Shaping the Future: Mosaics are Firing up Pupils
Read the article here at Taste of the Bay
By Judy Colbert | September 2010
Sue Stockman is understandably pleased when she views a mosaic mural she and woodworker Bobby Malzone have just finished installing, such as the recently hung 6-foot by 30-foot piece adorning the exterior of the Eastport Elementary School. It’s colorful, decorative, reflects the area around the school’s location, and perhaps most important, the students helped create it.
For these St. Michael’s artists, what’s more pleasing is hearing the students talk about their experience
"I had fun. I learned that you can make anything you just have to believe in yourself," said Daniel from Riviera Beach Elementary, where the 3-foot by 10-foot mural he worked on, incorporating indigenous plants and animals, including bull nose ray, rockfish, jellyfish, heron and blue crab hangs.
"I learned that working with a group was fun," said fellow classmate Haley.
Victoria, another student, said, "I liked when we had to put the cement down and really use our muscles to use the rag and get the stuff off the glass and tiles. Finally after all that hard work, I think it looks really great."
Hailey added, “I loved what we did and I want to do it again. I loved how we made the cattails, the turtles, and everything else. The most fun was when Bobby sang songs to us, everybody was happy and not mad at anybody. People had fun gluing and breaking and enjoying themselves. I had so much fun with Sue, she was the one that wanted to talk about the day and listen to everyone talk their talk. I really had fun with all the music and dancing. I love the mosaic.”
Many of these mosaic school projects are funded through the state AiE (Artists-in-Residence Program) that allows students, faculty, and artists the opportunity to participate in a collaborative creative program. Other funds may come from a county arts program, Title I funding, or local fund-raising. An AiE project may last for an intensive week or be spread out over a longer period of time. It might be performance, puppetry, theater, playwriting, architecture, ceramics, fiber art, photography, sculpture, music, poetry, or other creations.
The students, faculty, and artists participate in the collaborative creative program, from idea submission (from drawing contests to discussions) to design to material collection (in the case of a mural project, glass, plates and dishes, bottles, and other elements) to installation.
“The students bring in the broken pieces and glue them into place, giving them ownership,” says Stockman. By using found objects, they learn the value of recycling materials and environmental awareness. The completed piece is a visual reminder and conveys the students’ pride. “Students are grouped together to create an element and then the elements are joined. The emphasis,” says Stockman, “is on teamwork and the shared pride that results in creating a large impressive piece of artwork.”
“Almost every child knows which piece or pieces he or she applied to the mosaic and proudly shows where it is in the mural,” says Lynne Evans, Eastport’s principal.
“Bobby,” Stockman said, “has natural talent to connect to kids and he brings in the element of music with his guitar and some of the children work on songs about what we were creating. They sing songs while working on the mosaic, adding another dimension,” to projects that she hasn’t been able to include before.
As the older students are taught to use and are trusted with professional tools and materials that could be considered risky, they develop pride knowing that those supervising have confidence in them to use these items correctly. “Everyone treats everyone with respect and kindness,” says Stockman, “and they know they have to be safe. Rarely does anyone have to be reprimanded.”
Stockman has worked on seven local mural projects this year. Her, and the students’ work can be seen at St. Michael’s High, St. Michael’s elementary, Chapel District elementary, Eastport, Riviera Beach, Hillcrest and the Annapolis Area Christian School. If you have photos of murals created at any local schools, email them to the editor at heather@tasteofthebay.net and we’ll post them on our Facebook page for all to see.
Talbot Senior Center mosaic unveiled by artist Stockman
By Kelley L. Allen Staff Writer
Friday, May 15, 2009
EASTON— After placing broken pieces onto the mosaic for more than five weeks, local artist Susan Stockman and her muses unveiled the finished piece at the Talbot County Senior Center Wednesday afternoon.
Seniors gathered around the mosaic, installed on the east wall of the center at 400 Brookletts Ave. Pieces of broken ceramics combine to make the 36-inch-by-60-inch piece, filled with colorful images.
At the bottom, near the center, is a red high-heeled shoe. That represents Naomi Reed, a senior center advocate who died in 2005.
"That's Naomi's shoe," one woman said at the installation.
The face in the center represents no one, but the other images represent the seniors.
"They wished to include the water of the Eastern Shore, the importance of sharing meals, their religious faith, their travels, their family trees, their love of music and art and games, and their recollections of loved ones gone before them," Stockman said.
Stockman gathered recycled, broken pieces of things like wedding plates and tiles and brought them to the center on Mondays, where she and the seniors worked on the piece. They glued the last piece onto the mosaic Monday.
PHOTO BY KELLEY L. ALLEN
Seniors at the Talbot County Senior Center line up under their finished mosaic Wednesday afternoon. From left to right: Jessie Mae Faulk, Amelia Bowser, Beverly Lewis, Edna Poney, Susan Stockman, Brenda Brown, Doris Potts (back), Catherine Dudley (front), Irene Hunter (back), Jean Miller (front), Virginia Blackwell, Betty Ann Morris (back), Betty Blythe, Talbot County Arts Council President Jane Bollman and Easton Town Councilman Len Wendowski. Charlie Beach is not pictured.
As they worked, the seniors shared stories with Stockman. Those stories came alive in the mosaic, which is filled with images of paintbrushes, musical notes, games and other colorful symbols that represent the seniors, their lives and what they do at the center.
The mosaic embodies the wisdom, beauty and worth of our elders, Stockman said, and she titled it "Sharing Stories."
"There is a parallel between taking things that have been discarded and creating beauty," she said. "It's about honoring our elders and them not feeling discarded."
The Maryland State Arts Council awarded the Talbot County Arts Council a $1,250 grant to support the creation and installation of the mosaic. The Talbot County Council provided matching funds.
Gerry Early from the Talbot County Arts Council and County Councilman Len Wendowski attended the installation, along with more than 20 people, mostly seniors from the center.
The center is set for dedication next month, and is still raising money for furnishings. (Photo credit Star Democrat.)
The Capital
My Time: Students create mosaic mural
February 19, 2009
From left, Annapolis Elementary School third-graders Rahmier Chase, Serenity Myers, Michele Holmes, I'esha Johnson and Fredy Salmoran create a mosaic with artist Sue Stockman. With funding from grants and the school's Parent-Teacher Association, Stockman spent last week at Annapolis Elementary as an artist in residence. The mosaic mural will hang in the school's media center.
Students at Annapolis Elementary School worked the State House into their Annapolis mosaic last week, along with local wildlife like terrapins and blue crabs.
Photo by Paul W. Gillespie - The Capital
Star Democrat, November 25, 2008
Evergreen Cove's Handmade from the Heart
Star Democrat, Wednesday May 28th
Piecing it together
CDES fifth graders create fourth mosaic mural, decorate school hallways
Published: Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Story and photos by KATIE SULLIVAN Community Editor
CORDOVA—In 2005 it was a cheetah. The next year it was an eagle, followed by a rockfish. This year Chapel District Elementary School fifth-grade students completed a mosaic depicting a terrapin diving into underwater grasses. The mural was dedicated May 22 in ceremonies at the school.
"Adults have been told as kids that they aren't good at art and it carries with them," said local artist Susan Stockman, who planned and supervised the work. "Kids are more open and less afraid of failure."
The student artists working on the mural are from the classes of art teacher Vaughn Volungis, who coordinates what has become an annual project. Although Stockman completes the pattern for the children and gives them suggestions, she also uses Volungis as a guide.
"Sue has a natural talent for working with students," Volungis said. "She really gets them involved and keeps them busy with her well-organized activities."
The project was completed in five days and keep on the stage in the school's cafeteria during its construction.
"The medium is so simple to do and the results are always spectacular," Stockman said. "I teach adults (mosaics) and I tell them, I have fourth and fifth graders that do this."
This year's mural dedication included principal Elizabeth Cassidy and school manager Hester McNeil, as well as Stockman and Volungis. Special guests were Talbot County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Karen Salmon, TCPS Arts Coordinator Kathy Dill and Monica Heinsohn of the Talbot County School Board.
The Talbot County Arts Council, which helped sponsor the project using funds allocated by the Talbot County Council, was represented by board member Rima Parkhurst. The project was also sponsored by the CDES PTO.
"It's important for our kids to learn about the environment and what an important tool art can be," Stockman said.
