Editor's note

Arts & Activities, June, 2002 by Maryellen Bridge

It's time to "kick off" the summer--and this issue is designed to make it happen (with some help from Charlie Chaplin!). We have assembled for you perfect projects for this special time of year. A fun, fantastical way to begin is by sharing with your students the work of our Cover Artist, Red Grooms. Exuberant and full of life, Grooms' works will inspire and delight even the most jaded teen-age student. The projects that you can develop, using this artist's work, will challenge and excite your students to stretch their imaginations and experience the sheer fun of creating art with a sense of humor. Check the exhibition itinerary (page 24) to see if Red Grooms' work is coming to your town. If so, plan to take your students!

Our "Recycling Renaissance" will open you eyes to new possibilities for scraps and leftovers so abundant at the end of the school year. "The Book of Luck" (page 42) puts videotape cases to use; "Strange Creatures: An Additive Wood Sculpture Project" (page 43) utilizes wood scraps; and "Cereal Box Totems" (page 44) is self-explanatory.

"Dramatic Stained Glass" (page 28) will let the sun shine brilliantly into the art room, and "A View `Through'" (page 30) takes high-schoolers to the streets, as they create urban landscapes in the style of Ashcan artists Henri, Sloan, Bellows, Luks, Glackens and Hopper. Here, students get a real taste of what it's like to be an artist on the street--with passersby stopping to discuss the locations and the artworks. "Clay Corner: Wet and Wild" (page 46) explains how students can create their very own "froggy fountains" that will bubble and gurgle their way into your hearts.

With inspirational quotes from John Dewey and Viktor Lowenfeld, high-school students learn the value of collaboration and good citizenship in "Community Connections: Commitment and Artistic Expression" (page 26), and "On the Art Career Track: Car Art" (page 32) highlights a "racy" possibility for art students as they look toward their futures, with art providing their livelihood--or at least a fun hobby.

When this month's Young Artist, Anne Lindberg (page 41), lists photorealism as one of her favorite styles for her creative work (often combined with a loose, gestural drawing style), the magic of serendipity came to my mind: Just before her feature is a fine example of photorealism by artist Richard Estes, this month's Clip & Save Art Print: "Fairway" (page 38).

Again we are inviting readers to participate in our "It Works!" program. Please see page 4 for complete details. This is your chance to share with the Arts & Activities family how you have successfully used, adapted or expanded art experiences that you have read about in the magazine. We would sure love to hear from you.

Kick off the summer with the help of this array of art projects, lessons and feature articles--perfect for this special time of year. As you dive into these projects, and plan your curriculum for next year, be sure to use our "Guide to Summer Ordering" (page 54) to help you acquire the supplies and materials you will need. Have a great summer ... and see you in a couple of months!