art180.org/blog

Are you coming? We sure hope to see you tonight!

It’s free. It’s fun. It’s kids. It’s community.

6pm at Plant Zero (0 east 4th street)

(yummy refreshments from crossroads coffee and icecream!)

At St. Andrew’s school, we made unique sculptures out of recycled materials. The young artists created gifts for each other out of papiér mache and turned thrift store goodies into new masterpieces. We also partnered with Stuff, Inc. to decorate collection bins to slavage used materials for future art pieces.

“I learned you could recycle and make art at the same time.”
-Jordon, 10

Check out these exquisite creations tomorrow at The Big Show, 6pm @ Plant Zero (0 East 4th Street)! See you there!

ART 180’s new program for boys at Elkhardt Middle encouraged the young artists to look more carefully at themselves and the world they live in.  Students worked together to create collages before embarking on a self-portrait for their final project.  Salvador, shown here, said for him making art “brings things to life.”  Another young artist, Garry, described his creations as “saying ‘Hey, world!  This is my art.  Look at it!’”

Young people at the Salvation Army Boys & Girls took stained glass to the next level this spring with ART 180.  Building upon the basic design, cutting, grinding, wrapping and soldering techniques they learned in the fall, the young artists have gone on to create, in glass, scenes from their own community.

The multi-talented artists at Henderson Middle School have embraced the power of music and dance to tell the story of a group of fictional high schoolers–students whose experiences often reflect their own.  One participant, Jennifer, said she wants her work in ART 180 “to change people’s perspective about others.” See and hear Jennifer and her classmate’s original work, and learn more about the lives of these young artists, at The Big Show on May 20th!(6pm @ Plant Zero – 0 East 4th Street – free!)

This semester ART 180 partnered with Girls for a Change to create a program where girls at Elkhardt Middle School were encouraged to think about ways in which they–and their art–can serve as catalysts for change in their community.  After exploring social change concepts and identifying personally meaningful issues, the girls created mixed-media signboards that express their ideas for how young people (and others) can respond in a positive way to the economic crisis.

ART 180’s Junkyard Jam at Southwood Boys & Girls Club features dances drawn from different cultures and drumming using all types of percussion instruments.  Mikayla, pictured here, said drumming with ART 180 makes her “feel special, like I’m good at something.” Her fellow artist, Marcus, said in ART 180 he “learned that if you can drum, you can be cool.”

Writing, acting, and filming are all part of ART 180’s current program at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School.  Building on their fall experience of writing and performing a play, these young auteurs have taken on the challenge of creating two original short films in just 12 weeks.  They’ll be screened for the first time at The Big Show–please join us and hear what these dedicated and creative young people have to say. (May 20th! 6pm @ Plant Zero)