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In March and April, five middle school students from the Battle Creek PAS program participated in an exciting and unique Art Residency at The Lab.  The group was facilitated by Tess Pease, social worker, and Geriann, a Social Work graduate student intern at The LAB.   The students were exposed to several art materials and projects, mostly grounded in the art form of printmaking.  For example, one of the projects allowed the students to create their own t-shirt designs.

This Battle Creek Lab Visual Art residency culminated in a field trip to a place called Highpoint Center for Printmaking in Minneapolis.

While students were there, they learned how to mix colors of ink to print collagraphs that they had prepared at The Lab the previous week.  (Collagraphs are a collage of shapes cut out of thick cardboard, glued onto a main board, and rolled with ink to make an image on paper after going through the press). The raised image on the board prints onto the paper after being inked.  The students also learned how to run their own Collagraphs through the printing press, which was a definite highlight for them to actually bring the print to life.

The work of two of the Battle Creek students is currently being shown in the gallery at Highpoint as part of a student show running now until the end of May.  We are very proud of these students, and look forward to a continued partnership with Highpoint next year.

Students and Lab staff took a field trip to the Como Conservatory in St. Paul to put their new photography techniques to use. Check out this gallery of photos from their tip:

Geriann, one of The Lab’s MSW Interns, has been working with youth from Hazel Park Middle School in a Mask-making group. Students learn how to make masks in the style of puppet making used by the Minneapolis-based In the Heart of the Beast Puppet & Mask Theatre. Youth have been exploring notions of “creative self-expression, self & identity“ through this creative activity and process.

Ahnung is one of the dogs that comes to The Lab to work with our youth in the Animal Assisted Education groups.  Students are learning about responsible pet ownership, dog obedience, reading body language (of dogs & humans!) and many great lessons about things like trust, communication and boundaries.  Check out the Mentor Blog (left) to read a blog post from Marilou for more!

Thanks to many donors who have contributed to our recent Donors Choose.org projects, The Lab received several digital cameras and 3 HP Photo printers to use on the iMacs in the Tech Lab.

Now our students are able to participate in a cool Digital Photography unit where they work on a self-portrait project. Students learn from mentors about the camera, photography techniques and styles, and how todigitally manipulate the image using iPhoto.  In this project, they are able to leave the Lab with several 4×6 photo prints of their self-portraits. Students are gaining confidence and practiceusing the technology and developing their creative visionsthrough digital photography.

Check out these cool photos taken by some of our students!

Mallory and A., learning about African Drumming!

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Last week, C., a student form Central High School, received her white belt in Shaolin Kenpo. Instructor and black belt, Robyn Lingen has been working with C. once a week for eight weeks.

With help from our VISTA worker, Tricia, students have been developing their photographic eye with digital cameras. Through scavenger hunts that get students to explore both outside and inside, challenges to find “juxtaposition” and “texture,” and peer interviews using digital video cameras, Lab students have generated a lot of impressive work.

Local artist, Art Car Heather, came to our Highland Senior Enrichment last week to make art cards with students. Much like baseball cards and other collectible game cards, artist trading cards are traditionally 2.5 by 3.5 inches and are passed hand-to-hand.

The top middle Obama card was made by S. and the card at the top right corner (sun set) and the one directly below it (hand holding balls) were made by B.

Artist Trading Cards created by Highland Senior students and Lab volunteers.

Ginny and Kitty, two local artists, came to The Lab’s Enrichments last week to mentor youth in photography. Along with Tricia, one of our Americorps*VISTA workers, our guest artists mentored students over the course of three Enrichment days. The Enrichments happen at The Lab’s Headquarters (at Homecroft School in Highland Park) and offer both hands-on creative experiences as well as inspirational shows put on by local writers, artists, and performers.

The following are some pictures made by youth in The Lab:

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