East Meck Art Boosters

Harris Teeter VIC links

Last year, 121 supporters linked their Harris Teeter VIC cards to EM Art Boosters #6084. 

We're hoping for even more support this year.

Please help by linking yours!  Remember, you can link up to five codes, so if you've

already linked your card, just add our number as well!

 (East Meck has 4 different codes, so be sure to link to "Art Boosters" as one of your choices!)

To link your card, simply ask a cashier to do so at checkout or you may link it online:  https://www.harristeeter.com/default.aspx?pageId=32

 Can you help?

Throughout the year, the items below are the things the teachers need most for their classrooms. 

See the Items Needed page for a complete "wish list"  

Kleenex (for the comfort of our students w/colds or allergies)

Liquid soap to refill smaller bottles

Erasers

Pencils

Regular (1 inch) or Wide (1.5 inches) masking tape - the stickier the better!

Visit Artsonia.com

East Mecklenburg has a gallery of students' art on artsonia.com. http://www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=6761

Click on "view past exhibits" to see samples of student work from years past.  This site allows visitors to leave comments for the artists.  If your student is new to the art department at East Meck, he/she will receive instructions on how to register with Artsonia after his/her artwork is published.  Parents must register with artsonia.com to approve the comments before they are posted online.   If you have questions about how to register, please email artboosters@hotmail.com. 

At artsonia.com, you may order a variety of items with your student's art work on them.  These make great gifts! 

Once you register, you have the option of uploading photos of your student's art work into a personal gallery. 

East Meck IB, Art III, and AP Art Students Visit the Mint Museum of Art

East Meck students explore answers to the question:

How does contemporary art mirror aspects of our society and culture?

 Students arrive at the Mint Museum of Art

On Tuesday, November 13^th, students and teachers visited the Mint Museum for an afternoon of inquiry into the meaning and function of contemporary art.   Their experience began in the Mint Museum’s auditorium with a presentation by a professional printmaker from Chapel Hill, Bill Fick.  Using slides and actual samples of his artwork, Mr. Fick gave an informative and detailed presentation on how his artwork is inspired by current events, media images, and his personal experiences.  In the Q&A session that followed, students asked so many substantive questions that there was not time to answer them all.  Clearly the students were engaged in the presentation and eager to find out more about contemporary art from a working artist.

Pictures of the auditorium moments before the presentation.

  Bill Fick’s prints

Following the presentation by Bill Fick, the students and teachers viewed the Contemporary, Cool and Collected exhibit, featuring 60 works from private collectors. 

This exhibit is on display at the Mint Museum through December 30, 2007.

  Students viewed the exhibit with journals in hand, lingering at some works more than others.

Contemporary artists sharing their talents and inspiration with East Meck students  

November 14-16, 2007: Following their visit to the museum, students enjoyed sessions conducted by Bill Fick at East Meck.  He talked to the IB Civic/Social Studies class about political themes in his work and he instructed advanced/IB art classes on using linocut print technique to create personal icons or logos inspired by significant events in their lives.  Below are pictures of the artist demonstrating his craft and students starting on their own designs.

Student linocut print proofs

December 3-7, 2007:  Terry Schupbach-Gordon, a professional book artist, explored with IB and advanced art students how combining words and images create cultural symbols or ideas. Cultures share a language; words as symbols make culture readable or understandable. How these symbols are manipulated by combining images with words takes into account the individual and his or her role in shaping culture.

 Students carve wood blocks

 Terry Schupbach-Gordon, demonstrates print-making

Students created their own artists books containing symbolic imagery and words.

Students made artist-books using a collection of wood-block prints from fellow students.  In each hand-made book,

the book plate says: "The images and collection of words are a response to a poem by Mary Oliver and the writing of Arundhati Roy"

December 7-13, 2007:  Ellen Kochansky, a professional craft and fiber artist, explored with IB and advanced art students individual and material culture. Within a consumer culture, society squanders resources which will later prove to be valuable. Ellen's artwork elevates discarded materials, or "cultural compost," and imbues them with new cultural meanings. Students used commonplace, discarded materials in a mixed media artwork.

Students select cultural compost for their silk organza collages

student collages

Ultimately, Ellen will challenge students’ assumptions about the material consumer culture and reconsider the value of objects as cultural artifacts which are connected to individual identities.

Guest artist, Ellen Kochansky

 East Mecklenburg High school is grateful for an ArtsTeach grant, funding this unique learning experience for our students in conjunction with the Mint Museum of Art’s Contemporary, Cool and Collected Exhibition.  The program will culminate in a display of artwork in a Student Artist (STAR) Gallery exhibition, student panel discussion, and reception at the Mint Museum of Art in March 2008.

Congratulations, Ms. George!

Marilyn George received the 2007-08 Ester Page Hill Award at the North Carolina Art Education Association Professional Development Conference on November 2 in Wilmington.  This award is in appreciation of and recognition for outstanding commitment and exemplary service to Art Education in the state of North Carolina, especially for the introduction of multi-ethnic and multi-cultural concerns into the art classroom.  Ms. George provides her students with opportunities to study the art of many countries and cultures, and incorporates lessons related to international art forms into her Crafts and IB Art classes.

News Flash!

East Meck Art Boosters received its ruling from the IRS.  It is officially a tax exempt 501(c)(3) public charity.  All contributions are tax deductible!