Santa Fe Folk Art Extravaganza

A few years ago I saw an article in School Arts Magazine for the Folk Art Extravaganza Seminar held by Stevie Mack of Crizmac and Nancy Walkup, editor of School Arts Magazine. My kids were either grown and gone from home or gone all summer to various camps so I decided to give the trip a try. Might have been one of the best decisions I have ever made.

First of all, Nancy and Stevie are gifted art educators. No wonder they have been the Arizona, Louisiana, and Texas Teachers of the Year. We stayed at a lovely hotel in Santa Fe, the workshop was held in a conference room at the hotel, and while we worked and learned we sat with art teachers and art enthusiasts from all over the country. And, one of the best aspects of the workshop is various artisans from the Folk Art Market come to speak to the group, and also some artists of the American Southwest. We learned, we networked, we created, and we left with MANY projects to take back and do with our own students or simply to decorate our own homes. Nancy and Stevie make it so personal because they are truly "people persons." They are, in my opinion, art education rock stars. Crossing paths with them has enriched my art pedagogy in exponential ways.

And, of course, there is the Folk Art Market. Can I just say whoaaaahohohohohooooooooo!!!! Artisans from all over the world come to the market, bringing the folk art of their communities and countries. Many are from cooperatives and work to improve the quality of life in their village. Many are highly skilled artisans (actually they all are) who have had their family craft passed down from generation to generation to generation for hundreds of years.  Many are the art rock stars in their countries and, now, around the world. The large outdoor market is held in beautiful Santa Fe with piñon trees, chile ristras, and adobes everywhere.  The night before the market opens there is an extravagant parade of nations. This is something you just won't see very often anywhere in the whole world. The groups representing all the MANY countries exhibiting at the market march the parade route in traditional costume representative of their countries and assimilate in a grand opening celebration in front of the stage. The color and beauty in that parade is unlike anything I've ever seen assembled in one place. Probably the thing I like the BEST about it is people of all races, religions, and groups are together, joined by art, celebrating life and folk art. The music is incredible and continues for days at the market. The food is delicious. Not your typical nachos and hot dogs. And, then, of course, there is the Museum of International Folk Art and many other museums..... and Santa Fe ambience everywhere to enjoy.  It's a COLOR EXPLOSION!

I cannot recommend this trip ENOUGH! I hope I get to go every summer. It will be nice to see old friends and make new ones! There is still time to sign up...but not much!

Link for the Crizmac and School Arts Magazine Folk Art Extravaganza Seminar:
http://www.schoolartsroom.com/2014/03/join-us-for-folk-art-extravaganza-in.html

Link for the Folk Art Market:
http://www.folkartmarket.org

Link for the International Museum of Folk Art:
http://www.internationalfolkart.org

This is the seminar group the first year I went. Yes, I'm in this picture. Middle row, fourth from the right. What great friends I made. We are standing in front of the Museum of International Folk Art and in front of us are several hundred booths of folk art, handicrafts, and artistry for sale by the artisans from all over the world. It's a color explosion! The photos below are from the Market and courtesy of Nancy Walkup. 

                       

                      

Santa Fe International Folk Art Market

This is one of the most wonderful things I have ever done! This will be my third year to go! If you are an art teacher not only will you love it, but it will seriously affect your pedagogy! There are still a few spots left! Sign up now!

http://www.schoolartsroom.com/2014/03/join-us-for-folk-art-extravaganza-in.html?m=1

Philosophy of Art Education

     

     There was a day when elementary art was simply about making cute holiday decorations for the hallway bulletin boards.  There also was a day when most elementary art programs, if they existed in schools, were to offer grade level teachers a time slot for their conference and planning periods.  There was a day when middle school art may have been considered a “blow off” class.  There was a day when high school art was viewed as the only important art program within a school district, or there was no art program at all.  Art education has made many important strides over the years.  Most artists, art educators, and also general education teachers now realize the importance art education can have in the holistic development of the student.  When students are limited to right-side brain thinking or left-side brain thinking, the whole brain is not used or completely active. While the importance our society at large places on art education will continue to ebb and flow, as it has since classical times, art education is home to the development of logical, sequential thinking by students.

     One way students can use the whole brain, further developing their logical, sequential thinking, is by participating in engaging projects. Project based learning is becoming very important in the school setting. Art educators, however, have always experienced the very real, tangible, cognitive,  and visual results of project based learning.  Art educators see the connections, inferences, and transfer of learning acquired via art with other curricula and with life. Art education may now have a place, more than ever before, in the overall education of a child, young adult or adult due to the mainstreaming of technology not only in our schools, but in the art classroom.

      Micro-level thinking must give way to macro-level thinking in art education. Technology is changing students’ world, our world, more rapidly than ever before in . . .