aS MOST OF Y'ALL KNOW, ART TEACHERIN' IS A FULL TIME, YEAR ROUND KINDA GIG. AND ALTHOUGH THE SCHOOL YEAR MAY END IN JUNE, THE ARTISTS AT JWJ KEEP ON CREATIN ALL SUMMA LONG!
Meera, Lily, and William walked around Hemming Park to promote for our program and boast about the recently completed "Project Brush Up" wall we finished the month before. We had visitors of all ages at our tent. They were given the option to either keep their mosaics or donate them to the next public art project project we create downtown. Everyone had a super fun time and we represented!!!
The first inaugural ...
JWJ "PUBLIC ART PARTICIPATION CELEBRATION!"
We watched a slideshow of all the memories that were created, ate a fabulous lunch, mingled, and listened to some inspiring student artist speakers (Major thanks to Iyanna, Meera, and Camden!!!)
The Ritz was so excited to have our party there that we even got a private guided tour of the museum's permanent installation collections! We learned about how James Weldon Johnson and his brother, John Rosamund, wrote the song, "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" which is now so celebrated that it is often referred to as the 'Black National Anthem'. He was a truly inspiring man with so many accomplishments! After our tour, we were given permission to walk around the gallery, and check out the temporary exhibit, "Through Our Eyes". All of the students were impressed and moved by the artwork in this group show and its' content. 'Through Our Eyes' theme is "Journey to South Africa: A Cultural Exchange." It's a collaboration between Jacksonville African American artists and artists from our Sister City, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, addressing the subject of Struggle and Resistance. |
Needless to say, it was a party that will go down in the books for every artist who attended! Yay, ART!