The creative jewel of Minnesota…

Media faculty chair Nancy Norwood wonderfully integrated her eager participants from The Perpich Center for Arts Education (PCAE) into the dynamic fabric of Project Identity as PI visited the Twin Cities for this weeks residency. A mixture of both Media and Visual Art students continued the collaboration and effortlessly commanded the technology and drawing process that PI is utilizing for the animation component. These PCAE students submitted some of the most conceptual and visually dynamic videos for the collaboration. They brought the same focus to the drawing table too, commanding the rotoscoping process and producing hundreds of images.

PCAE is a dynamic agency of the State of Minnesota, and a unique state-of-the-art organization of national stature representing Minnesota’s dedication to excellent education. Perpich’s mission is to improve K–12 education for all Minnesota students and educators through innovative programs and partnerships centered in the arts.

The Arts High School (AHS) is an innovative, tuition-free public high school delivering a comprehensive education centered in the arts. Students can focus in either Dance, Literary Arts, Media Arts, Music, Theater and Visual Arts.  Students also study English, Math, Science, Social Studies and World Languages. AHS integrates arts and academics to provide unique and powerful learning opportunities that stay with students throughout their lives. A special thanks to Nancy Norwood, Colleen Brennan and Karen Monson for their asssitance during PI’s visit to PCAE.

Northward bound,

James Barany
Associate Professor of Foundations
MIAD
jbarany@miad.edu

Transforming knowledge into wisdom…

This week Project Identity permeated into Nicolet High’s co-curricular structure as the animation collaboration was shared property between the departments of Technology/Engineering and the Visual Arts. Faculty members Aleta Gretenhardt and Patricia Leeson worked together in perfect harmony as students, equipment and facilities from these departments merged into one combined effort.

The Nicolet participants worked voraciously on the collaboration, drawing hundreds of images as they worked through the entire duration of the residency. Nicolet’s presence of technology was equally matched by the creative passion of this fierce group of twelve. PI congratulates Nicolet’s innovative curriculum as the concerns of intellectual discovery, creativity and diversity grow and flourish there – in abundance.

In continuum,

James Barany
Associate Professor of Foundations
MIAD
jbarany@miad.edu

Professor James in wonderful Ames…

Visual faculty Shelli Hassebrock and her fine group of motivated students helped PI to continue forward this week as the collaboration made its way to this gem located in the breadbasket of Iowa. Home of the little cyclones, Ames High School can boast a student population of 1,500 with a fine visual component that investigates several 2-D, 3-D and 4-Dimensional principles.

AHS is just down the road from Iowa State University, and these little cyclones successfully attacked some of the most complex scenes that PI has yet to offer. Through these drawings the students from Ames learned that PI is about the larger aspect of working together, sharing the burden – and the glory of the process. This was clearly demonstrated as AHS had students working together on PI from the areas of 4-D Art, Graphic Design, Drawing and even Photography.

A sincere thank you to the administration of AHS, Mrs. Hassebrock, Coach Norris and Ms. Quintero for their support during PI’s vist to the heartland. Good things are happening in the AHS visual arts program, and PI was glad to partake in their intensive programming.

From the heart of the cyclone,

James Barany
Associate Professor of Foundations
MIAD
jbarany@miad.edu

Carnival in the New World…

Brazilian native and animation extraordinaire Ms. Karin Gunn delivered an exceptional group of animators to PI this week as the collaboration made its way to the gator state. West Port High School, home of the wolf pack hosts the Marion County Center for the Arts (MCCA), a magnet program offering classes in Digital Media, Animation, Photography (which includes photo manipulation), Technical theatre/stagecraft, Dance, Musical Theatre, Drawing and Painting, 3D sculpture, and Band. By no surprise, the MCCA was recently designated as a Florida Department of Education Arts Achieve! Model School.

Its clear why the MCCA is worthy of such an award, as was evident by the high quality of work and teaching that was abundant during PI’s brief residency in Ocala. These students and their faculty are focused and they know how to deliver. Some of the most sincere videos for PI came directly from Ms. Gunn’s class of motivated, thoughtful animators who effectively know how to express themselves through the duration of time. This visual team at MCCA is well-rounded as Ms. Gunn’s extended abilities couple both animation and photography, the dynamic 3-dimensional doings of Ms. Brauhn and Mrs. Lovill’s mastery of teaching, was evident throughout the students work.

Ocala is a derivation of the Timucua word “Ocali” which is believed to mean the “Kingdom of the Sun.” Regardless of the lack of heat from the sun during Professor Barany’s visit, the warmth of several new friendships and connections that blossomed during the Ocala residency will soon not be forgotten. Thank you especially to Ms. Gunn and Ms. Brauhn for their hospitality and professionalism, and also to the phenomenal animators from West Port High! Keep drawing those bubbles!

From deep within the wolf pack,

James Barany
Associate Professor of Foundations
MIAD
jbarany@miad.edu

Imbedded within a larger community…

Community High Schools focus on social justice, service learning, collaboration and the development of future leaders within their own program resonated throughout my entire visit. These core CHS values integrate seamlessly into the fundamental structure of Project Identity, and the dedicated students of this MPS charter didn’t fail to deliver. This might have been PI’s youngest and smallest group thus far, but they animated with focus and passion.

Surrounded by several varieties of fish, snakes and reptiles, PI survived its short stay at CHS as we turned their animal lab into an animation studio. Only in its fourth year this faculty led school might not have an imbedded administrative branch, but this had no affect on the developing sense of community and responsibility that thrives there. The students I worked with are proof of the professionalism that permeates within the student body of Community High’s 175.

A sincere thank you to Visual Arts Faculty Roxanne Mayeur (CEI alumna) for organizing and leading this fine group of devoted, life-long learners into the fabric of Project Identity.

On, in and from Wisconsin,

James Barany
Associate Professor of Foundations
MIAD
jbarany@miad.edu