“The intensive leadership program is designed to teach powerful visioning, listening, speaking, presentation, coaching, team-building and feedback skills to leaders engaged in cultural work and the arts that are concerned with the well-being of humanity and the biosphere.” I am excited to get to know my cohort at our first gathering next month in California. Watch this blog for reflections on my experience.
In February, I was invited by art teacher Courtney Reckord to teach a mask-making workshop with her high school students in Milton, Vermont. Students had all chosen mythological characters to portray, ranging from Prometheus to Medusa to a mermaid (see right). The workshop was a great success and was featured on the Vermont Arts Council website. In the article, Courtney was kind enough to describe my teaching as “very enthusiastic and honest.” She said:
[Jay] got to know the students really quickly, and was able to connect with many of them right away. One of my most perfectionistic students had chosen Medusa. Jay picked up on that and totally supported her… He also has such an extensive knowledge of masks and has worked with so many groups.
In late September, I brought a combined group of 18 sculpture and “green art” students from Woodstock High School to my installation “When the Moon Came to Earth” at King Farm. I taught them about what artists are looking to express in sculpture and how the landscape and other sculptures come into play as well. I also spoke about my creative process.
The “green art” students came back several times to eventually create their own installations, which I returned to see with them present.
Thanks to friend and artist, Blythe Ousterman, for the above photos.
Enjoy this time-lapse video produced by Colleen Bozuwa of my “When the Moon Came to Earth” installation at King Farm in Woodstock, Vermont. Thanks, Colleen!
Also, Marie Kirn of Hartland, Vermont gave my piece a kind endorsement, saying it is “striking and moving” in this broadcast of Vermont Public Radio’s En Plein Air. Listen to the short segment.
This is my latest piece “When the Moon Came to Earth.” Each disc is made of saplings and measures 10′ in diameter. It’s installed at King Farm, which is an extension of Sculpture Fest.
The opening is at King Farm on Saturday, September 1st from 4-7pm. The theme this year is ”Poetry on the Land.” At 5:15pm, Bonnie Gale will do a presentation on “Living Willow Sculpture” at the Prosper Road location. Bring your own picnic. Then, Barnarts will present the play “Eleemoysynary” in the Barn at King Farm at 7pm. Buy tickets for the performance here. More information on Sculpture Fest is available here.
I am pleased to share that I have been accepted into Rockwood Leadership Institute’s year-long Fellowship for Leaders in Arts and Culture!
