art180.org/blog

As an intern with ART 180 I have been able to watch learning and exploration come to life through all different forms of art making. I am so happy to be able to use photography as a way to document and freeze the moments when a young person is wrapped up in their art making.
One of the most exciting events I was able to photograph with ART 180 was at the Open Studios for last semester, fall 2010. The energy from the rooms I was photographing was so vibrant. There were families of the young artists, program leaders, artists and friends all gathered to celebrate the art created during the semester. It was truly a joy to be included and to be documenting the energy of the evenings. What the Open Studios showed me and some of the young artists, was how proud they were of their accomplishments. When you present all of your work, a painting, a theater production or a song it is wonderful to see everything come together.
Not only has ART 180 given me an opportunity to help a nonprofit organization, but it has also given me a unique view of schools and learning through art making. By being apart of ART 180 I have given tremendous thought to how I learned, why creating art helped me learn, and how I might be able to help others learn with the use of art. The experience and expanded learning I have gained from interning with ART 180 this semester is far beyond any classroom style learning I could have ever gotten.  I have everyone in ART 180 to thank for that!

Hello readers!

This week has been pretty busy here in the ART 180 office, as we’re hard at work creating new social media features for you all to enjoy. I’ve learned a considerable amount of information about the creation of media that will help me in my future.

I have been involved in the process of creating an insightful YouTube video available for view soon. This video will be the first to be placed on a brand new ART 180 YouTube channel! The concept involves informing you and the public at large a little bit about what ART 180 stands for, as well as sharing some outstanding quotes from the young people involved in our various programs.

Along with the creation of this video, we are in the process of creating a unique experience to be delivered weekly for individuals on our mailing list. Speaking of, if you are not on the ART 180 e-mail list, go ahead and do so now by clicking here! (Just enter your email address on the appropriate line, then hit the submit button). We’ve got some exciting things in store for you guys.

Meanwhile, Betsy and Karen were baffled by my requests to find the perfect Leopard Gecko for my apartment. Gecko Care 101 has become an unexpected best friend of mine – who knew there is so much to learn! Needless to say, I’m motivated to show everyone the cutest Gecko pictures I can find. Perhaps… I could use the anthropomorphic charm of a certain gecko for a bit of good use… hmmm.

Take care,

Ebony

Every Monday afternoon I find myself taking part in something different around the office.  One day in particular I was loading up my car to make a run to Rumours and was seen carrying ten naked, hanging clothes mannequins around Plant Zero.  Needless to say, I got quite a few funny looks.  While at ART 180, I participate in everything from paper shredding and journal stamping to setting up for staff meetings and organizing program supplies.  So yes, I do occasionally take part in some typical intern duties.  But, I’m surrounded by creative and innovative people, so it’s totally worth it.  As lame as this may sound, my favorite task is organizing the ART 180 storage room.  I can literally be left alone in there for hours on end and be completely content.  The storage room is where all of the office materials and program supplies are kept.  Its shelves are filled with neat little labeled containers which can very easily get jumbled around in the midst of program preparations.  It is very important that everything stays labeled and in its place so that staff and volunteers can quickly find what they need.  To me, organization is like a puzzle.  Each box has its place in the room, and it’s up to me and my OCD nature to find it.

-Sarah

Hello! I’m Amber. I am a photographer. Graduation is quickly approaching and I will soon be out of the “art school” world. It is quite an exciting time! I am so honored I could work with ART 180 my last year in Richmond. They are a fantastic group of people. I was first introduced to ART 180 by a professor and fellow Plant Zero artist; he told me a few things that they did and got me very interested in learning more.  After reading about ART 180 and some of the projects the young people have done, I decided I wanted to help in any way I could.
I asked if I could help, and they knew just what to have me do! I would use my knowledge of photography to help document the happenings at all 14 of the ART 180 Programs. I think it’s the best job in the world!  I get to see and meet everyone, ask the young people in ART 180 about the projects they are working on, and photograph all of it along the way.

ART 180 isn’t your typical coffee-fetching, copy-making internship. Nope.

Oddly enough, most of the coffee cups that have been idling on an office desk have been my own. I’ve been far too busy being first-hand involved with in-house material production, social media, conferences and being invited to attend some amazing ART 180 events. What a blast!

I moved into the fine city of Richmond after enrolling into Virginia Commonwealth University. Currently, I’m finishing up my senior year and will be earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications with a concentration in Public Relations. Having been raised in Northern Virginia, I take the drive up when I’m craving some good old-fashioned Ben’s Chili Bowl, a DC United game, or even better when the two simultaneously merge together for a night.

I admire my Jamaican father who played guitar in various reggae bands and it was only inevitable that he passed on the music bug to me. I’ve been a percussion musician for as long as I can remember, ranging from playing in symphonic ensembles, drumlines and most recently playing for the VCU Pep Band. I jumped on the opportunity to work with ART 180 and young individuals who desire to express themselves through positive and creative outlets.

Out of the office, you can find me volunteering with some of my awesome four-legged pals at the Richmond SPCA, watching a favorite band play downtown at The National, or continuing my mission to find the best place in town for a nice, big bowl of Pho.

Stay tuned!

- Ebony

Hi! I’m Sarah. I’m a senior at James River High School, and I’m interning with ART 180 as part of my Leadership and International Relations specialty center class.  I’ve taken art classes all of my life and for the past few years I’ve worked at a local art studio.  At the studio, I help with after school art classes for elementary and middle school students.  One week, my boss Meg Foster had the students participate in ART 180’s “Change for a Ten” event.  The kids were given small pieces of paper shaped like money and designed their very own ten dollar bill which depicted some sort of change that they would like to see in the world.  The art was then sold at an art show to raise money and awareness for ART 180 and its programs.  That was my first introduction to ART 180, and I was extremely excited about it!

This year, upon deciding where I wanted to intern for school, I knew it would be here.  I love the idea that one of my favorite things in the world, art, is being used to change lives and inspire young people around Richmond.  So far, I have been interning with ART 180 for two months, and I love it.  Mostly, I take part in organizational tasks around the office, which is perfect for me and my OCD nature.  The best part is that every Monday during my internship I get to do something different!

Amazingly, this semester ART 180 is fortunate to have 4 (!!!) lovely interns. Fortunate because although 4 interns may seem like a lot of work to manage, ART 180 is ever-thankful for the commitment and dedication of all our volunteers that help make our organization run smoother and reach further. They take on new projects and ideas enthusiastically and take to heart the all-important lesson that no task is too small; it is all vital for the efficient and effective running of an organization. They themselves are vital–and valuable–components to what we do and how we do what we do on a shoestring.

As part of their skill-building, experience-gaining exercises, we want them to share a little about who they are, and what they do. Once a week, over the next four to eight weeks, each intern will introduce herself to the blogosphere through ART 180’s blog and Facebook. You will meet photography intern Amber Bender, public relations intern Ebony Smith, program intern Katherine Schmidt and office intern Sarah Benson.  Follow their journeys, comment if you like, and get a glimpse of behind-the-scenes magic, mundane moments and mayhem (maybe) at the ART 180 office and beyond…