...And So It Ends, My Internship Adventure with Zootown Arts!

        How do sum up my summer's internship with the Zootown Arts Community Center? That is tough. I showed up at the ZACC seeking out this opportunity back in May, not knowing what to expect; and I leave this internship part of (I hope) the funky fun ZACC family within the center's doors. What a fantastic creative source and outlet for Missoula residents and passersby! I've met people from all walks of life, while just sitting in the ceramics room clear coating bisque ware. I loved and took so much away from this experience.

        First, I'd like to thank UM's School of Art Director, Professor Julia Galloway, for allowing me this opportunity to way to further my education and helping to support the expedited manner in which I am pursuing it.  Second, I would like to thank Kia Liszak, Linds Sanders and Lindsey Weber for welcoming me into the ZACC crew so warmly and allowing me to grow and learn. Lastly, I'd like to thank my mom, Sue Facklam, a lifelong educator with EON'S (haha....had to, Mom) of dealing with kids under her belt, for the instructional guidance pertaining to the camps.

        I've learned several things through this summer's experience. I helped with 8 of the 12 summer camps so far this summer and each one was a learning experience. I would say the biggest thing I've learned from working with the campers is the HUGE diversity within the ages 6-12! Oh my goodness! MANY days they had me worn down. A classroom with several different ages in it has to be handled a certain way, and I found out quickly (also a HARD learned lesson my first week of Flagship last semester) that a strong and clear foundation of guidelines and structure had to be Lesson Number I! A "funny" also--I learned eight different ways to get a room full of loud, boisterous children quiet! Each instructor had his/her own little trick but used a lot of silent hand movements, in general. I also learned that the most powerful game to play with this age group which induces instant cooperation, creativity, focus and a usually much needed reprieve from the chaos of the campers is...THE QUIET GAME! It saved me a few days...just those few minutes of utter silence were almost therapeutic enough to get me through the rest of the day!

       I absolutely loved working with the kids though. It's amazing how beautiful un-jaded creativity can be. They haven't been told how to think, or that drawing/sculpting/acting perfectly is the only right way to do it...as many adults are conformed to thinking. Just free creativity. It was very enlightening and so very refreshing. They are given a general direction and the rest just flows, and they are EXCITED! Excited to make, create, perform, and just explore the learning! I know without a doubt, now more than ever, that this is what I want to do. I want to watch that look of wonder followed by the  concentrated look of determination in making an idea come to fruition...I want to help that wonder blossom for the rest of my career... (And, then I'll figure out what I want to be when I grow up. Haha!) 

       Aside from all of the classroom instructional learning, I started to learn how correctly to load the kiln, which isn't as easy as just "loading the kiln." I was moving into Step 2, or 30 (depending on how you look at the steps) of kiln instruction when the ZACC's kiln had a malfunction. It's currently waiting for parts. But, I've got the gist and, as Pam told me, she's been loading kilns for years, and kiln is different in how it runs, so you just have to learn how each one operates individually, concerning the settings and what not. I also learned in all of this that I find working with ceramics incredibly meditative. I loved working with all the kiddos, but I also really enjoyed my many hours of clear coating all of the glazed bisque-ware in preparation for the kiln firings. I also helped with teaching the Boys and Girls Club classes at the Burn Street Bistro twice, as well as helping with several different events throughout the summer, all of which were fantastic community events with tons of interaction. The ZACC booth/set-up was almost always the most attended because really, who doesn't want to stop and just make a quick art project on the fly!?

           I really want to reiterate how much I learned from a few of the instructors. What an absolutely unique experience to watch so many different teaching styles within a period of two months! The ZACC was such a tremendous opportunity for me. A real mentor, Pam was an absolute joy to work with and so patient and knowledgeable with the kids. She offered me a job working for the Sussex school's after-school program, and I am definitely going to try to make that work with my schedule, as well as trying to fit in doing the YAAP program (The ZACC's after-school art program.)  So many amazing options have been born from this internship and I am grateful for them and for everything I've learned.

       I will close out my internship blog here with a hearty thanks to all, gratitude for new friends, appreciation for lessons learned, and admiration for the creativity shared by all of the kiddos. It has been a very rich experience. I worked 24 days and a total of 92 hours with the ZACC and I wouldn't trade a day or an hour of it!  "Inspire. Connect. Create." 

All the best!

Katie

Pottery Camp with Pam Ward!

       



          I have to say that of all of the camps I've helped with this summer (almost all of them), this camp was the most rewarding and fun for me. I had the absolute pleasure of working with an awesome educator/motivator in Pam Ward. She taught an incredibly engaging week-long course in pottery. The kids made several different projects ranging from dinner plates to coil/pinch pots and theme sculpture pieces. They did a fantastic job and were motivated to "make" and were very helpful towards each other and Pam and me in the classroom. She creates an excellent atmosphere for experiencing learning that is something I can only hope/strive to achieve in my own art education quest.

Here are a few pictures of some of the kids who were in the pottery camp and their works!

 Here we have Kin'la and Sonja hard at work! They are putting the finishing touches on their handmade dinner plates. Such diligent workers! :)

 A sampling of the campers' dinner plates.

 The entire second shelf is chock full of campers' works ready to be clear-coated and fired!

 Pinch pots!!

 It's the last day and they are having their pottery feast. (They are supposed to be using their own plates, which a kiln  malfunction prevented, but they were super sports about just having the feast!)

 Everyone say, "Whoohoo for pottery camp!!"

Some of our silly and sweet pottery camper faces; McKenna, Jayne and Silas!!!

 

 



More Camp Catch Up!!

This is a sampling of our Sculpture and Installation Camp. Fantastic!

Carly was kind enough to show off her camp's work for me!

Here is are few shots from the Northside/Westside Block Party hosted by the ZACC. I didn't get very many pictures, but it was a hopping event. Different bands played all day; numerous food booths served the crowd; several local artists had displays, and there were tons of activities for everyone! Participants enjoyed screen printing, a bouncy castle, face painting, sidewalk art, walk by sculpture art and many more items for passersby to participate in! All in all, a very successful event!

This was a group of tumblers who were entertaining the crowd throughout the day!

Gina, one of the ZACC's loyal volunteers, enjoys the band at the end of her shift. 

Of course, I had to partake in the face painting, for advertisement purposes?? Haha...it was a fun event to work! 

African Dance Camp

I've got pictures here for everyone to see from several different camps, and from the Northside/Westside Block Party as well as one of the sessions taught at the Boys and Girls Club!

So, I'll be doing a little bit of catch up with pictures in the next few blogs! So enjoy!

First, here is a video of just one of the fun things the kiddos learned in their African Dance Camp. They made their own costumes and learned four different tribal dances and songs. :) Enjoy!

 

And, here are some candids of the kids dancing!

 

They had so much fun. The wrist rattles were super cool as well as their homemade shirts, and parents got to come for the final performance on Friday!! Here is McKenna, our super-camper, and her dad! She's been in almost all of the ZACC's summer camps! We love that girl!

 



 

 

Whew!! Whirlwind Summer!!

Hey guys! I've had a few friends and family ask me what I've been up too with the ZACC in the last week and a half! So, I'm sending a teaser...

I've compiled some great photos, and even a VIDEO from the kids' African Dance Camp from their final performance, and it is fantastic!!  I've also learned how to fire pottery in the kiln!! I'm so excited about this...it was my main goal while working at the ZACC, and I'm getting some awesome tutelage from Linds, the ZACC's fireMASTER! While, I'm still a total rookie at this delicate art, I'm so excited to finally have my foot in the door on this learning process.

This week's camp is working with the Missoula Urban Development (MUD), and is painting a mural on one of their tool sheds, and have learned how to make recycled paper with flowers embedded in it...a total hit with the kids. :) 

Also, we're working on our Boys and Girls club free art classes on site on Thursday's, so that has been fun. On Saturday, the 20th, is the East Side/West Side Block Party hosted by the ZACC, but it is going to be a HUGE event for the whole city. Tons of food and beer vendors will be there, not to mention the events, music, free art projects, presentations and fun!! So, if anyone is around here and wants to stop by, please do! It'll be a blast. You can find me at the ZACC information table from 4-6 pm. I'll tell you everything you need to know!

So, there's a quick teaser for you! Sorry for the delay, family--those other classes are keeping me hopping!  More to come soon by way of visual satisfaction!

Until then...have a great rest of your week!

Katie

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!

         I hope everyone is enjoying their 4th of July Independence Day celebration, today!  I haven't written for a while...my apologies! I've been really busy and have been collecting some pictures for you guys to enjoy. So, I'll be hitting you with quite a few different photos of classes, things I've been up too and the ZACC itself!

        The picture above is a gift to the ZACC from the Intro to Acrylics summer camp two weeks ago! It looks FANTASTIC! The kids really enjoyed this camp and made a lot of really unique paintings. They studied and painted everything from still life to abstract. It was a pretty awesome camp.

NEXT WEEK...The morning campers will be studying and performing African Dance! At the end of their week they are going to put on a performance. I'm going to be getting pictures of them in their homemade masks and outfits!  And the afternoon campers will be working on Art Installations and Sculpture. I can't wait to see what all they do. I'll be helping with the afternoon class as I work from noon to 5:00, so I'm hoping to share some sweet installation and sculpture shots with you guys from that camp.

So, as promised in the last blog, here are some pictures of the Fun with Felt and Dye camp creations. Again, Melissa did a fantastic job with this camp and I was absolutely amazed at what the kids made. So, here is their felt "show" that is currently on display in the ZACC!

 

 

Aren't these awesome!?!?

 

Two weeks ago the morning camp was Art Projects Inspired by Famous Artists.  Here is a picture of their "show" that is on display in the ZACC. They studied several artists, and then were asked to choose three favorites and do their own work modeled after the style of the famous artists they'd chosen. A few examples of the artists they studied are Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, Pablo Picasso and Georgia O'Keefe.

 

 



 

So, I realized that many of you that have been emailing me and Facebooking me about my blog haven't actually been to the ZACC, so I have taken some pictures to show you the facility a little bit so you can see where I've been working! The first posted picture is the front desk area; so when you walk in you're greeted by that big awesome painted sign the campers made for us!  Then, you'll take a right and walk down the hallway posted above that has all of our Felters' work posted...then further down the hallway past our Artist study works posted directly above...and then you walk into our CERAMICS STUDIO!! 

Behold:

 

 

Sorry the pictures are so small!  Yikes... But I hope you guys can see enough to get a mental picture of where I'm spending a lot of time. People from the public come in every day throughout the day and choose different pieces of ceramic from the shelves (as you can see there is a lot to choose from) and they glaze and decorate their chosen pieces and then I apply clear coats to all of their work, and fire them in the ZACC's kilns. The fired pieces are usually ready for pick-up within five days. It's a very popular community "fun" thing to do! We have all kinds of people who come in to make themselves something, or make a gift for someone special. Pretty cool, huh? If anyone wants to see something more clear, let me know and I'll snap you a shot. I'll also take a picture of some of the fired pieces so you all can see a sampling of what people do.  You can also get fist size lumps of clay and form your own pieces of art which we will fire, then you come back and glaze!  

 

Here is one example of what I do there...

 

I had to make a few Thank You cards for our generous donors. All cards are handmade that we send to anyone who donates up to $50. So this was one of my small projects on Tuesday. In between help with the summer camps, I'm going to be learning more techniques for loading the kiln for our firings. Learning the kiln is one of the biggest things I'm trying to get out of this internship, because as an art educator, that will be my responsibility with my classes and it is something that has been removed from the Art Ed Methods courses, so I'm so stoked that I'm getting an opportunity to learn how to do it through this internship!

Well, that's about all for now!  I'll be back with you guys again next week for updates.  Have an awesome holiday weekend everyone, and again, Happy Independence Day!!!

Katie

 

 

 

 



 

 

Summer Solstice with the ZACC!

Hey everyone!

On Friday I helped the ZACC with their booth at the Missoula Culteral Council's Summer Solstice celebration in Caras Park here in Missoula.  For those of you who have never been to Missoula, I'll take a nice picture of Caras Park next time I'm there so you can all see what venue it is that I keep talking about on here. It's a really beautiful place next to downtown, right on the banks of the Clark Fork River that cuts through town. Gorgeous...pics on that to come. But the even--It was a blast.

Its Linds! TA da!The face of the ZACC!

We had three tables set up with free projects going on for passer's by to participate in. Back by popular demand was our Buggin Out with the ZACC mural and bug making station.

The Bug Station, resurrected! Below we had a super enthusiastic, artistic family working on some awesome bugs, and even a spider with WEB! That was a first for us!

Next to that we had a table set up for folks to make Artist Trading Cards! We asked that they make two; take one and leave one at the table for others to take!  It was a hit!

Linds, giving a few people ideas and help with their Artist Trading Cards.

 

Here are a few examples of the Artist Trading Cards that were made, and the instruction card participants found at the table. :)

Our third table was our workshop station, where we were lucky enough to have three instructors working with people on different projects. From 4:00-5:15 we had Melissa teaching felt making. From 5:15- 6:30, Katie was with us teaching and guiding the creation of a mural. Finally from 6:30- close was Kyla working with people on the 5 Senses with art making just like she had in her summer camp this last week at the ZACC!

Here is Melissa working her magic on wool and kiddo's! This was a very popular event! Everyone loved making their own pelt of felt!

Here is Simone and her gorgeous wool choices that she ended up turning into a beautiful piece of felt. Her family was on their way from Washington state to FLORIDA! And were just passing through Missoula, looking for a nice place to take a walk and they stumbled upon the Summer Solstice festival in the park and had a blast taking part in the ZACC activity tables.  A great break from the car!