The Lenore Ross Curating Program

ENGAGE   EXPLORE   CREATE

THE BASICS

The Lenore Ross Student and Educator Curating Program is a multidisciplinary arts integration program, in which students, teachers, and school administrators engage with works of art chosen from the PAAM’s Permanent Collection, and create exhibitions in response to collection artwork. The Program consists of a series of components, takes place at both PAAM and in residency at the school, and is designed to accommodate a flexible timeline. Curated exhibitions may be installed at PAAM or if applicable, the school or alternative location.

THE DETAILS

Grounded in the merits of utilizing art as an approach to learning, participants in the Lenore Ross Curating Program work with visiting artists and the Curator of Youth Education to creatively explore the integration of art and everyday life. Utilizing PAAM collection artwork as a focal point for broader academic and artistic exploration, the Program allows students to generate deeper understanding of a topic, creatively engage in their own learning process, and demonstrate their comprehension in artistic form.

The focus of the program is determined in collaboration with the school and is open to myriad possibilities: a particular movement or type of work, a particular artist, and/or a particular theme reflecting current school curriculum. As a project-based learning experience, participants are guided to explore, interpret, and respond to an artwork and its connection to other subject matter through creative writing, group discussion, and art-making. Created artwork is then exhibited alongside collection works in the Museum’s galleries, the school, or alternative locations. Participants are also guided through the process of opening their exhibition – a time of celebration and recognition of their work to be shared with friends, family, their school community and the public. This opening celebration can also include a presentation in which participants share some of their creative writing or other exploration, speak publically about their piece, and present on their learning in oral form.

Engaging children and youth in the cultural life and creative history of the region is a cornerstone of PAAM’s mission. Since the program’s inception in 1992, PAAM has presented 100+ student and educator-curated exhibitions in the Museum’s galleries, cultural institutions, and school galleries. The program has been honored with the Massachusetts Gold Star Award and the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod’s Collaborative Arts Program of the Year Award.

ABOUT LENORE ROSS

An artist as well as a business owner in Provincetown, Lenore Ross was a longtime supporter of PAAM and an advocate for the arts and arts education. In 2008, a student-curated exhibition featuring the work of her gifted brother, the artist Alvin Ross, inspired Lenore to bequeath an endowment to support the continuation of the program. In honor of her generosity and commitment to education, the Lenore Ross Curating Program was launched in 2014.

COMPONENTS OF THE LENORE ROSS CURATING PROGRAM

STEP 1

Determine Theme/Media for Your Exhibition

Focus of exhibition can be determined by participants in discussion with Tessa Bry Taylor, Curator of Youth Education, or a variety of themes/media can be suggested. Choice of Visiting Artist and art project are then determined.

STEP 2

Welcome Session

Tessa and Visiting Artist introduce participants to process of the program and history/process of chosen media, along with examples of Visiting Artist’s own work. May take place at PAAM or your school. All welcome sessions are designed in collaboration with the school and can range anywhere from 45min-1.5 hrs.

STEP 3

PAAM Gallery Visit

Participants are presented with a select body of work from collection at PAAM and choose artworks they’d like to have in their exhibition. Participants then dialogue with their chosen works through guided discussion, activities & creative writing exercises. Visit typically takes 2 hours.

STEP 4

Studio Art Session

Participants create original artworks influenced or inspired by the selected works chosen from the collection and their gallery visit activities. Students work with Visiting Artist to create artwork in PAAM’s studios and/or onsite at school. Writing and artwork are included in the exhibition. Studio Session typically takes 2-6 hours depending on activity and age of students. PLEASE NOTE: Step 3 & 4 can be combined into one 4-6 hour session at PAAM.

STEP 5

Continual Learning & Completion of Artwork

Within a timeframe determined in advance, Tessa and/or the visiting artist may visit your school to complete an additional arts integration session in which students detail their work thus far, their understanding of the focal point of the Program, and assess what remains to be completed prior to their opening.

STEP 6

Spotting the Show & Preparing for Opening

Participants can help determine the organization of their show. Working with Tessa, participants will address exhibition flow and relationships between individual collection works in the gallery space, along with their own work and text. While an important aspect of the curating & exhibition process, this step is optional; some or all of students may participate and process can be discussed at initial meeting. If presentation is also occurring during the opening, Tessa can assist in rehearsing and finalizing any aspects of the opening celebration.

STEP 7

Opening Celebration

Educators, participants, friends and family are all welcome to attend their exhibition opening. If taking place at PAAM, the celebratory opening reception will coincide with another PAAM opening to ensure a good mix of attendance from the community. If taking place at the school or alternative location, we encourage the school to promote the event to their entire school community.

RECENT CURATING SESSION + EXHIBITION

MULTIPLICITY: ARTIST EDUCATORS AND THE PRINTMAKING PROCESS

NOVEMBER 9 – DECEMBER 9, 2018

In June and September, 2018, 14 artist educators who work in school districts along Cape Cod came together to work with Master Printmaker Vicky Tomayko in PAAM’s Museum School studios; limited edition books, wallpaper prints, chine-collé and stenciling were also explored. The program’s focus was on process first, and the works of art displayed from the PAAM collection helped illustrate the printmaking techniques explored by artist educators.

Vicky Tomayko, Master Printmaker: Artist’s Statement

I was honored and excited to participate in this project. The chance to work with dedicated art educators is not to be passed up. If I could use two words to describe my impression of the group it would be generous and eager. Generous because they share an important life skill with the youth they nurture—how to be a creative person—and eager because they never stop learning themselves.

I spent four days over two weekends teaching repeating patterns, drypoint etching, how to use an etching press, simple book construction, monoprinting that included chine-colle, dark field and working with stencils. They were a rewarding group to work with; everyone asked lots of questions and readily shared wonderful skills of their own. I’m sure I learned as much as I taught. I’m also grateful to have made many new connections on Cape Cod. A big thank you to Lynn Stanley and PAAM for organizing everything and for access to PAAM’s wonderful collection.

Multiplicity featured works by artist educators Dineen D’Avena, Sandwich High School; Molly Driscoll, Eastham Elementary; Abby Fay Smith, Barnstable High; Heidi Filmer-Gallagher, Wellfleet Elementary; Michael Gillane, Provincetown Schools; Anissa Graff, East Falmouth Elementary; Deborah Greenwood & Karen Scichilone, Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School; Caitlin Greer Dailey, Orleans Elementary; Lenore Lyons & HoYin Yuen, Barnstable Intermediate; Kathleen O’Connor, Ezra H. Baker Innovation School; Kim Possee, Truro Central School; Meghan Swanson, Horace Mann Public Charter School; and Antoinette Young, Eddy and Stony Brook Elementary Schools.