Elegant Design by Kim: Third Graders, a Peace Pole and Rocks

I admire teachers. I don't envy teachers. They are overworked and underpaid and I was a (very willing) witness and participant today! I do know I'm not worthy! They deserve many more kudos than they probably get! I come from a family of public school educators/administrators. Thank you. You don't get enough credit!

Wow! What a day! I had the honor to spend the day at Ridglea Hills Elementary with awesome third graders, staffers, volunteers and my buddy! Not only that, but we were creating ... really! We did a collaborative art project which will become a permanent fixture at this school. Some day, these third graders will bring their children and show them, with pride, what they did as a child!

This is an awesome event and this was my second year to participate ... an HONOR!

Last year the theme was from The Lorax. My friend, Ann Winkler, painted the fun graphics on the windows last year. She and I each had a class last year with the kids and we had a blast! We were all too glad to say yes when we were asked to participate again this year.


Kim and Ann, 2013 Ridglea Hills Elementary Fine Arts Day

The parent's group goes all out - beyond what you can imagine! What a Fine Arts Day Committee! What great Parents and Grandparents! There are SO MANY volunteers! The work behind the scenes goes on for months before the actual event. The day of the event the entire school, inside and outside, is transformed and decorated. There are special tee shirts for the event, worn by the staff and volunteers. As the kids arrive in the morning they are greeted by the high school's drum line and cheerleaders, making sure the excitement grows and grows! It is very contagious, and the smiles pass around endlessly and easily!

This year, the theme is "Candy Land" - a fun idea! Again this year, Ann Winkler was asked, and of course, volunteered here time to paint the front entrance to the school in the Candy Land theme, and the result was fabulous! Ann is such a talented muralist and her artistry was much appreciated and loved by all!


2014 Candy Land Front Mural by Ann Winkler

This year, there was a twist for me! I asked my friend and studio-mate, Brandi, if she was interested in participating with me. I had been told by the parent group that they were interested in having something done that could become a "permanent" piece of donated art for the school. Brandi was quick with the idea of a "peace pole" ... a project that she had choreographed with a children's group in the past.

The idea ... obtain a rescued architectural piece ... a column that used to be a front porch feature. Construct it in a way that the kids could paint, and then make the piece a featured permanent art piece for the school. A cool idea, right? But a bit complex in the "getting it all together" part of the equation!

No worries ... Brandi took the bull by the horns, secured a column and a willing Dad (thanks J.R.) who put the column together for the class. Fast forward many phone conversations, planning meetings, list making sessions, loading of tools and products and double checking of said lists, and voila ... it all came together perfectly!

This is a picture of the peace pole, with rough sketches. The idea is for the kids to come to the pole in small groups. No rules, just pick up a brush and put your love and ideas in paint on the pole. While the others are waiting, they had river rocks at their stations, which they painted and turned into Friendship Stones. Keep the special stone and think about your friends. Or, give it to a friend. A "special", "magic" stone.


Peace Pole, ready for Artists

We had four groups of third graders. A VERY high point for me was the number of kids coming up to tell me that they still had their project from last year on their dresser, or their Mom's dresser, or something similar to that. It was special to me that they valued their talents and experience like I did! I teared up - have to say.

It was interesting to be with each group as they went through the process. There were those that were slow to start as though they needed to process and plan before they started on their rocks or the pole. Others were quick to pick up a brush, dip in in paint and plow through the process! Each group had just 20ish students, each an individual. Each a pleasure and a special opportunity to connect.

It's been awhile since I was in grade school ... just sayin'. The interactions of humanity, however, are still there. There was the rush to come in to the room as they were asked to take a seat at a table, which were set up in groups of four. They all rushed the chairs like a game of Musical Chairs. Posturing ... "I got there first". Bargaining ... "I want to sit by my friend". It is still happening. It was all pretty innocent and no blood was drawn! However, it does take me back! Each group of four was ... attentive, chatty, indifferent, polarized, focused ... an opportunity to view the world, one small table at a time! Did we all have fun? Indeed!

So, valuable? Beyond! These kiddos are the future. Each individual is shaped by their world ... our world. Was this a special day? I know it was!

A special day in for the adults, and we all hope, a special day for the kids. Art, in whatever shape it takes, is a gift. A comfortable spot in a day of stress. A connection for people who might not ever have another connection. An opportunity to connect, for a brief second collaborating on a piece, or as an ongoing piece of the relationship puzzle. The pride in a job well done ... the opportunity to be a part of history ... a participant in a permanent piece of art.

What memories will each of us take in our hearts? My hope is that all who came into our peaceful world, will take a piece of it and remember it from time to time. I hope that our love of each child and our desire to make it a positive experience will give them a tool to give their children a positive and creative experience.

Will our art ... our rocks and our peace pole ... make it into some famous art exhibit? Maybe, maybe not. But the value of it certainly is equal to any piece of art in any gallery!

One little girl told me in the beginning of our session ... "I'm not really very good at art". She was working on her stone. I told her to pick her favorite colors of paint, and just be free to put beautiful colors on her stone and it would be perfect! At the end of the class, I felt a tug. It was this precious girl. She asked whether I wanted to see her completed project ... the painted stone. Of course I said yes! It was beautiful ... she had done a nice job ... very delicate strokes of the brush and the overall effect was lovely! I danced a little and told her how beautiful it was. She said to me, "I didn't know I could do something so pretty". That is what it is all about! Imagine each child having the knowledge that what they did was good, great and more than enough to be a factor ... a FACTOR. We all have that "I'm not good enough" syndrome. The ability to know that you matter in the scheme of things ... that is what I would wish for all of our third graders! And our first through twelve graders!