Artworks Created in the Montclair Art Museum's Education Program Featured in Exhibition

May 29, 2012 - PRLog -- Artwork created by Montclair students as part of the education program at the Montclair Art Museum (MAM) are featured in the special exhibition Museums: pARTners in Learning at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington D.C. Organized by the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD), the exhibition examines the remarkable results of creative and innovative programs that museums offer in partnership with their local schools. On view from May 11 – June 22, 2012, the exhibition is an unprecedented collaboration between the Montclair Art Museum, 14 other AAMD member museums, and thousands of students across the country.

Works by three students from Hillside Elementary School are featured in Museums: pARTners in Learning: Guillermo Morgan, Laila Webb, William Buttner. These works were initiated through one of MAM’s Photographer in Residence Programs. This program places a professional photographer with an elementary school class for a series of 12 arts-integrated lessons and includes a museum visit to view a photography exhibition and an off-site photo shoot. A museum educator and photographer collaborate to create blended lessons that meet existing science curricula and offer an enhanced art experience. Photographer in Residence continues to be offered through MAM and is now being used as a model for programs with other school districts.

For the May 2011 Photographer in Residence program, Looking Through the Viewfinder- Awareness and Perspective, Hillside School science teacher Susan Bermeo and professional photographer Jay Seldin wove photography into the study of biodiversity. The offsite photo shoot took place at Montclair’s Presby Memorial Iris Gardens. Photography enhanced students’ observational skills. The works in the AAMD exhibition demonstrate the range of variation in nature as well as each student’s unique perspective. The program culminated in a limited edition book and exhibition of the students’ work at the Roche Foundation Headquarters. The program was also sponsored by the Roche Foundation.

MAM director Lora Urbanelli said: “We’re proud to participate in this important and wonderful program that highlights the critical role of museum education in the local community. It reinforces our already strong ties to Montclair schools and provides an unforgettable and formative experience for the students involved.”

“Art is a powerful tool for education, and museums provide invaluable access to arts education for students in this country. More than just field trips, these museum-school partnerships result in more innovative programs than ever before, with a focus on sustained engagement with students and teachers alike,” said Chris Anagnos, Executive Director of AAMD. “AAMD is proud to partner with the Montclair Art Museum to showcase the incredible education programs that the museum offers to engage students and enhance the quality of education in Montclair, NJ.”

Museums: pARTners in Learning features over 40 artworks created by K-12 students using a variety of media including video, photography, collage, watercolor, charcoal, and found materials. The works in the exhibition highlight the range of artistic techniques and subject matter explored in museum education programs. The exhibition includes descriptions of the programs in which the works were created. It also includes a cell phone guided tour that will enable visitors to hear students talking about their museum experience and the works on view. The exhibition is available online at http://www.phillipscollection.org/education/young_artists....

The institutions participating in Museums: pARTners in Learning represent a diverse range of art museums from across the country. Besides the Montclair Art Museum, participants include Dallas Museum of Art, Delaware Art Museum, Flint Institute of Arts, Fred Jones Jr. Art Museum, Frick Art and Historical Center, Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Norman Rockwell Museum, Parrish Art Museum, The Phillips Collection, Princeton University Art Museum, San Jose Museum of Art, Tacoma Art Museum, and Taft Art Museum.

AAMD’s 200 members alone serve more than 40,000 public, private, charter, and home schools a year, with programs ranging from single-visit tours to intensive, long-term partnerships that include shared teaching, curriculum design, assessment, and professional development. Museums often pay for student transportation, especially those in high-need schools. They also offer professional development for teachers, programs for students with special needs, and college preparedness for high school students. All AAMD museums place education at the core of their mission.

Members of the public who want to visit Museums: pARTners in Learning at the Department of Education contact Nicole Carinci (Nicole_carinci@ed.gov, 202-453-5585) or Jackye Zimmermann (Jacquelyn_Zimmermann@ed.gov; 202-401-0762) to set up an appointment.

Museums: pARTners in Learning was organized in collaboration with The Phillips Collection, the Delaware Art Museum, and the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum.