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| directory of teaching artists: HELEN GRAINGER WILSON |
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...and then my heart with rapture fills,
and dances with the daffodils.
William Wordsworth
Sitting in my art-encrusted studio, I delight in pink shadows sweeping the Boise Foothills, slate-blue quail bobbing below the bird feeder, and crimson raspberries plumping for tonight's dessert. How has my life's journey brought me to this delightful place? Born and raised near the Canadian Rockies, where I continue to hike annually, my love of the natural environment and diverse human cultures continues to ignite my artwork and teaching. A traveler in fact and spirit, I have explored parts of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Each region and tradition has enriched my storehouse of artistic images. I studied hard, and earned bachelor degrees in sociology and art, and master's degrees in art and elementary education. Recently I became a Master Gardener. I have worked hard as a family member, citizen, schoolteacher, adjunct university instructor, artist-in-residence, and artist. I am a Merit Award Member of the Idaho Watercolor Society, and Signature Member of the Plein Air Painters of Idaho. What do I hope for others? It is my sincere desire that each person might share delight in this marvelous planet, and help take care of it and each other. Describe a transformative process that has occurred in your own practice as an artist or in a past residency as a teaching artist. In each of the 18 art residencies I’ve taught in Idaho and Alaska, I’ve been delighted-awestruck--by the artwork my students created. Their fresh, individualized expressions, sometimes expanded with poetry or dance in other classes, exhilarate their viewers, including themselves. I recently overheard one young student confide in a classmate, “I didn’t know I was such a good artist!” (I hope all students have such a transformative experience.) When have you been able to recognize learning taking place? Because I use discipline-based art education methods, including art appreciation discussions along with skills and vocabulary development, student involvement is noted immediately. Consequently, from the first few minutes of an art class I am able to observe and discern evidence of student understanding or the lack of it. What excites your imagination and in turn how does your work excite imagination for your audience? Much of my work as a professional painter focuses on some aspect of Idaho’s wonderful natural or cultural environments, which ignite endless possibilities for imaginative expression. For example is my watercolor painting, Dance of the Rosehips, in which I subtly transform the dried sepals attached to the bright red rosehip berries into dancing limbs. In other paintings, which I refer to as my Two World paintings, I juxtapose in the composition an aspect of the natural environment, such as a rock formation, and a cultural motif, such as a paisley design. By showing my students examples of my imaginative paintings, their imaginations quickly launch into realms, which they are anxious to express uniquely in their artwork. What characteristics mark a successful collaboration for you? When I do an art residency by myself or collaboratively with another teaching artist such as Mexican folk dancer, Norma Pintar, I look for cooperative involvement between myself and the school (teachers, principal, other employees and possibly some parents/school patrons). Examples of such involvement include the following: establishing goals and objectives of the residency; sharing responsibilities in grant writing; planning schedules and establishing classroom conditions that foster creativity and learning; offering an effective teachers’ in-service; and organizing a culminating art exhibit/open house for all students involved in the residency and possibly others. How do you foster creativity, both in your own work and as a teaching artist? Because creative expression is enriched when students have acquired the building blocks of basic skills and knowledge and are able to express themselves in a safe, respectful environment, I provide a framework of skills and art appreciation (historical, cross-cultural, aesthetic) from which my students and I feel confident that “success” will come to everyone. Three key understandings of this discipline are:
Three Idaho Humanities Content Standards that correlate with each of the
core concepts identified above:
Vocabulary words that relate to this discipline: Elements of design: line, shape, color, value, texture, form, space; principles of design, including center of interest, contrast, repetition, rhythm; sketch, block in, contour drawing; foreground, middle ground, background Subject areas outside of the fine arts that relate to potential residency work include:
References
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 Discipline: Visual Arts Phone: (208) 344-4344 cell (208) 596-2625 Email: hgwilson@boisecenter.net Website: www.pleinairpaintersofidaho.org Special Populations I work with: all ages especially elementary/middle schools in rural areas.  ICA Artists by Disciplines Music Ken Harris Dance Wendy de la Harpe Joy Esplin LiAnne Hunt Norma Pintar Rachel Swenson Theater/Storytelling Joy Steiner Teresa Clark Language Arts Malia Collins Judy Sobeloff Visual Arts Deana Attebery Tom Bennick Judith Brand Sue Rooke Lizette Fife Helen Grainger Wilson Terrie Kralik Jeanne Leffingwell Benjamin Love Linda Wolfe Video/Media Arts Peppershock Media |
 Phone: 208/334-2119 or 800/278-3863 Fax: 208/334-2488 Mailing address: P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0008 Street address: 2410 North Old Penitentiary Rd., Boise, ID 83712 |