Tag: Maryland

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Divine I Am Existence

2023 Light at the end of the tunnel

Clarity brings prosperity is how I would sum up 2023. New doors opening to opportunities I dream to manifest, while old doors closing. Feeling the embodiment of that which I know is mine by divine right. 2023 had a balance of growth and celebration, of ritual and ceremony. Every day has been a ceremony. Mindfulness with each breath in each step. Through frustrations and worry, into absolute faith in the great mystery.

2023 Intuitive Painting

This year I started facilitating intuitive painting sessions in the studio garage. The first month was July, and there were 6 participants. I offered it again in August, October, November and December. Each month people would come back, and new people would join us. By December we were up to 15 people every week. The community and creative space is so rich and powerful, shining light on our paths so that we might know ourselves deeper and more fully.

2023 was a great year for building community through creating!

2023

Presentations

The universe heard my call when I asked for opportunities to share my stories, gifts and art with adults and teachers.

MAEA Healing Hands

I presented a Healing Hands workshop at the 2023 Maryland Art Education Association’s Conference for Central zone. I love doing this workshop with art teachers. It’s such a powerful time to release and redirect our energies into the energy we want to embody.

PechaKucha

I was invited to participate in the 2023 York PechaKucha Volume 21 night, and I presented about my life as an artist, educator and how the Anishinaabe teachings parallel to my life as a creator.

YWCA

The YWCA of Hanover invited me to share Indigenous teachings with their middle school students on Indigenous Peoples Day, and was interviewed by a local news station.

Kutztown University

A week later I was asked to participate in Kutztown University’s Indigenous Peoples Showcase. I live painted and sold my work during the event. The painting was purchased by Kutztown Multicultural Center and hangs there in the Union Center.

Spring Grove High

The same week I spoke at my son’s high school during their Indigenous peoples day, and shared my artwork and stories with 300 high school students. It was a huge success and I am excited to do it again next year!

PowWow Live Painting

I was also a live painter at The Baltimore American Indian Center PowWow at the Maryland State Fairgrounds. This was such an amazing experience for me. I felt my ancestors in the beat of the drum and the paint showed me many things. The piece I created there is called Follow the White Feather. The woman who won the highest bid on the painting had an incredible story about following the white feather. The universe always speaks through experiences with others.

Agent of Change

At the beginning of this year I was awarded Maryland Art Educations Agent of Change award. Such a really special award, as I work hard to make sure all of my students know who they are and how beautiful and important it is to respect the differences of all people.

Paintings Sold

This year I sold so many paintings, and really stepped into my artist journey. Creating more this year than ever! Meeting so many amazing people who share their love of art and life with me. It’s so beautiful to see someone resonate with the energy of my work.

Mindfulness

I was published in a new book by my friend Jane Dalton, called The Mindful Studio. Mindfulness is such an important part of life, I strive to practice it and to share it with others.

Gratitude

There are so many other beautiful experiences I had this year, it would take me forever to write about them all. One of the things I want to do more consistently next year is write. I love writing and have missed it this year. Even though I have LOVED being so active and doing so many things, I see how important it is for me to take time to sit and process those experiences. Writing helps me do that.

Through all of the amazing experiences, its been most beautiful when I find myself able to be grateful for the hard experiences. The tough deep diving into old patterns and thoughts.

I find that gratitude easily when I think of all the lives I’ve been able to touch with my art and sharing my gifts. I am so grateful for every being that has taken a chance and listened to their heart, because it lead them to me and I learned something about myself in a more complete way. I appreciate the love and support from all of those who give their time and energy to share their stories and remember we are all connected.

Migwetch to each of you, may you find peace and joy in this very moment. <3

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Education

AEMS 3rd Arts Education Symposium on Anti-Racism

Arts education refers to the teaching and learning of various forms of art, including music, theater, visual arts, and dance. It aims to develop creativity, self-expression, critical thinking, and cultural awareness among students.

Anti-racism refers to the practice of actively opposing and dismantling racism in all its forms, including systemic, institutional, and individual racism. It involves recognizing and challenging racist attitudes, beliefs, and practices, as well as promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Arts Education Anti-Racism Symposium 2023

Art Education in Maryland Schools’ 3rd Annual Arts Education Symposium on Anti-Racism focused on exploring ways to incorporate anti-racism principles and practices in arts education.

I have taken the role of Equity Liaison at my school, and being apart of the NAEA CAN network, I am excited to bring my perspective into the conversation about how the Arts helps to heal and transform.

The symposium was a wonderful experience of self care, social emotional learning, and cultural proficiency discussions. One of the best parts was listening to Paula Liz from Anti-Racist Art Teacher!

Anti-Racism

Resources

Overall, the symposium aimed to provide a platform for educators, artists, researchers, and advocates to share insights, experiences, and strategies for creating more equitable and just education system through the arts. If you are interested in learning more ways to celebrate diversity and have a more inclusive space, please reach out.

Anti-Racism is really a matter of looking within at your own experiences and how we accept our paths, find gratitude in our experiences, and learn from our mistakes, all while knowing others are a valuable part of our growth… and we are in this together. That is what my ancestors mean by Respect, knowing we are all parts of the whole.

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Maryland Art Summit

I am so honored and proud to be apart of this years Maryland Art Summit as an ambassador and a creative co-host!

This year’s 2nd Annual Maryland Arts Summit is going VIRTUAL! The Summit is full of  presenters with years of experience in the field.

This 4 DAY EVENT will feature everyone from Independent Artists to Arts Organization’s Executive Directors to Advocates of the community. With so much information in one space, it would be a shame to miss out.

Did I mention that it’s FREE?! That’s right FREE! Head over to mdarts.org/summit to register for this amazing event.

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Processing

Today went well…

I could tell students were really in shock and didn’t know what to do. They were quieter.

Today I spoke to them about what was happening, and shared where the online art resources were located for them to do over the next two weeks. These digital resource folders were uploaded to each class, and they are for practice only. If students want to use them over the 2 weeks they can, but they are not mandatory.

We discussed how things might be longer than 2 weeks, and we might have to go to online learning if that happens. They’re responses were, “That would not be good. I can’t focus at home. I won’t ever do any work! I need accountability. I’ll get distracted by Minecraft!” Its funny to me because when everything is normal they don’t want to be in school… but when presented with the opportunity to not being school, they realize they might not have the self control to keep learning up to their potential!

Well then shared with them again that the best thing for them to do right now is to take care of themselves mentally and physically. To take time to rest and breath, not allowing themselves to be overwhelmed with stress or fear.  Using art to help you express how you’re feeling and how your processing this new experience. I encouraged them to keep a journal about it all, and to spend some time creating art that represents this experience for them. 

Also I mentioned they should eat less processed sugar if they can help it, since it does not help their immune system. You should’ve heard how almost every class responded to my sugar comment! It was amazing how defensive they became. So many students said, “What?! Oh No! I dont think I could do that. I love sugar.”    If they only knew how much better they would feel if they had less sugar in their diet!

After school was over I realized I needed to take my plants home with me, because there would be no one there to water them for 2 weeks. So many things I had to consider and contemplate today. Even before going to the grocery store at 4pm.

When I parked at Shoprite, I knew what I was getting myself into.  There wasn’t too much missing when I arrived. The bananas were gone, and so was all the rubbing alcohol, peroxide, toilet paper, and bread. The rest of the store was pretty much stocked. It was so weird.

And then I went to stand in line… and I had to go pretty much halfway down the aisle to get to the end of the line. I waited in line for about 40 mins at least. Everyone was very friendly and polite. Helping each other find what they needed and waiting line while having small talk. It was nice to see people being kind.

Today went well, but was also very overwhelming.

The amount of information, what ifs and questions I had to process today put my mind on overload, and being around all of those people in the grocery store added a level of emotions that were tough to balance.

When I got home from the store all I wanted to do was sit by myself alone, and cry. Releasing all of that tension and energy back into a neutral space of love and balance.

Being alone to process what we experience and feel is a very important part of learning and growing… of knowing thy self.

The energy of this experience is quite new… so slow and steady is the only way to navigate.

Keep breathing, in and out.

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For the First time…

All Maryland public schools will be closed from Monday March 16th until March 27th because of the coronavirus.

As of this moment, we will not have to teach for those two weeks. However they mentioned that we will have to use our spring break time to make it up.

This is the first time something like this has happened to me, as I am sure its a first for many. We are history in the making.

So to keep track of my experience with this virus, I thought I would write about it.

Students are aware of a lot of information about the virus. They have researched, watched and listened to information about it. A lot of students mention to me that they didn’t understand the hysteria around it. While there were a few who voiced their anxiety about it.  Most students were excited by the idea of getting out of school, and being apart of something so… historical.  They even shared information that in every decade in the 20th year, there was some type of pandemic! The black plague, spanish flu, and now the coronavirus.

Most of my friends online have expressed concern for the elderly and the sick, however they also do not understand the hype. Why are people purchasing all of the toilet paper? We went to the grocery store and the toilet paper was all gone, as were all of the cleaning supplies!  Those were the only two things missing on the shelves.

I also want to mention that the stock market is crashing, and people are promoting using digital platforms to help eliminate spread of the virus. There could be a correlation between the idea of money spreading the virus and the use of digital platforms as a financial solution.  Though cryptocurrency is also tanking… at this moment, it is down to $5k.

So as I prepare for my last day of school tomorrow before our 2 week closure, I want to remind you, change is inevitable… so just breathe.

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Glenstone Museum

The Maryland Art Education Conference this year was split into a two day conference, with Friday being a field experience day at different museums around the area and Saturday being conference workshops!

On Friday I attended the Glenstone Museum for my field experience.  This was my first time at the museum and I was blown away. I have been to many museums from Seattle to Boston, and Glenstone is by far the most unique experience I have had a museum.

Glenstone is a private museum, owned by Emily & Mitch Rales.

We envision Glenstone not only as a place, but a state of mind created by the energy of architecture, the power of art, and the restorative qualities of nature. At the core of the museum is a collection of post-World War II art, a very personal project driven by the pursuit of iconic works that have changed the way we think about the art of our time.

Glenstone is open Thursday–Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. with visits scheduled on the half hour until 3:00 p.m., always free admission. They highly recommend reservations, though they do allow you in if there is space available and you have no reservation.

The museum encompasses two buildings, several outdoor sculptures and nearly 300 acres of landscape. To fully experience Glenstone, you should be prepared to spend time outside on foot. There are many beautiful trails to experience.

The artwork inside the gallery is curated in such a way that you are forced to realize you are apart of the experience just as much as the artwork.

Between buildings are many outdoor sculptures, which to me felt like little moments in time that I am put into a different reality. The way the sculptures interact with the environment and myself as a visitor, was really wonderful.

The spiral sculpture and the sound forest were such a dynamic experiences. Words are hard to find to describe the experience.

The food was delicious and locally sourced.

One of my most favorite parts of the museum was visiting the environmental center!

Their Environmental Center is a multi-use maintenance and education facility that offers experiential learning. You can learn about composting, organic landscape management, waste reduction, materials recycling and water conservation—and how to take these practices home with you.

They planted trees, understory vegetation and groundcover flora as part of their reforestation efforts. They plant only native, regionally appropriate species, which require the fewest resources to maintain and provide appropriate food and habitat for local fauna. They use local ponds as well as three new underground cisterns to manage rainfall flow throughout the property and recycle the water for landscaping purposes.

In addition to its water recycling program, Glenstone has committed to restoring the two depleted tributaries of the Potomac River located on the property. In close coordination with Montgomery County, in 2015 they implemented a plan designed to improve water quality, reduce sediment reaching the Potomac, and renew the wildlife habitat for aquatic organisms.

I am definitely planning to visit the museum again! Thank you MAEA for setting up this amazing field experience!

Raine Dawn

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Hampton Art Experience

For the past 6 years the Historic Hampton Inc. non-profit has hosted an art show for any Maryland students and teachers to submit work inspired by Hampton National Historic Park.  It was always a wonderful show, however this year we decided to work with BCPS Visual Arts office to create our first Hampton Art Experience at the historic site.  I took my 8th grade GT students!

Teachers in Baltimore County signed up to bring 20 of their students to the Hampton mansion for a full day art experience.  Students rotated between 2 of the 3 art stations which included:

  • Gardens & Light where students learned about the history of horticulture at Hampton Mansion, and about the properties of light as they created cyanotypes using natural objects located on site.
  • Understanding Architecture where students learned about the history of the architecture and engineering at Hampton Mansion, and were able to work on creating their own mansion, or recreating the Hampton Mansion in a drawing like an architect.
  • Fibers on the Farm where students learned about life on the Farm at Hampton Mansion and used fibers to create artworks that were inspired by Hampton.

My students attended the Understanding Architecture station, lead by architect Anne Boyce and Gretchen Maneval.

and Gardens & Light station, lead by Carroll Cook.

On Saturday, the student work was on display in the orangery for a reception.  Families were able to come and see their students work, as well as take a tour of the Mansion!

This was by far the best art experience and we are looking forward to hosting our second experience next year.

<3

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Natural History Society

The Natural History Society of Maryland is a private nonprofit dedicated to conserving Maryland’s natural heritage and educating its citizens on the natural sciences since 1929. We are a volunteer-run organization with a few part-time staff. We manage a small museum in Baltimore County where we offer programs, lectures, workshops, and courses on a wide variety of natural science subjects. The lower level of our building is a collections facility that houses over 200,000 natural history specimens and artifacts.

They recently hosted a Teachers Night at the museum, a free event for teachers to learn about and experience the museum in order to get inspired to collaborate with local organizations.

I talked with Natural History experts of fossils and geology, competed a museum-wide scavenger hunt and left with resources for my classroom.  All teachers that attended received a complimentary year membership to NHSM. During the visit I made a connection with the Fossil Curator of the museum who delivered an amazing set of fossils to our school! The students started using them right away.

Students used the fossils as a reference to create a new character for their parade drawings!

I am so glad I attended the event and excited about new possibilities with integrating environmental education into my art classroom.

Migwetch

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March for our Schools

On March 11th, 2019 educators and community members join together wearing red, to march for approval of the Kirwan Commission:

It brings together representatives from across the State to review the findings of the Study of Adequacy of Funding for Education in Maryland, hear from national experts on world class education systems, and make recommendations for improving education in Maryland through funding, policies, and resources that will prepare Maryland students “to meet the challenges of a changing global economy, to meet the State’s workforce needs, to be prepared for postsecondary education and the workforce, and to be successful citizens in the 21st century.”

This commission was created to work towards…

“…more effective supports for flailing students; bona fide high school pathways pointing toward remediation-free college and life-sustaining careers; teachers whose preparation, compensation and career prospects will lead abler individuals to enter and remain in this honorable profession. And because of this, significantly higher academic outcomes for our students.”

There were over 8,500 teachers from Maryland came out to march for school funding.  Maryland schools are underfunded by $2.9 billion every year, about $2 million on average per school, and teachers are underpaid by 25 percent, compared to other professions.

I rode a bus from Carver Center for the Arts, in Towson, to Annapolis with other Baltimore County Public School educators. County Executive Johnny Olszewski also road the bus with us down to Annapolis. TABCO paid for and provided not only the transportation, but also boxed lunches. We also received posters, cow bells, and beanie hats! Check out the poster I made below!

 

The march was so inspiring, as we walked side by side, everyone together for one purpose…To see our children walking and cheering for a better future. They deserve better than what we’ve been settling for, and the state of the future depends on making a change.

I am proud to speak up for the hard work that teachers in Maryland do, and how our students deserve happy teachers. Teachers who do not have to work an extra job during the school year, or who have to pay for supplies from their own pockets.  It is mind blowing to me that we are shaping our future, yet there is so little importance given to making sure teachers have all the tools necessary to develop students who are creative, curious and caring citizens.

On April 1st we are organizing a demonstration at the County Executive’s office in Towson. We will present hundreds of postcards to the County Executive and ask the County Executive to find the resources needed to fund our schools, our raises and the additional staff we need so we can provide the world class education our students deserve.

Two things you can do to help:

1. Send Johnny Olszewski an email telling him what you need at your school and asking him to find the resources to fund additional needed staff and our raises.

2. Be there on April 1st (No Fooling!) at the Historic Courthouse in Towson from 5:30 to 7:00pm. Click here to RSVP. Bring your red shirt!

Thanks for the support!

<3

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Full STEAM Ahead

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I recently attended the Maryland Association for Environmental & Outdoor Education annual conference in Towson Maryland. This was my first MAEOE conference, and I’m excited to bring more teachers next year!

The conference theme was Full Steam Ahead, Expanding the Potential of Environmental Education.  It was wonderful to see so much integration between the arts and sciences.

I attended a painting workshop, where we talked about how to create art as an expression of ourselves, while learning techniques to be successful in the aesthetics of the artwork.

The Watershed Charter school executive director Jessie Lehson presented Growing Art through Farming, the intersection of art and agriculture. We learned to make pastels from rocks, and cut turkey feathers into quill pens.

There was an amazing presentation called When Wonder Wins, discussing how important it is to intentionally incorporate wonder into our lives.  In doing so, we are role models for our students so that they too will use the world around them to be inspired to keep growing and following their passions.

I really enjoyed the Earth Powers and Forest bathing lightening session.  Two sessions in one hour, where we discussed allowing kids to explore nature and tap in with their creative mind. We also discussed how to take moments our of our day to spend time in nature mindfully noticing our reactions and responses to outside stimuli.

Restorative Practices was by far the best session I attended, and all of the session I went to were amazing.  Dave Dahl,  from NorthBay Adventure Camp, spoke about using restorative practices and teaching out children using the M.A.E.C.E. method. Mindfulness, Awareness, Empathy, Compassion, and Engage. We participated in hands on team building activities to build relationships with one another in our 2 hour session. We discussed the self determination theory, Carl Rogers, and Dr. Dan Siegel who wrote The Whole-Brain Child.

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This conference was a wonderful learning experience and I am excited about next year!