking me about what college is like, art school specifically, and about working in the arts (for example, a student asked me today: is it difficult to make a living as an artist?). Well, I’m happy to be someone they can freely ask questions and I hope I’m being helpful.

Also, I do appreciate this blog form of documentation– it's a good tool to represent our process and make our learning visible. Looking forward to share teaching & learning experiences with all of you.
Cheers to a wonderful rest of the semester… Good Luck with midterms!

And as our dear Sonia writes,
In Peace

East Oakland Community Library

Hello Everyone,

I have been holding of from writing, because there really is not much to say for now.

Mostly my working days consist of organizing various aspects of the EOCL project.

Together with Rene we are preparing for the digitizing event, which is on the 25th of this month. Sorry, I am not going to see you at the next colloquium.

I've reserved video equipment, a digital camera for the documentation, and I am still looking for a scanner. Rene is arranging for local organizations like 'Youth Uprising' and 'Youth Radio' to commit to attend and participate. I am looking forward to actually interact with the people from East Oakland, hear their stories, and see all the different materials that they are going to bring. As a test I shot a short video interview with my friend. It is compressed so it can be viewed on line and we will still determine the final compression rate. Also, I am still working on getting wireless system set up for the event.

Thank you for now, and I will keep you posted .

Blaz

Claremont Middle School

First, I have to say, I hate computers. But it is nice to be able to potentially view the progress of all of the CSF'ers work through out the year. Here is what I have been doing over at the Attitudinal Healing Connection in West Oakland...

I am working in the office as the Exhibition Coordinator, both for the traveling exhibition and for this year's culminating exhibition that will happen at the end of the OUSD school year. I am in charge of taking the art work (done by k-12 students in the OUSD) from last school year and finding galleries and other exhibition spaces to hang their work. I am also in charge of organizing this year's exhibition which includes everything from finding a venue, gathering the art work, promoting and throwing a great show!

I am also co-teaching a Fashion Design class at Claremont Middle School. My class's work will manifest itself as a fashion runway show at the exhibition. So far, we have been dealing with a lot of tough issues in my class of all girls, and have hardly been able to focus on fashion at all. This week we are having the girls participate in a Racial Healing Circle in order to address some intense issues that the girls are experiences. The idea is to heal these issues, and break down the barriers that have been preventing us from doing any work. Hope all goes well...