2011 Memory Project: News from Thailand

Thai child holding his portrait by Naomi Daniel / CLICK image to enlarge

Letter from Ben Schumaker, Memory Project Founder

Dear Ms. Profitt-Streuli and Artists,

I’m happy to let you know that the kids in Thailand have received the portraits!  The kids were very excited by the whole experience of seeing themselves as works of art for the first time.  Here is a little video to show you some scenes from the delivery:

www.thememoryproject.org/Thailand2011

I did my best to get a nice photo of each child holding each portrait.  I had to shoot some photos indoors with pretty poor lighting, so I apologize for any photos that aren’t perfect.  As is always the case, various kids who were registered to receive portraits were not there (some gone temporarily, some permanently).  For those kids, I took photos of their portraits being held by friends, or in some cases next to a photo of the organization’s founder, just to show you they made it there.  Next, I gave those portraits to staff members who will see that they reach the proper children.

Thanks so much to all of you for being part of  The Memory Project. You have given the kids unique gifts to last a lifetime.  I hope you’ll be involved again!

Most Gratefully,

Ben Schumaker, The Memory Project

Look down the RIGHT COLUMN > to see more happy Thai children with their portraits.  To see more Memory Project children > CLICK HERE

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To view all 39 IB Visual Arts Portfolios CLICK HERE. BLOGROLL HIGHLIGHTS! Link to important & interesting sites > National Scholastic Categories / Art Daily / Nashville Art Events Calendar / Interactive Art Web-Exhibits / Cool Hunter / Lauren Taylor’s Blog

Sarah Haseen, 2011 IB Diploma Candidate

Featured Artist Sarah Haseen ©2010 Ink on paper / CLICK image to enlarge

Artist Statement

As I began my journey through IB Art as a junior, I didn’t have the mentality of an artist. I began by doing simple graphite portraits and I free-handed them. I practiced achieving correct proportions of the face and that was successful, but boring. I began to progress and make portraits of babies and children. I did several pieces in varying sizes. I began to think more like an artist and recognize where all the shadows were and how much darker I need to make certain ones. I adjusted to the process fairly well.

Next, I began experimenting with ink. And I did portraits with ink as well. I think its amazing that the human expression can be captured in a simple portrait. A piece of work that has no voice is given a voice when the artist gives it character and expression. There is a certain feeling behind the portraits that I do. Or I try to have a certain feeling be present across them. I make simple portraits ranging from ink to chalk to pencil. I try to give a realistic feel but a feel that is not too realistic to the point where it loses its expression and uniqueness. Most recently, I began doing portraits in chalk. I don’t typically work with color but I have adapted well and am enjoying it. I will continue with chalk for a while!

To see more of  Sarah’s portfolio > CLICK HERE

Congratulations, Ms. Kock!

Hillsboro Counselor Named one of America’s Top Ten!

Our own Ms. Meri Kock was named one of America’s top 10 counselors by the American School Counselor Association.  Way to go, Ms. Kock!  We’re proud of you, and we’re so lucky to have you!!!

In her own words…

“I became a school counselor to help students discover their passion, to assist them in building the educational foundation for their journey, and to support them as they make strides toward realizing their dreams.  There is no better career in the world than helping today’s young adults become tomorrow’s leaders.”

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Click link for the Channel 5 News story:  CLICK HERE

International Baccalaureate in 2011-2012?  Be challenged, be engaged, be interested!  WHY NOT?!

Hillsboro High School is an authorized and accredited International Baccalaureate Organization School.

Check us out at    Hillsboro High School or visit   IB at Hillsboro in Nashville, Tennessee

2011 Memory Project Portraits

The 2011 Memory Project - portrait by Brittainy Tidwell, Acrylic on canvas paper / CLICK image to enlarge

A Portrait of Kindness

The Memory Project is a unique initiative in which art students create portraits (drawings, paintings, graphic design, etc) for children and teens around the world who have been orphaned, neglected, or disadvantaged.  The first stages of this project were developed by Ben Schumaker as a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin.  Since 2004,  art students from the USA, UK, and Canada have created more than 25,000 portraits for children around the world.  Most recently, the Memory Project was featured on the CBS News, to view this video > CLICK HERE

To execute this project, art students receive photos of children who are waiting for portraits and then work from those photos to create the portraits. Next, Ben Schumaker delivers the portraits to the waiting children as special gifts, and photographs the models holding their portraits.  These photographs are returned to the teacher and the student artists.

The goal of the project is to inspire caring, global friendship, and a positive sense of self.

Ms. Profitt read about Ben Schumaker and the Memory Project in 2006 and began to recruit volunteer art students. Each year Ms. Profitt  invites her IB and AP Visual Arts students to be a volunteer artist.  The project is open to sophomores, juniors and seniors in October and portraits are picked up in Nashville each January.

To see Visual Arts 2011  MEMORY PROJECT Portraits and those contributed by alum graduates > CLICK HERE

Scholastic Awards Ceremony

Cheekwood Museum of Art exhibits Middle Tennessee Scholastic Art JANUARY 29  -  FEBRUARY 20

Mahyar Varasteh, Brittainy Tidwell, Mattie Goldberg, Mitchell Connell & Ms. Profitt-Streuli - Cheekwood Scholastic Art Awards Ceremony / CLICK image to enlarge

For the 20th consecutive year, Cheekwood and the Tennessee Credit Union have partnered with the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers to host the Scholastic Art Awards, one of the oldest and most prestigious student art competitions in the country. Ms. Profitt  and our four recipients were there representing the International Baccalaureate Visual Arts at Hillsboro High School, Nashville.

See samples of art by our winning artists in the right column >

The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers celebrates the creative achievement of America’s teens. The Awards were founded in 1923 to offer recognition and scholarships for students for their artistic talents. Students who excel in the visual arts and creative writing participate in The Awards to earn recognition, get their work exhibited or published, and to earn scholarships.

Past Scholastic Art winners include:   Red Grooms – Nashville’s own painter and installation artist, Andy Warhol – print maker, Richard Avedon – photographer, Phillip Pearlstein – painter, Robert Redford – actor, Harry Bertio – sculptor and so many more…

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Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art , 1200 Forrest Park Drive, Nashville, TN 37205 -  (615) 356-8000  ‎ cheekwood.org

 

Congratulations to OUR 2011 Scholastic Winners!

Mitchell Connell ©2010 American Visual Nominee / CLICK image to enlarge

Winners Announced

Thank you, Ms. Profitt, for your leadership!  It is your commitment to teaching art and your constant encouragement that empowers our Hillsboro High School art students to enter the National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Competition.

Congratulations to our VISUAL ARTicles members for your recognition as gifted artists!  All four Hillsboro High School winners are 2011 IB Visual Arts Seniors and IB Diploma Candidates.

REGIONAL SCHOLASTIC WINNERS

• Mitchell Connell     American Visual Nominee & Mixed Media Gold Key   Handmade Photography Book:  444 mi.
• Mahyar Varasteh   Art Portfolio Silver Key     Mahyar’s Portrait Portfolio
• Brittainy Tidwell     Painting Gold Key             Alice
• Mattie Goldberg     Painting Silver Key           Pile of Jacks  aka  Lost in Jacks

2011 Regional Scholastic Winners List > CLICK HERE

2011 National Winners from the Middle Tennessee Art Region > CLICK HERE

Mattie Goldberg, 2011 IB Diploma Candidate

Featured Artist: Mattie Goldberg ©2011 - Pile of Jacks - Regional Scholastic Silver Key Award / CLICK image to enlarge

ARTIST STATEMENT

My approach to working circulates around my life; I use illustrative themes to convey internal struggles. I develop characters and place them into concrete situations that portray my abstract feelings. I like to mix media like watercolor, liquid graphite, and ink because I find that each medium conveys a message and to use more than one communicates a deeper meaning. I am a kinesthetic thinker, so when I establish an idea I feel my way through mediums to suggest weight in the piece’s meaning.

See more of Mattie’s drawings > CLICK HERE

Lilly Olney, 2011 IB Diploma Candidate

Featured Artist: Lilly Olney ©2010 Watercolor, pen and ink on paper / CLICK image to enlarge

ARTIST STATEMENT

Art has always been an organic part of my life. When I reached my IB art class I turned to something just as organic and essential in my life as art, the human form. As my two years in IB art passed my focus changed from the face to the figure. I learned through practice that the figure is an extremely complex entity because of the simplicity it is viewed with.

I try to capture the complex simplicity of the human figure in my pieces through a mixture of mediums ranging from ink,  watercolors, chalk, graphite, and etchings. My pieces drift between the real and the surreal and are often simply placed in space to leave focus on the human figure.

To see more of Lilly’s art > CLICK HERE

Mahyar Varasteh, 2011 IB Diploma Candidate

Feature Artist: Mahyar Varasteh ©2010 Graphite on paper / CLICK image to enlarge

ARTIST STATEMENT

My technique has developed greatly since the beginning of last year. I have started to notice the very simple features of the human face and body that make a piece of art stand out. Portraiture is not merely drawing the face of a human being; it is capturing and displaying the character of that being in a picture. Drawing a portrait is similar to writing a biography; the small details affect the whole story.

To see  Mahyar’s drawings > CLICK HERE

Katy Fishell, 2011 IB Certificate Candidate

Feature Artist: Katy Fishell ©2010 - Dry point etching, watercolor, ink on paper - CLICK image to enlarge

ARTIST STATEMENT

My technique has varied immensely since the beginning of my junior year. I have just discovered my love for engravings, and will continue to use that medium. Also, I have begun to incorporate water color into my work, and although I’m new to the medium I believe that with practice I can improve greatly.

Recently, I have begun doing portraits of my friends, and I enjoy the challenge of capturing their individuality in each piece.

To see  Katy’s Portfolio  CLICK HERE