iTAG- Art Education and Democracy

Building Together: Art, Education and Democracy
Sunday, March 21, 20101 – 3 PM
Plus 3 more biweekly sessions -schedule to be determined by participants 1627 N. 19th St (upstairs)
St. Louis MO 63106(on the corner of 19th and Madison)

All ages and people welcome – young people, students, teachers, community members, artists, grandparents! A test-driven curriculum pushed the arts to the margins of our schools. Arts based projects at the forefront of our educational planning secure a strong future for our students.

In this Inquiry to Action Group (ItAG) – Art, Education and Democracy – we will collaborate to create art in order to take a deeper look at our personal and community environment, a key part of social growth and understanding. Dail Chambers, teaching artist, will guide participants as they work together to create free-standing sculptures and participate in discussions focused on: art's role in historical social movements; multicultural arts; contemporary art activism and arts based collaboration in classroom activity.

Through our inquiry, creation and action, participants will find ways to transfer basic art techniques & processes learned into their work as citizens, parents and educators. No previous art experience is needed. Participants are asked to bring one small to midsized item that is attached to an experience, place or memory. The requested item will not be used in making of artwork. People should commit to attending 4 sessions.

About the Facilitator : Dail Chambers is a community based, teaching artist. She studied photography at St. Louis Community College Florissant Valley and received her BFA from Memphis College of Art in Clay, with a minor in Art History. Chambers’s artwork is centered around african art, women's issues and social constructs. Most recently she has completed her Community Arts Training Institute fellowship. Chambers has curated numerous exhibitions, and founded the AIDS Project in Memphis TN. She is currently collaborating with National artist Carl Moore. Both artists will share the topic of "Moving Back: Our experiences living in the American "South," generations after the Great Migration. The exhibition is to be held in St. Louis at the Vaughn Cultural Center, January 2011. Her two Spring 2010 shows include From the Center Now!, a national exhibition juried by Lucy Lippard, held in Chicago Ill; and Art as Activism juried by Yolanda Lopez, held in St. Charles, MO.

This four-session Inquiry to Action Group is offered FREE by the Literacy for Social Justice Group with the support of the Doerr Center for Social Justice. It is part of a larger project called “Public Education, Public Voices.” To register, contact Kathryn Pole at 314 977-7107 or email kpole@slu.edu by March 15th.

Dail Chambers Day!

Alderman Shane Cohen of St. Louis city will be presenting the resolution to be dedicated to me (Dail) at 10 a.m. Friday March 12 in the Board of Aldermen chambers at City Hall (Room 230). Anyone is welcome to join and will validate parking. Dail will be at City Hall for the short presentation in front of Shane's colleagues at the Board. They have a gallery (or floor "honored guest") seating available. Dail will be given an opportunity to say a few words. AND it's all caught on City TV10 cameras!

(Un)Seasoned

Please join us for our Craft and Conversation
Saturday, March 6th from noon 'til 6pm
1627 NORTH 19TH STREET (upstairs) SAINT LOUIS, MO 63106
we are excited about our:

Art and Craft Show
honoring Women Artists during Women's History Month...
"As Spring approaches our individual creative spirits come together as a group for renewed energy and creative growth."

Fiber Art by Jean Brantley

Fine Art & Handmade Jewelry by Dail Chambers

Candles & Hand Treatments by Alison Henderson

Handmade Jewelry and Accessories by Simiya Sudduth of The Speckled Owl Collective
Vegan Desserts and Artwork by Fannta Drummer
Craft & Art by Musician & Crafter Sallie DuMaine
with poetry by Andrea Richardson

& handwhipped Shea Butter by Belle Butters

We will have info on local arts initiatives and showing artwork of various artists in the community.

This is a FREE for ALL grassroots initiative hosted by Dail Chambers' Visual Art Studio and the participating artists.

Be involved in the St. Louis Arts Community. Come support, meet, and network with us! We are a diverse group of local black women creatives! Although not required, please RSVP to Dail Chambers dailchambers@gmail.com
or reply to our facebook events page: (Un)seasoned http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=294537243289&ref=ts

...and please bring a friend! PLEASE forward to all of your affiliated groups, listserves, calendars and friends

Teach(n.)

I have recently been teaching at U.City elementary schools with afterschool. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with such bright and colorful young people. It has been wonderful to see the students grow in attention to detail and using materials... but i feel as though we are just beginning.

I've come to be excited about my weekly visits. I like to hear them talk about their work too: At one school one of the students drew an image of himself, with long reaching arms, and at the top of his page he wrote, "I can see, even without eyes." He scratched out the eyes, too. How beautiful, and he's in Kindergarten!

I know that it is a beginners all inclusive temporary drawing class, but we are just starting to get comfortable! the young people (k-6th) have created some amazing work ! thats what is difficult with short term programs... "as soon as we get cooking, the microwave beeps." We as creatives and educators need to find ways to build more long term programming. Commitment and constancy means a lot to young people...

Here are a couple of the student's work that we've completed during my short stay. I am so proud of them! The assignment was still lives in charcoal.