Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

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1 Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Teacher Workshops at VMFA! Where s the art in your curriculum? VMFA on-site teacher workshops provide exciting possibilities and innovative ideas for interdisciplinary learning and resource packets with background information, lesson plans, vocabulary lists, and CDs of images. A light supper is also provided. To register, phone the VMFA Ticket Desk at , Monday Friday, 8:45 am 4:30 pm. You may also buy tickets on-line at Fee: $20 each; $18 for Members; Questions? Call or Twyla.Kitts@vmfa.museum. American Architectures Margaret Hancock / Thursday, Oct 8, 4:30 7 pm, Pauley With images from VMFA s collection as catalysts for discussion, participants first look at Colonial era styles and materials in this workshop presented by the Virginia Center for Architecture s Director of Programs. The session continues with investigations of later styles, forms and functions, and innovative uses of space, with a focus on Frank Lloyd Wright and Frank Gehry. This workshop is great for art and math teachers also a marvelous way for Language Arts teachers to connect with The Wright 3 by Blue Balliet! Shin Hanga Prints by Kawase Hasui: Exploring the Scenic Wonders of Japan Jacque Minarik / Thursday, Oct 15, 4:30 7 pm, Pauley Kawase Hasui, a prominent Japanese painter of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was one of the chief printmakers in the Shin hanga (new prints) movement. Many of his print designs are based on his beautifully executed watercolors of Japan s natural settings. In 1953, Japan honored Hasui as a National Living Treasure and commissioned a special woodblock print. Participants learn about this print and leave with numerous ideas for teaching printmaking to students. Excellent for art teachers! Jaguars and Serpents and Eagles, Oh My! Pre-Columbian Arts and Legends (in English!)

2 Nylce Prada Myers / Thursday, Nov 12; 4:30 7 pm, Pauley Center, Studio B Using work from the VMFA as inspiration, participants dive into cultures that thrived in the Americas before the arrival of the conquistadores. This workshop was a huge hit last year when it was presented in Spanish. Many teachers have requested an English-language version so here it is! This workshop will be excellent for anyone looking for information about Pre- Columbian art! Nylce is a teacher, children s writer and has been a VMFA docent for several years. She is also originally from Columbia so don t miss this opportunity to learn about this aspect of VMFA s collection. When we reopen on May 1, you ll be able to visit the new Pre- Columbian gallery! The Gilded Age through the Artist s Eye Dr. Jennifer Foley / Thursday, Dec 3, 4:30 7 pm, Pauley The Gilded Age is a fascinating era in American history, linked closely to England s Edwardian Age and France s Belle Epoque. Workshop participants investigate this rich historical period, from the costume balls of the moneyed set to the medical advances of the scientific community, through the eyes of artists such as John Singer Sargent, James Abbot McNeill Whistler, and Thomas Eakins. This workshop will best serve upper-level art teachers, especially if you offer your students art history components in your curriculum. Information about connections with economics and literature will be included. If Winter Comes, Can Spring Be Far Behind? Twyla Kitts / Thursday, Dec 10, 4:30 7 pm, Pauley Center, Studio B Artists through the centuries have been inspired by the cycles of nature. Follow the seasons through works in the VMFA collection and elementary-level literature in this hands-on workshop designed for elementary art, history, and science area specialists. Excellent for art teachers, especially at the elementary level! War in Ink and Silver Jeffrey Allison / Thursday, Jan 14, 4:30 7 pm, Pauley

3 This workshop explores the visual representations of the Civil War as created by contemporary illustrators, photographers, cartoonists, and commercial artists. Utilizing artists such as Winslow Homer and photographers such as Alexander Gardner and Timothy O'Sullivan, participants compare the ways in which the realities of war were translated to the masses via images and words. Great for any curriculum that includes photography or illustration, and Jeffrey is always most entertaining as you all know. Shadow Puppets Twyla Kitts / Thursday, Jan 21, 4:30 7 pm, Pauley Did you know that VMFA s collection includes 17 shadow puppets from South India? Although these leather puppets are exquisitely cut, embossed, and painted with vibrant colors, they are used to cast moving shadows on a white, semi-transparent screen. The resulting shadows act out the great epic stories of India. Learn more about this ancient tradition in this hands-on, resource-rich workshop. Great classroom ideas and resources for art teachers and a good companion to the workshop Lessons of the Indian Epic Poem, The Ramayana offered on March 11. The Harlem Renaissance Della Watkins / Thursday, Feb 11, 4:30 7 pm, Pauley Artist Jacob Lawrence created images of African-American life in witty and colorful ways. In this workshop, participants explore and embellish iconic American symbols using creativity, assorted materials, and the elements and principles of art (line, shape, color, rhythm, space, and balance). This workshop includes a collage activity inspired by the work of Romare Bearden, several of which are part of the VMFA collection. More than Mali Karen Getty / Thursday, Feb 25, 4:30 7 pm, Pauley Programs about the magnificent history of Mali abound, but there is so much more to Africa! In this workshop, teachers look beyond Mali s borders to explore neighboring countries and two cultural groups within them: the Yoruba and Akan. Participants

4 discover fascinating connections between the visual and the verbal by examining art rooted in a rich oral tradition. Hands-on activities include art and writing projects. Lessons of the Indian Epic Poem, The Ramayana Dr. Jennifer Foley / Thursday, March 11, 4:30 7 pm, Pauley The great Indian epic poem the Ramayana has been passed down for hundreds of generations, and its influence can be seen in Indian art, literature, history, and even Indian statecraft. This workshop explores Hindu culture by examining the characters and stories of the Ramayana as well as the artwork that illustrates this ancient tale. Hindu concepts, such as that of right behavior (dharma), are brought out through art and writing projects. Louis Comfort Tiffany: Shades of Light Celeste Fetta / Thursday, March 25, 4:30 7 pm, Pauley Are you ready for Tiffany? You will be after this workshop that heralds the upcoming exhibition featuring Tiffany s wondrous creations. Learn how this innovator s breakthroughs in glass, metal, and jewelry changed the direction of decorative arts, interior design, and architecture. This weekend, Tiffany: Color and Light premiers in Paris at the Musée du Luxembourg. VMFA is a part of this major international collaboration with the Montreal Museum of Art, the Musée du Luxembourg, and with preeminent Tiffany scholars. Richmond, Virginia will be the only venue in the nation to host this exhibition (on view n Richmond, May 29 Aug. 15, 2010) so don t miss this workshop preview! Who was Septimius Severus? Courtney Morano / Thursday, May 13, 4:30 7 pm, Pauley Learn more about Rome s African Emperor in this workshop that looks at the Roman Empire under his leadership. Find out how VMFA s curatorial, conservation, and educational departments are working together to establish which parts of an ancient/17thcentury hybrid sculpture are Roman and which are 17th century. FAQ about Teacher Workshops at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

5 How do I register for a workshop? Call the VMFA Ticket Desk at , Monday Friday, 8:45 am 4:30 pm. They will take your information over the phone and either mail the tickets to you or hold them at the ticket desk. If those times are not convenient or if you have trouble getting through, you may call Teacher Program Coordinator Twyla Kitts at or her at Twyla.Kitts@vmfa.museum and she'll take all the information over the phone (or respond to your ) and either take it to the ticket desk or have them call you. You may also buy tickets on-line at What do I get with a Teacher Membership? It s a tremendously exciting time here at the museum so you may want to consider the VMFA membership options. Teacher memberships (still only $30) entitle you to discounts on tickets to workshops, performances, and ticketed traveling exhibitions; a subscription to myvmfa magazine; AND FREE Parking in the VMFA Parking Deck. You ll also be invited to several members-only previews of the galleries that will be re-opening on May 1. Want to find out more? Check the website at: (If you visit a lot of museums across the country, take a look at the Contributor category. That membership includes reciprocal memberships at over 300 other institutions. Scroll down to the link beneath the membership category list for details.) Questions? Give me a call! Are these workshops just for art teachers? Everyone with an interest in teaching is welcome at these workshops! Public school and private school teachers, history teachers, music teachers, home-school educators, drama teachers, English teachers, foreign language teachers, museum educators, science teachers, resource specialists, retired teachers, math teachers, and docents attend these workshops. An integral part of each workshop is sharing the wealth of experience and breadth of knowledge that crackles through any gathering of teachers! Will there be chocolate? Yes, there will. For further information, visit the VMFA website at

Professor Soni Martin Fayetteville State University Performing and Fine Arts (910)

Professor Soni Martin Fayetteville State University Performing and Fine Arts (910) 672-1057 Email: smartin@uncfsu.edu Education MFA, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 1983. Major: Studio Art