Exciting News!!!

​I am thrilled to announce that I have received confirmation to beautify and create an outdoor installation piece that will become an inclusive garden for all of my students. A place where creativity, individuality, and the arts can grow & flourish! 

FORM: Inspired by Clas Oldenburg, I envision creating two dozen large sculptural color pencils to line the rusty chain-link fence that edges the outdoor rock space. Alike, I want to evolve the area by painting and transforming the rocks, planters, and benches into a colorful and creative outlet.  Finally, I intend to paint a few of the walls in a ‘Wynwood Walls’ inspired manner to adorn and solidify the presence of the fine arts on this portion of campus.

CONCEPT: My inspiration for this project was a ‘buddy bench’ that could be found on our playground. I thought that I could transform the quotidian of the open space looking onto my room into a ‘safe-place’ for artistic minds to flourish, explore, and feel accepted. My goal for this space was to alike, the buddy bench, fill avoid that a young artist may be feeling throughout the school day, on the playground, before school, or after school. I want my viewer to envision this garden to be their safe haven and a place where their imagination is allowed to run-free from that daily mundane tasks of life. Alike, I envision this installation piece to act as a monument to the finds arts at the school—which often gets forgotten or pushed aside by coding, computer programing, and the other technology programs that the school has to offer. My goal is that the garden will act as a reminder to all students, young and old, that the arts is not dead!

MATERIALS / METHOD: I intend to create two dozen six foot color pencils by using both wood & paint. I will seal the wood with a sealant that will provide a final sheen. Alike, I will be using both wall and spray to adorn the walls, rocks, and benches within the area. Most of the items for my installation piece already exist, however I want to evolve and transform it in a way that the area will become unrecognizable from its previous state.

LOCATION: The installation will take place in the empty rock garden and walls outside of my classroom. The walls are eight feet high and expanding thirty feet. At the same time, the rock garden covers the distance of twenty-five feet by fifteen feet. Please view the pictures of my desired location.

REFERENCES: Clas Oldenburg played a huge role in my inspiration for wanting to create a series of large-scale pencils. I want students to feel as if they are welcome to think ‘out of the box’.  The spiral jetty inspired me to want to design the rocks and acknowledge that over time with whether and people walking through them that the rocks will lose their color, assignment, and experience the natural wear and tear.

BUDGET: The cost for the project will be purchasing wood, wall paint, & spray paint. All the other items needed, already exist or can be found in nature.

TIMELINE: Step 1: Design & paint benches. Step 2: Cut, sand, & design wood pencils. Step 3: Paint wood pencils Step 4: Develop designs for walls Step 5: Paint the walls Step 6: Assemble Pencils Step 7: Place all painted rocks Step 8: Put finals touches on installation