Portsmouth Public Schools Archives - Arts for Learning Virginia

In Their Own Words: IDEAL Residency Students Express What They’ve Learned

May 14, 2024 By Cindy Sherwood

Year two of our unique IDEAL after-school residency wrapped up May 9th with a fantastic student showcase, art exhibit, and reception for family and friends at the Chrysler Museum of Art. What a joy to witness the faces of students as they first saw their artwork displayed in the gallery…. and how gratifying to hear what they learned during their ten-week exploration of self-identity through poetry, music, and visual art.

Douglass Park Elementary, Portsmouth

Cameron: “It’s fun being an artist. Whatever you make is good. It’s a masterpiece. You can make anything, and it will still be a piece of artwork. If I accidentally make something bad, I can change it to something else good. I’ve learned from my mistakes.”

Serenity: “I learned I can do art. It’s great. It’s peaceful. When you draw, everything around you is so quiet. I’ve become nicer as a person. I didn’t usually help people, but now I really help people with stuff.”

Inaliyah: “I’ve learned more about who I am and what I want to become. I want to become an artist because I want to tell people how I feel through art. My teachers taught me how to make things more expressive. I think my mind has grown more and my ability to understand others.”

Point O’View Elementary, Virginia Beach

Hayden: “I’ve learned more about myself and my feelings and my identity. I’ve learned that I can express myself through art. I think I’m more confident. I’m able to make new friends more easily now.”

Walter: “The best part of this program is that we tried doing different things, things that we don’t always try. And I feel like I learned more trust in people.”

Jack: “I’ve learned that I can express myself through art and I could draw what I feel and I could have different feelings in my art. As an artist I’ve learned different skills about how to draw. I feel very proud of myself because I did exceptional in my art piece and I’m just very happy [about it being shown at the Chrysler.]”

Southside STEM Academy at Campostella, Norfolk

Jaela: “The art that I created showed me that even if I feel bad, I can be creative. I feel I can be more confident now and more friendly to others. I used to be really shy.”

Mauriyana: “I think I’ve grown more as a person and an artist. My art style is different and the way I communicate is better. I communicate better if I’m comfortable around people. We spoke aloud on how we made our art and how our art helped us and that made me more comfortable communicating.”

Many thanks to Justin C. Mitchell of JB Digital Photography for the wonderful photos.

You can view the IDEAL students’ artwork through June 9 at the Margaret Shepherd Ray Student and Family Gallery at the Chrysler. Admission and parking are free.

An IDEAL Learning Experience for Both Students and a New College Graduate

May 8, 2024 By Cindy Sherwood

The Margaret Shepherd Ray Student and Family Gallery at the Chrysler Museum of Art, which is displaying IDEAL students' artwork through June 9. — The Margaret Shepherd Ray Student and Family Gallery at the Chrysler Museum is displaying IDEAL students’ artwork through June 9.

On Thursday, May 9, the upper elementary students participating in the second year of our IDEAL (Intentional Designs of Expression in Artistic Languages) after-school residency will gather at the Chrysler Museum of Art, sharing their artwork with family and friends in a collaborative exhibit. Participating students came from three elementary schools in three school divisions: Douglass Park in Portsmouth, Point O’View in Virginia Beach, and Southside STEM Academy in Norfolk.

Brandy guides a student while working as a teaching artist at Portsmouth's Douglass Park Elementary. — Brandy guides a student while working as a teaching artist at Portsmouth’s Douglass Park Elementary.

Of the seven teaching artists who have guided students through this residency, there’s one who has learned a great deal herself, gaining valuable experience working with children, shortly after graduating from Norfolk State University.

Brandy Lee started as an Emerging Teaching Artist in the fall, learning various aspects about a career in arts education. Through a partnership with area colleges, Arts for Learning staff members and artists on our roster mentor student artists on classroom management, program development with curriculum preparation, and arts administration practices.

Simone Couther is an Emerging Teaching Artist with Arts for Learning Virginia.

Simone Couther was also named an Emerging Teaching Artist last fall and continues her journey through the program.

Brandy shows her artwork at the James Wise Gallery at Norfolk State.

Brandy, who lives in Virginia Beach, is a mixed media artist. As part of her Fine Arts major, she was required to throw her own art show, along with other NSU seniors. She graduated in December.

As an Emerging Teaching Artist, Brandy credits Aisha Noel, Arts for Learning’s Programs and Community Engagement Manager, for “showing her the ropes.”

“I was very new. I knew that I wanted to teach kids art, and Aisha was there to show me expectations of what I needed to do.”

Brandy working with IDEAL participants in Portsmouth. — Brandy works with IDEAL participants in Portsmouth.

The Emerging Teaching Artist program also benefits Arts for Learning. “It’s a great avenue for helping college students explore post-graduation careers in a supportive and artistic setting,” Aisha says. “I think it’s mutually beneficial—we help the students navigate that scary period between college and the real world, and the students help our organization remain youthful and relevant.”

In February, Brandy began working with students participating in IDEAL at Douglass Park Elementary. Along with teaching artist Tabetha McNeal, Brandy guided students as they explored the question of identity through various forms of visual art, music, and poetry.

Brandy helps a student in the IDEAL residency.

“One thing that was very obvious to me as an Emerging Teaching Artist was that I can’t hold students to the same expectation as those in college or high school,” Brandy says. “They’re just learning how to do these things so you have to learn patience. You have to teach them in the very beginning about techniques and you have to think about, is this student actually interested in art, and if so, how am I going to teach them as they begin their adventure as an artist?”

Brandy calls the IDEAL residency “significant” to children who come from many different backgrounds. “It helps them push the boundaries of what they can really do. In IDEAL, we’re teaching kids identity through pattern, so they can establish their own identity, they can recognize their own identity. I feel that’s pivotal to them, and I’m grateful to be there and help them do that.”

And we’re grateful to Brandy, Tabetha, and the other IDEAL residency teaching artists: Asiko-oluwa Aderin, Jackie Adonis, Cindy Aitken, Jennifer Graham, and Dai Poole, plus Gary “JuJu” Garlic, who taught the music portion of the program for all three schools. Thank you also to the residency stewards from each school.

Student paintings are ready for viewing at the Chrysler Museum of Art.

From now through June 9, you can view the collaborative art exhibit in the Margaret Shepherd Ray Student and Family Gallery at the Chrysler Museum. Art work created by the students who participated in IDEAL is professionally displayed and open to the public. Click here for more details.

Asiko-oluwa Aderin at her art show in April 2024. Photo credit: Silas Morgan

The first student to complete our Emerging Teaching Artist program and join our roster of teaching artists was Asiko-oluwa Aderin. Asiko graduated from Norfolk State University on May 4 with a major in Fine Arts and a concentration in Graphic Design. We’re so proud of Asiko, and we wish her all the best as she pursues her artistic career.

In Their Own Words: IDEAL Residency Students

June 6, 2023 By Cindy Sherwood

Sometimes we can learn the most about the impact of a program that we offer directly from the students we serve.

So we wanted to share comments from some of the students who participated in our IDEAL (Intentional Designs of Expression in Artistic Languages) residency this spring. Remarks from students at Virginia Beach’s College Park Elementary and Portsmouth’s Westhaven Elementary are divided into the categories that we measure before, during, and after the residency to determine gains: self-worth, community connectedness, and creative expression.

SELF-WORTH

Emma, College Park, 5^th grade: “It showed me I could really be anything I want to be.”

Sadé, College Park, 5^th grade: “I want to teach others how to do art. It’s very inspiring. It makes you feel like you can do other things that you thought that you couldn’t do in art. And that’s why I love Arts for Learning.”

Deniya, Westhaven, 5^th grade: “I learned you can do what you want to do. You just have to keep practicing. Don’t let anybody make you come down, just keep trying and trying… And you might end up being an artist if you keep trying.”

Harmony, Westhaven, 5^th grade: “I got a lot more friends in my life. They made us sit at different tables so we could get to know each other, and it really helped a lot. I’m very shy. I got put into a room full of new people I didn’t know, at least most of them. I guess I had to branch out… I feel like Arts for Learning made me into a better person.”

COMMUNITY CONNECTIVENESS

Samantha, Westhaven, 6^th grade: “Arts for Learning was important because it helped you connect with who you are and your identity.” (Samantha had noted that she was Filipino on her mother’s side and used to visit cousins in the Philippines prior to Covid. She said she had done research about the Philippines as part of IDEAL.)

CREATIVE EXPRESSION

Sadé, College Park, 5^th grade: “I’m more excited when I do art. It makes my heart burst.”

Mark, Westhaven, 6^th grade: “I created a phoenix, and it was really inspiring because it shows my personality, like the power of the phoenix. It’s a sock puppet so it’s silly and goofy but on the inside it’s powerful and meaningful. The project changed how I saw myself because I expressed my inner personality.”

Kerrington, College Park, 5^th grade: “Before I joined [the IDEAL residency], I wasn’t really artistic because I didn’t think I could do the things I wanted to do. When I joined Arts for Learning, it was really fun because I got to paint, do watercolors, and sculptures…. Anytime I go home, I have paint and canvases in my room, and I just paint nonstop. And my mom tells me to go to bed and I’m like, ‘No, I’ve got to paint.’”

Mary, Westhaven, 5^th grade: “I realized that I could express myself in different ways instead of just talking about it. I can express myself through singing or dancing or painting or drawing. Arts for Learning has helped me a lot because I learned I can express myself in different ways.”

Raenah, Westhaven, 5^th grade: “I’ve changed the way I express myself going to [the IDEAL residency] because I learned that I don’t have to just speak the way I feel, I can draw it out, dance it out, sing it out, or do it all types of ways. My favorite way of showing my feelings is painting. I can show it if I’m mad, happy, sad, or any other emotion. The painting I did for the Chrysler Museum I basically just put lots of fun and colorful things because I feel like it describes how I am most of the time because I’m mostly happy.”

Many thanks to Hannah Sobol and Jackie Glass of Heard Productions for conducting interviews with students at the Chrysler Museum.

The IDEAL student art exhibit is still on display and available for the public to view through Sunday, June 11. Admission to the Chrysler Museum is free. The artwork can be viewed at the Margaret Shepherd Ray Family and Student Gallery.

IDEAL Evening at the Chrysler Art Museum

May 12, 2023 By Cindy Sherwood

Pictures are worth a…. you know the rest. Enjoy these wonderful photos of the student art exhibit, performances, and reception at the Chrysler Museum of Art as the IDEAL (Intentional Designs of Expression in Artistic Languages) residency wrapped up for upper elementary students at Norfolk’s Lindenwood, Portsmouth’s Westhaven, and Virginia Beach’s College Park schools.

It truly was an IDEAL evening as students shared their art for family, friends, educators, and community leaders. Throughout the residency, students created art that explored and expressed their unique identities. The public can view the beautiful artwork through June 11.

We thank all of our partners who made the first year of this residency possible: the funders–with special thanks to our major funder the Hampton Roads Community Foundation–teaching artists; residency stewards; Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach public school divisions; Chrysler Museum of Art; Richmond Ballet; staff and board of Arts for Learning; families; and most of all, the students. We hope they’ll remember this special night forever.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (Arts for Learning Style)

March 15, 2023 By Cindy Sherwood

No, we’re not talking about this year’s Best Picture winner (although we DID love it!) We’re talking about springtime at Arts for Learning where we have so much going on—new residencies, workshops, public performances, and more for students from Pre-K to 12^th grade!

Residencies

Strings Impact kicks off at Lakeview Elementary in Portsmouth.

John Jenkins leads Strings Impact students at Lakeview Elementary.

Strings Impact: Fourth through sixth graders at three elementary schools in Portsmouth have the opportunity to learn the basics of playing the violin—without having to pay or rent an instrument. Strings Impact is one of our longstanding residencies, and we’re so happy students at Churchland, Lakeview, and Simonsdale are participating in this after-school opportunity. Students from each school will perform concerts for family and friends in May.

Strings Impact at Churchland Elementary, led by teaching artist Tina Culver.

IDEAL, Intentional Designs of Expression in Artistic Languages: Older elementary students from three school divisions—Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach—are also busy after school in a new residency.

Teaching artist Jennifer Graham with students at Norfolk’s Lindenwood Elementary.

Lindenwood Elementary students getting started in their IDEAL residency.

Students are participating in year one of IDEAL where they’re exploring identity and community through poetry, movement, and visual art. Students are being led by A4L teaching artists Cindy Aitken, Gary Garlic, and Jennifer Graham at Lindenwood Elementary in Norfolk, Asiko-oluwa Aderin and Nathan Richardson at Westhaven Elementary in Portsmouth, and Jackie Adonis and Valerie Davis at College Park Elementary.

In May, students will showcase performances and artwork at the Chrysler Museum, with their art pieces to be professionally hung in a gallery for a month for the public to view!

The Chrysler Museum’s Emily Cayton talks with students visiting from Virginia Beach’s College Park Elementary.

To bring students in the museum and show them it’s their place to have a voice is just an amazing opportunity,” says Anna Green, COO for Arts for Learning. “I can’t even bring words to how important that is, to make the museum accessible and for students to feel like they’re a part of a larger community.”

Students at Westhaven Elementary in Portsmouth work on an art project with Emily Cayton of the Chrysler Museum.

Arts + Learning Snacks: Tessellations

Third graders at Rosemont Elementary in Virginia Beach.

Third grade students at Virginia Beach’s Bayside Elementary say thanks for their new take-home arts kits.

Third-graders at seven elementary schools in Virginia Beach have a new (and so-not-boring) way to study for their math SOL testing in May. Thanks to free bilingual art kits, they’ll get a refresher on measuring perimeter and area by following instructions to design their own tessellations. (A “tessellation” is an arrangement of shapes closely fitted together using a repeated pattern without gaps or overlapping.) Thanks to support from the Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission and the Helen G. Gifford Foundation, we distributed 500 take-home kits to students in Title I schools in Virginia Beach.

And how nice to see these smiling faces!

Third grade students at Birdneck Elementary in Virginia Beach receive art kits from A4L Operations Coordinator Stephanie Jackson.

Public Performances and Workshops

Dino O’Dell gets kids hopping at Williamsburg Library.

Valerie Davis portrays Martha Ann Fields at the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center as part of our free performance series underwritten by the Virginia African American Cultural Arts Center.

There’s no excuse to be bored at home anymore—not when we’re offering so many different performances and workshops, certified family friendly, fun, and fabulous. offered throughout greater Hampton Roads.

With programs offered throughout greater Hampton Roads, there’s something for all ages. Click for the latest on our Events Calendar and make sure to check back often because we keep adding more programs. We’ve had some wonderful ones lately—from the “master of tricking kids into learning,” Dino O’Dell, on tour from Kansas City to Valerie Davis’s inspiring portrayals of courageous women in history.

We thank all of those who care about arts education and financially support these programs and more—we couldn’t do it without you! Check out the list of our supporters here.

PLUS THERE’S MORE! Our teaching artists love sharing the joy of the arts with children. Here’s James Cooper leading a Geometric MOSAIC workshop in Norfolk, Stephanie Lask teaching the graphic novel in Virginia Beach, and Amy Harbin guiding Rhythm and Me students in Portsmouth!

In Their Own Words: IDEAL Residency Students Express What They’ve Learned

An IDEAL Learning Experience for Both Students and a New College Graduate

In Their Own Words: IDEAL Residency Students

IDEAL Evening at the Chrysler Art Museum

Everything Everywhere All at Once (Arts for Learning Style)

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