Field Trip to MAM construction site

It was hot and we had to wear hard hats, but we totally enjoyed riding the MetroRail to MAM's future location in Museum Park. We got a great tour from the Landscape Architect and the Contractor and actually learned a lot about the construction process and the materials, especially the way that they create different textures in concrete.



We got to see a sample of what the "vertical gardens" are going to look like and some of the plants that they plan to use. Our city is going to have one of the most awesome art museums in the world! Wow!!!





It was a tiring day, but we learned a lot. The ride on the MetroRail was great. A lot of us had never been on the MetroRail before. It was a whole new way to see the city of Miami!

Banners Project at Girl Power

After looking at the work of Nick Cave and Mickalene Thomas, we were inspired to work with color and texture, using needlepoint, sequins, fabric markers and our wild imaginations, we transferred these images from magazines and made them our own.




Our next step is to take these banners out into the neighborhood and photograph them.

Public Intervention in Little Havana

We found an empty lot in Little Havana and decided to experiment with our Box/Bricks, some colored tape, recycled bungee cords and the space itself.







We took the bricks back with us, but left the tape installation as a contribution to the community. Definitely added some color to the neighborhood!

Painted Bricks, and more to come!

Once the papier mache covered bricks are fabricated, it's on to the surface decoration.

Using spray paint and poster paint, everyone got involved in customizing the building material.

Next, the bricks will tour the neighborhood and assemble themselves in the context of Little Havana's historic old houses, urban and commercial zones, and of course, our favorite empty canvas - the vacant lot.

Brickworks

At Mater Academy, we have been busy fabricating bricks to use as elements in stop motion animations and to help us perceive building materials and surfaces in a new way.

Projections and Personal banners

We continue at Girl Power with an intro to contemporary artists.
This past week we showed works by Kerry James Marshall who spoke about what kind of
art is usually expected from African American artists. Them our own
Dinorah de Jesus Rodriquez showed examples of her last
project Elusive Landscape.
After the presentation we were ready to continue with the banners project.

Looking at the works of Nick Cave and Mickalene Thomas

This week we have been looking at the works of these two contemporary artists, listening to their voices and connecting some of their ideas and techniques with the materials for the art project we are currently working on.
We also totally enjoy the idea that Mickalene's works are about fashion, and how they comment on pop culture and common perceptions of women. We found her truly inspiring.

Line into Knots

We moved from linear tape drawings to using rope. We looked at braids, and Alesa taught us friendship bracelet technique. So, we made friendship bracelets on trees and lamp posts in the parking lot of Mater Academy.

Next week we'll take our rope sculptures out into the neighborhood and try them on fire hydrants, phone booths, etc.

Some designs on Miami storefronts

Mater Academy students work each session on sketches, exploring possible solutions to the problem of a blank wall!

Tape drawings in the street in Little Havana

Storefronts along SW 1st Street offered several promising blank canvases for our linear interventions with colored tape!