E-magination
Art in Action's Monthly Newsletter
July 2008
Welcome to the Art in Action newsletter. Connect with current happenings at Art in Action, museum shows, local events, and fun activities for kids. Art in Action enriches lives through art.
In This Issue
Register for Fall Training
Meet New Staff Members
Job Opportunities
Volunteers of the Month
Gallery Highlights
Donate to Art in Action through Amazon.com
Submit Photos
Register Online
Fall Training is Coming!

Art in Action provides group training every fall at its offices in Menlo Park. Hands-on training sessions introduce docents and teachers to the masterpieces, themes, and projects covered in various program levels. New lessons introduced in the 2007 curriculum books are covered in training. Seating is limited to 40 people each day.

Place: Art in Action office, 3925 Bohannon Drive, Menlo Park
Date: September 13 - October 6, 2008
Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm

To Register go to the AiA website
www.artinaction.org/events/training.html


Meet New Staff Members at Art in Action

Lisa Tsuruoka, who has been a wonderful site coordinator at Laurel Elementary for many years, has joined Art in Action as a Product Manager. Lisa will be managing the packing of ARTboxes and Art prints. Lisa has been working feverishly the last few months to ensure that ARTboxes are perfectly packed and ready to go for the 2008-09 school year. She is a great asset and many of you will interact with her this fall when you receive your ARTboxes. Lisa is a multi-talented individual and has lead Art in Action workshops in jewelry making. You may contact Lisa at lisa@artinaction.org
 
Danielle Brandt has joined Art in Action as our Office Administrator. Danielle, an artist herself, is managing many duties within the office and helping us stay organized and on top of tasks. You will have the opportunity to meet Danielle when you come in for Fall Training. Please introduce yourselves when you visit the office. You can reach Danielle at Danielle@artinaction.org

We say goodbye to Carolyn Heller our marketing ace. Thanks to Carolyn, the number of Art in Action schools has grown 20% for the last 3 years, our order process has been streamlined, and we have created new informational videos. We will miss her smiling face, calming effects, fashionable clothes, spreadsheets and mini-muffins! We wish her luck in her new endeavors!


Job Opportunities

Marketing Director Needed

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Marketing Director to make a difference in the community by bringing art education to children. Art in Action is looking for a Marketing Director with experience in sales management and public relations who will manage the program team to market and deliver outstanding art programs to schools. For more information contact heather@artinaction.org.

On-Site Trainers Needed
If you can teach Art in Action projects to children, you can teach adults about our program too!  Trainers instruct docents how to effectively teach lessons at each program level by practicing discussions techniques, showing how to teach the sketching lesson, and demonstrating techniques for using different media. Trainers specialize in one or two program levels and receive private training from the Art in Action program director.  Trainers are most active in September and October, with other training opportunities throughout the year. Each session runs approximately 4 hours and is conducted at schools usually in the afternoon. Contact betsy@artinaction.org to learn more.

Volunteers of the Month by Betsy Halaby

Thanks to the 4 interns who volunteered part of their summer vacation to help us in the office. Alex Lai, Lauren Nishizaki, Megan Conn, Whitney Drazovich, and Natalie Wilson redesigned our display walls with student art, updated our e-newsletter database, packed Artboxes, moved furniture and lots of other tasks. Always smiling and eager to help, they were a great addition to our team! Good luck in school and we welcome you back anytime!!

Art Advocacy
Art, Music Gives Students Skills to Succeed in Tomorrow's World

Budget cuts. Teacher layoffs. In this time of budget crisis, can our public schools really afford to continue funding arts and music education? The appropriate question is: Can California schools afford not to? The Dana Arts and Cognition Consortium recently identified a direct correlation between arts experiences and both academic achievement and personal development. The research shows that students who are exposed to the arts demonstrate increased overall academic success beyond just test scores, are connected to the world outside of school, and have more self-confidence. What's more, the report found that training in the arts leads to higher levels of reading acquisition, motivation, extended attention spans, information recall in long-term memory, and understanding of geometric representation.

To read article in full, click here or go to the California for Arts Education Alliance website at www.artsed411.org/participate/docs/2008June25.htm.
 
Get More Art in Your Family Life

Americans for the ArtsWe all know that learning begins at home. So much of what kids learn comes from watching their parents and taking part in family activities. In addition to advocating for and supporting a strong arts program in your school district, you can help your child enjoy the arts outside of school by participating together at home, taking advantage of your community's cultural resources, or checking out resources online.

To learn more go to the Americans for the Arts website at www.americansforthearts.org/public_awareness/get_involved/004.asp
E-magination is a monthly art resource for parents and teachers using the Art in Action program. To suggest events, submit articles, ask questions or give feedback, contact us on-line or call 650.566.8339.
(C) 2008 Art in Action
Thanks!


Thank You Palo Alto Community Fund
Art in Action thanks the Palo Alto Community Fund for their grant of $5,000 for the 2008-2009 school year. The PACF underwrites the Art in Action program at St. Elizabeth Seton and East Palo Alto Stanford Academy, schools that would not have a quality visual arts program without this support. Because of ongoing supporters like them, we have been very successful in achieving our mission of bringing a quality visual art program to children in the Bay Area.
Quick Links
Art Destinations 4 Kids
Cool Art Websites
Teacher's Corner
Support Art in Action
Volunteer at Art in Action
Join Our Mailing List
Gallery Highlights
Kahlo at SFMOMA
Chihuly Millefiori

Mexican artist Frida Kahlo began painting in 1926, while recovering from a near-fatal bus accident, and soon became captivated by the medium's expressive possibilities. Kahlo's folkloric style, influenced by Mexican popular art, and her fantastical imagery earned her recognition among the Surrealists, but her intriguing persona and unmistakable originality propelled her beyond the confines of a specific movement to become a leading figure in modern art. This exhibition, commemorating the centennial of the artist's birth, brings together paintings that span her career, along with a selection of her own collection of photographs, most of which have never been on public display.

June 14 - Sept 28
Location: 151 Third St.
415.357.4000
More info
Donate to Art in Action through Amazon.com
Now you can donate to Art in Action through Amazon.com!
When you make your Amazon.com purchases through the Art in Action website a portion of the proceeds will go to support the Art in Action program. Your purchase does not have to include anything from the Art in Action website. All Amazon purchases connected through the Art in Action website help us to bring art to more children. Thank you for your continued support. View the link located at the bottom of our homepage.
Got Photos?
Submit Them!
Art in Action accepts any and all kid's art photos. Email them to us at photos@artinaction.org. We might use them on our new website!