Saturday in the Studio Week Four

Last week it was warm enough for many of the artists to work outdoors...most likely that won't be the case this week...no matter... the eleven 9-11 year old participants in Saturday in the Studio at The Contemporary Art Center of Virginia are deeply involved in their individual projects and eager to jump into their work the moment they walk through the door.

Week after week I see pure unadulterated problem solving and creative sparks flying as they push further toward realizing their goal...no one telling them what to do or how to do it...each having the wherewithal to research and adjust to make their vision appear.

Saturday in the Studio 2009

Being able to step back and simply observe art coming through the mind of a young one is beyond delightful to me. It's a pure language of universal import and 'no instruction manual' is necessary.
They come into the studio with a bit of reserve, first time...what's expected? First a tour of the vast array of available materials, then a tour of the museum and the current cast glass and steel installations of Gene Koss. His monumental work is displayed inside our beautiful refurbished galleries and and out in the new sculpture gardens. The young artist's (eleven 6-8 year old in the first studio eleven 9-11's in the next) are offered the opportunity to choose a piece of work to share with us and to offer ideas of what they think the piece means. It's fabulous to hear what they have to say! Then back to the studio where the directions are: I'm an artist, you're an artist, let's make art...and they are off. I step aside. If they need any direction or support they simply ask.

A Kind of Summer

"Always maintain a kind of summer even in the middle of winter" Henry David Thoreau

The Winter session of Saturday in the Studio begins tomorrow at the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia. These shots are from last summer and they capture where the kids and I invest our time whenever possible. They will have coats on but even tomorrow we may be able to do a bit of exploring...as the sun will be shining and the temp may hit 60 again as it did today.

It's a Wrap

Saturday in the Studio: the 'gang' (sans one little guy who had already split) as they prepare to head home after 7 weeks of creating what they want as they want. What a riot. There was not a moment of them being bored or wondering what to do. Their last day was a zippy joyful blast of learning. They were hot on the trail wondering what additonal interesting and exciting materials they could work with in the studio to then pack into their portfolios, held here.

Saturday in the Studio

We're in the wind down phase of our seven weeks together and this group of 9-11 year olds are working full steam ahead to complete their individual projects. We have 10 artists and they have each designed their own invention/adventure. We have everything from three masted sailing ship to a fighter jet in various stages of being built, painted, varnished and ready for their debut next saturday.

I would have been over-the-top excited to have a similar opportunity back in 1969.