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Teens created books with a basic binding process brought by guest artist Bonnie Alexander (Alexis' mother). Bonnie shared her own custom journal making process using mostly recycled/ salvaged materials.


Teens can continue to customize and decorate their own books and determine how they'd like to use them. Creating something for themselves to create their own ritual with, both at home and during programming.


Teens created an object that belongs to them and that can become whatever they would like it be to them.  E.g., Illustrated journal, journal, sketch book and so on.

 

Since the Fall I have shared my own illustrated books with the Teens, this is in part how this workshop came about. Members of the group expressed interest in beginning books of their own and I collaborated with my mother to offer this workshop. Altogether, 17 Teens and two of their facilitators started or completed making their books! This is a multi day workshop that we will continue with until everyone has had a chance to create their books.

To see documentation of my illustrated books follow this link: Vimeo.

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Since mid January I have been working with the Teens at Patterson High School to create portraits with them. In the process we are learning about scale, observation and representation. We discuss symbols and designs that represent characteristics of what illustrate who they are, what they would like people to know about who they are. And then design, draw the symbols around the background.

These workshops are ongoing, I continue to create the portraits and do parallel teaching with teens as I create them, either of them or while I paint their peers.

 

I love working with this group!

 

 

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On January 16th Mel Sturgis, Adriane Lee-Duff, myself and five of the teens that we work with at Patterson High School attended The Same Boat Poetry Slam event MICA Place.  This was a rewarding  organizing effort on behalf of my partnership with the Y facilitators at PHS. We worked together to get out the permission slips and transportation to and from the event. They were supportive in their work to help make this possible.

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As part of my AmeriCorps residency I partner with the Y of Central Maryland to offer dance and art workshops to High School Students enrolled in BOOST programing at Patterson High School and Dr. Rayner Browne Academy in East Baltimore.

 

This partnership was made possible through organizing with, my CAC advisor Frankie Gamber,  Kate Scherr of The Family League of Baltimore City and Eric Ford with the Y of Central Maryland and Community Schools. As mentioned here in a City Paper article by Andrea Appleton, in November:

 

"Ford has brought a variety of programs to Patterson, including a truancy court program that brings in volunteer judges to work with students who are often absent, and a “mini med school,” in which graduate students from the University of Maryland School of Medicine give guest lectures. On a recent school day, Ford was looking for hospital bed donations for the Certified Nursing Assistant program, which was short a few, and talking with a volunteer from the Maryland Institute College [MACA student Alexis Iammarino] of Art about a possible dance class incorporating the visual arts."

 

Additional and support with planning and facilitation comes from Adriane Lee-Duff, Site director/Y program director at Patterson High School and  Mel Strurgis, Y mentor and facilitator.

 

 

In January 2011, I began to facilitate large-scale human loom activities.

Please view my full gallery of photos, from this activity, on our MACA's group web presence. Also you may read more about the AmeriCorps residency with MACA.

Ford has brought a variety of programs to Patterson, including a truancy court program that brings in volunteer judges to work with students who are often absent, and a “mini med school,” in which graduate students from the University of Maryland School of Medicine give guest lectures. On a recent school day, Ford was looking for hospital bed donations for the Certified Nursing Assistant program, which was short a few, and talking with a volunteer from the Maryland Institute College of Art about a possible dance class incorporating the visual arts.
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