around the uft
Art-time work
Feb 14, 2008 11:46 AM
The New York City Art Teachers Association conference is always colorful, creative, bustling and interactive and this year was no exception. The theme of the daylong 27th annual event on Oct. 27 at Fiorello LaGuardia HS was The Dynamics of Art Education and included such wide-ranging workshops as Tlingt Totem Poles, Sumi-E Oriental Brush Painting and Expressive Hats as a Springboard for Art Making. Everyone was busy. In welcoming remarks, NYCATA President Joan Davidson said, “Sharing and validating ideas with colleagues helps all of us put what we are doing in perspective and gives us an opportunity to take a fresh look at our practice and become newly energized.” Recognition Awards went to Miriam Rankin of PS 255 in Brooklyn (Elementary Award), Alvaro Sburlati of the International School of Liberal Arts (Middle School Award), Eileen Goldblatt, formerly regional arts supervisor for Region 9 (Arts Administrator), and Davidson (Leadership Award) for her 38 years as an art teacher and decades of service to NYCATA and its annual conferences.
The colorful keynoter and Artist-of-the-Year Kathe Kollwitz of the Guerilla Girls tells participants, “We wear gorilla masks to focus on issues rather than on personalities.” Since the ’80s, the Guerilla Girls have been creating political theater to expose sexist and racist practices in the art world and the culture at large.
Enjoying the possibility of turning trash into art at another of the workshops are (from left) presenter Robin Donovan of PS 50 in Queens; Davidson; Mary Broderson of the Saw Mill Road School in North Bellmore, L.I.; Terry Tueis, project manager of Energy Smart Students Programs; and Laura Fradella of PS/IS 87, Queens.
Artist and presenter Sarah Baker (left) demonstrates the mysteries of paint to (from second left) Haya Koprak of PS 261 in Brooklyn; Alvaro Sburlati, a member of the Artworks ’07 steering committee; Davidson; and Kathy Drucker of PS 121, the Bronx.
