Gallery Night (May ‘09)
Over the last several weeks, students at Fall Creek have been shaping clay tiles into their own individual creations, firing them, and preparing them for permanent exhibit.
This year Fall Creek received an IPEI grant which allowed the school to bring in Renata Wadsworth, a local potter, to work for 2 weeks with Caitlin Baxter and all of the students at Fall Creek. (In past years IPEI, Ithaca Public Education Initiative, grants have helped fund a variety of programs at Fall Creek including the Elementary School Art Fair and the Community Dance.)
Before Renata came, Caitlin worked with each class on designing 6″x 6″ tiles, each with the theme “Our Caring Ways.” The children thought about how they care for themselves, others, and their world. Then they pictured their concept on a full-color paper “plan” for their tile. Renata taught the second through fifth graders how to texture and build up the surface of the tiles before bisque firing them. Everyone used glaze to bring their ideas to life.
On May 7th there will be a Gallery Night, where the tiles will be displayed for the Fall Creek community. A PTA committee is helping organize the exhibition, which will be accompanied by student musicians. Beth Kujawa is the PTA Coordinator for the event. Caitlin and Renata are also working with the architects planning our school’s improvements in order to come up with a way to permanently incorporate the tiles into the walls of our foyer.
Have ideas or want to help?
Contact Gallery Night Coordinator Beth Kujawa at gallery@fallcreekpta.org