In This Issue

 Art in Action is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Fourth grade student artwork inspired by Rodin

In 4th grade, Art in Action students study 

perhaps one of the best known sculptures in the world:  Rodin's The Thinker. They learn about how Rodin used exaggerated features, contrasting rough and smooth surfaces, and scale to bring life to the sculpture. Then they get to create their own posed and sculpted figures made of clay. 

 

At Stanford University, Dr. James Chang, a professor of surgery,  leads an interdisciplinary seminar called "Surgical Anatomy of the Hand: from Rodin to Reconstruction," from which an exhibit at the University's Cantor Art Museum was developed. In the exhibit, surgeons "diagnose" possible medical conditions that Rodin's sculptural subjects may have had. Chang noted that "I wanted to participate in this exhibition for the same reason I introduced Rodin into my seminar: to get students in the humanities excited about the sciences, and to get doctors to step out of the hospital to appreciate art...I have found that artists and surgeons appreciate human anatomy with equal passion." 

 

This illustrates why programs like ours that introduce young students to a study of visual arts are so important. Art can inspire inspiration, reflection and inquiry in any discipline. A future surgeon can learn a great deal about anatomy, a future architect can learn a great deal about balance and symmetry, and a future lawyer can learn a great deal about persuasive writing...all from a study of art.

 

Please consider helping us by introducing Art in Action to your local school, spreading the word about our programs, or participating in a fundraising campaign like the Silicon Valley Gives event below.

 

We have a unique opportunity on May 6th to significantly increase our impact through an new event called Silicon Valley Gives. 

 

Hosted by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, this online event will run for 24 hours beginning at midnight on May 6th. We are excited to have already received two matching gifts totaling $30,000 from new donors. This means that any gift you give will be automatically doubled. In addition to these matches, throughout the day there are opportunities for our donors to double or triple their gifts through specific hourly prizes.  You can schedule your donation now or, to increase the value of your gift, give on May 6 by visiting our donation page.

 

Donations received from this incredible opportunity will be used to help bring Art in Action to more students, in more schools, in more places, than ever before.  We thank you for your support.

We welcome the following schools who have joined us this month:

Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, Windward, Kailua, HI

L.U.C.H.A. School, San Jose, CA

St. Anthony Immaculate Conception School, San Francisco, CA

Do you know a school that needs a visual arts program? Contact Jonelle or call 1.888.566.1982. See our full list of schools here.

The Studio Shop in Burlingame, CA will donate 10% of all art or framing purchases to Art in Action until April 30, 2014. Just mention Art in Action! 

 

Join us for these upcoming exciting private tours whose proceeds benefit our programs:

 

Progressive Cocktails at Bryant Street Studios, San Francisco, May 9th, 5:30-7:30pm - Register now

 

We'll be at the following conferences over the next few weeks. Look for us at:

 

Ohio PTA Conference, Columbus, OH, April 25-27 

Washington PTA Conference, Bellevue, WA, April 25-27

California PTA Conference, Los Angeles, CA, May 7-10