Noel Night

Just a reminder to parents and students, this Saturday, after classes, stick around for the 38 TH Annual Noel Night. Art & Music collide in one spectacular evening of fun. Admission is free and the festivities last from 5-9:30 PM.

Find all the information you need here: http://www.detroitmidtown.com/05/noelnight.php


See everyone this Saturday!

DNAC Update: November 20, 2010

DNAC students continued with individual character development drawings emphasizing on greater definition and varied color schemes. DNAC, as well as the other art training programs, continue to stress the need for perfect attendance. Those that missed class last week had to spend time researching to 'catch up' so that they could contribute to the mural process as it develops. Come to class each week, and on time, the success of this commissioned public art legacy project depends on your presence and participation each and every week! We cannot do this project without your input! Be there!

The foundation of the mural is now coming into form. The literacy theme aspect is coming together: the background colors and where they'll be placed are now being discussed and decided upon. All of the aforementioned activities are the prelude to the unification process of this mural development. Artist/Educators Odette Duke-Holley and Joye Ofei introduced the all important grid process to the DNAC students this week. This part of the mural process is crucial: an ancient secret of public art, the grid will provide the young artist a skill that they will use in practice for the rest of their public art careers. After mastering this technique, the young DNAC artist will never be the same. They will have unlocked a prime secret that master artists have used for centuries. Welcome aboard DNAC students, you are on your way to becoming the next generation of master artists!

The DNAC students began work on a scaled grid model designed for their class room. The scale for the actual mural project will be 7.5 inches equals one foot in scale. This will make for the actual installed mural eight feet high and sixteen feet long. Wow, that's big! What contribution will you make? Up next, DNAC will look to unify all the previous steps and practices, and to gather the reviews and recommendations of Dr. Conja Wright of the Redford Library.

The DNAC class will meet next on December 4, 2010. Be there and be prepared to learn the magic! Have a great Thanksgiving break, continue to work daily in your sketchbooks, we are making history here! Stay tuned, and please share your comments about this experience!

DNAW East Update: November 20, 2010.

BIG works of clay and sculpture are on the way and on the table! Artist/Educator Ms.Leigh Ann Foshee is leading the way for her artistic progeny to express their talents best in & on the stuff we are all made of...Yep, you guessed it, CLAY! DNAW East is in the midst of creating some very unique and highly personalized works of clay. I certainly can't wait to see the finished products, stay tuned and watch for pictures!

I'd like to send a very special thanks to the parents of DNAW East. You guys continue to amaze us with your support of the class, we need it and we appreciate it! And we love the cupcakes and sweetbreads you bring us, they're really a treat! Keep'em coming :) Feel free to bring your laptops with you, we have free wi-fi access thanks to the kind staff at The Matrix Center, it can make for a great time while you wait and you can get some work done too!

Thanks again, parents!

DNAW West Update: November 20, 2010

Class is humming along swimmingly, and though we had a slight dip in our attendance this week, we trudged on ahead! Let me remind and encourage both parents and students that you really miss a lot when you miss a day of class. We recognize that our young artist are talented in many areas and thus Saturdays can be a real tug & pull for their presence in many different activities, but please know that when you miss class, you miss the training and experiences that are often difficult to make up. Art training is very special and very intense, do your best to not miss a moment! Talk to your classmates and see what you missed.

DNAW West continues to work on their sculptures, some pieces are really taking on a unique personality and will show to be some great works when complete. Artist Instructor Mr. Wiley Mc Dowell gave some great training on drawing techniques and practices that are really helping the young artists improve upon their personal drawing talents. I would like to especially point out young artist Robert C.; I have seen his drawing and cartooning take dramatic leaps since he has been working with master artist McDowell. If you compare Robert's earlier art images with where he is now...WOW! you can see a big change. Ask to see his sketchbook...

Great News about two of our DNAW East students!

Marcus T. and Skylar T. will be participating in two upcoming Youth Assembly performances. They will be performing this Friday, 11/19/10 in the lobby of the Compuware Bldg (Downtown Detroit) @ 6pm for the City of Detroit Holiday Tree Lighting. They will also be performing on Saturday, 12/4/10 @ 6pm in the lobby of The Charles H. Wright Museum for Noel Night. Hopefully, your schedule will allow you to attend.

DNAW Update: November 13, 2010

The Detroit Neighborhood Arts Workshops (DNAW) meets at the Redford Branch of the Detroit Public Library, and the Matrix Human Services Center every Saturday. Each week we will provide pictures and classroom information that will hopefully keep you, the parent, as well as our fine young artists, abreast of what we are doing. We hope the pictures will show how much fun we are having as we do it. Currently, under the artistic direction of artist/educator Wiley McDowell at the Redford Library and artist/ educator Leigh Ann Foshee at the Matrix Center; the DNAW students are actively working on large clay projects that will serve as the fundamental basis for the skill training necessary for beginning sculpture.

Stay tuned, great works are on the way!

DNAC Update: November 13, 2010

The Detroit Neighborhood Arts Corps (DNAC) met at the Redford Branch of the Detroit Public Library. The fourteen students collectively began their research for the library mural project. Their assigned task was to study images within the tomes of the library; to inspire characters they could develop and design for submission to be used on the mural. The students had to choose at least five volumes from the library as reference material. After a quick lunch of pizza and juice packs, the DNAC students were presented to by Dr. Conja Wright, Children’s Librarian at the Redford branch. Dr. Wright’s presentation fired the imagination of the students to consider enchanting images from the solar system, to the ocean shores of planet earth. Dr. Wright spoke of imaginary dreamlands, and of the need for the final piece to inspire storytelling to children. Dr. Wright expressed that the completed mural should be an explosion of color and inspiration to all those that gaze upon it. Dr. Wright promised to avail herself regularly as the DNAC students progressed through the project. This blog will provide for Dr. Wright continued graphic examples of where the DNAC students are in the development of what is promised to be an epic mural!

Stay tuned!!!

Detroit Neighborhood Arts Corps Update!

Dear Parents and friends of DNAC students…

The Detroit Neighborhood Arts Corps (DNAC) is off and running on/in what appears to be so far, a very innovative and creative new year! The purpose of this online newsletter is to keep you informed as to what DNAC is doing and to hopefully gain your support and encouragement with the process of keeping your child/student active in both productivity and attendance. Do not hesitate to contact any of our staff directly at any time for additional information or resources you may need to keep DNAC strong and forward moving.

Our main project for this DNAC season is the installation of a mural at the Redford Branch of the Detroit Public library. This commissioned public art project is focused on encouraging young patrons of the library to become lifelong readers & and users of this gem of a public library. The development of this mural will be the complete design and artistic work of the DNAC students. There will also be input from the Redford community patrons, library staff and other skilled artisans from our communities.

During the last three weeks the DNAC students have studied and practiced under master artist/educators; Joye Ofei and Odette-Duke Holley . The DNAC students have covered:

• Thumbnail sketching; principles & practices

• Paintbrush styles and techniques

• Best practices for the usage of acrylic paints

• The beginning dynamics and essentials of portrait paintings; to include monochromatic value formats

• Cross-hatch color lines

• Color transitioning from dark to light

• 3D illusionary techniques in painting

• Study of geometric and organic shapes on a flat surface

• Abstract background design in colors

In the coming week, the DNAC students will meet at the Redford branch library to do site study work and analysis of the mural project.