Source: https://www.mosleyart.com/parentsguardians
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 08:54:37+00:00

Document:
Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held on Wed., Feb. 13th from 4 - 7 pm. A Sign Up Genius link will be emailed directly from the school. I look forward to seeing you then!
​Please visit the OPPORTUNITIES page to review the many opportunities that your child can participate in, including classes and contests (see the dropdown menu). Many of the contests come with cash prizes! A summer travel opportunity for 2020 is forthcoming, stay tuned!
The Night of the Dragon auction is coming up on Saturday, February 23rd. We count on the annual proceeds to fund Art Department needs. We will again be offering a "Surrealist Parlor Game and Dessert Party." If you'd be willing to bake a dessert for this fun event, please let me know.
Speaking of both contests AND funding... Did you know that we have a NEW CLAY STUDIO??!! The renovation of an existing space to house our collection of 7 potter's wheels was funded by the Visual Arts Boosters (VAB) AND the proceeds of a contest won by a student. Art 2 made good use of the new studio last quarter. Come by and see it sometime!
Speaking of the VAB... we'd still love your membership! Our goal is to have each art-family represented but we are not there yet. Many thanks if you have joined us! You can learn more about the VAB and its many activities and offerings on the website.
Our annual Youth Art and Music (YAMM) event will be held on March 7th @ 6 - 9 pm. Each student will have art on display, the music/choral students will entertain us, and there will be food and drink to enjoy. This year, as a special treat, you will be able to paint panels of a mural to be installed outside the Bluestone entrance. Artist, Colleen Phelon Hall has been working with the students to design and execute this collaborative mural, which highlights Maggie L. Walker and her many accomplishments (go to her website to learn more).
IMPORTANT!!! Course selection for next year is coming up soon. I hope that every Art 2 student will be moving to Art 3 - and that every Art 3 student will be moving to Art 4. This is the time when they really begin to thrive as artists! Art 3 is an intermediate/advanced course that prepares the students for the independent work that they will do in Art 4/5. Art 4 is combined with Art 5 and all Art 4/5 seniors will spend the year creating a body of work to be displayed at a professional gallery, off-campus, at the end of the year. It's a truly amazing process to watch as the students grow and develop their own artistic voices. Of course students can also enroll in Digital Art, Art History (VCU/8 credits), Photography (VCU/3 credits), and Film Studies (VCU/3 credits). You can download a 4 Year Visual Art Planner below.
Continued enrollment in art also allows for entry to the National Art Honor Society (NAHS). Applications for this service organization will be accepted in April. Active involvement in the Art Club is a stepping-stone to the NAHS and students are always welcome to join. The Art Club meets on the 4th Wed. of each month. Details about both NAHS and Art Club can be found HERE.
I know that was A LOT. Thank you for reading. Thanks also for your continued support. Do not hesitate to contact me with any questions that you might have.
Filling out the Art-Parent/Guardian Contact & Information Form (below). I try to send quarterly emails with news and announcements and would like these communications reach everyone.
Checking this website to see what we are up to: 1) The Home page has a welcome/information message for both you and your child; 2) Your child's class page (ART 2 or ART 3) contains their weekly agenda, curriculum and project information, and lots of additional resources; 3) and the OPPORTUNITIES page has information about exciting classes and special programs, including information about Contests and Travel.
Asking your child about what they are doing and learning, what homework should be in-process (and helping them to manage their time if needed), and any other questions that would encourage a dialogue about art and the place art has in your child's life and education.
Supporting the Visual Arts Boosters (VAB). Our goal is to have 100% art-parent/guardian participation. The easiest way to get involved is to make a donation, which helps to support unique art programming and special events and opportunities for Maggie Walker artists. There are also committee positions (both large and small), organizational meetings, and parties! The first meeting of the year is on Sept. 19 @ 5:30 - 6:30 pm in the art room (#131).
"Liking" Maggie Walker Arts on Facebook (see icon @ top right). We share school/art-related information and many exciting opportunities for the students to take advantage of.
Emailing me at any time with any questions or concerns.
Fun is thinking differently than you do in other classes.
Fun is exploring art materials like pencil, ink, clay, paint, and mixed media.
Fun is looking at art up close and personal at local art galleries and museums.
Fun is working in your sketchbook.
Fun is a focused and thoughtful mind (and one that can imagine and brainstorm).
Fun is taking risks (even when it means failure).
Fun is growing from those risks in a way that you wouldn't otherwise grow.
Fun is exploring art history.
Fun is making connections between art and your other classes.
Fun is learning a whole new language - a "visual language."
​Fun is gaining the confidence to do things you never thought that you could do.
Fun is challenging yourself to solve visual problems unlike anyone else would.
Fun is working in a room that buzzes with energy, bright colors, and student ideas.
If all that sounds like FUN then YES, we are having it! If it sounds like WORK then YES, it is. Learning anything takes work and art is no exception. Remember, there's a reason why what we make is called "artwork." It's definitely not easy and it takes a great deal of time, work, and practice to make it. Why can't work also be fun?
If your student is still wrestling with all that high school has plopped on their plate, then give it time. The fun will come when the dust settles and the confidence builds.
Feel free to roam the hallways to see the FUN we've been having!
"Through a large-scale, random-assignment study of school tours to the museum, we were able to determine that strong causal relationships do in fact exist between arts education and a range of desirable outcomes. Students who, by lottery, were selected to visit the museum on a field trip demonstrated stronger critical thinking skills, displayed higher levels of social tolerance, exhibited greater historical empathy and developed a taste for art museums and cultural institutions."
So, Your Son or Daughter Wants to be an ART Major!

References: Art 2
 Art 2
 Art 3
 Art 3
 Art 4
 Art 3
 Art 4
 Art 4
 Art 5
 Art 4
 ART 3