Welcome to Art with Meyers!

Hello, and welcome to my blog. My name is Erin McCrea Meyers, and I have been an art educator at High Point since 1999. I feel so fortunate to be able to blend my love of art with my passion for teaching. Please check in now and then to take a look at what we are doing in our world-class art department! Also, feel free to view my resume below. I can be contacted at emeyers@hpregional.org. 
EDUCATION:

1993-1994

·        Bennington College, Bennington, Vermont: Fine Arts

1994-1997

·        Vermont College of Norwich University

·        Bachelor of Arts in Education, K-12 Teacher Certification

2003-2006

·        The College of New Jersey

·        Master of Arts in Education, 2006

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

1999-present

• High Point Regional High School

PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS:

Art Advisor for award-winning school literary magazine, Calliope: 2001-present

Created first online student gallery

Received Principal’s Grants for the following endeavors:

·        Creation of five-panel stained glass Child Study Team mural (currently under construction)

·        Led students in creation of 9/11 stained glass memorial over school entrance, 2012
·        Led over 50 students in creation of three’ by four’ Tiffany-inspired stained glass mural, 2010

·        Integrated a cutting edge technology in Precious Metal Clay, into Contemporary Crafts 2 curriculum, 2005

Led students in the creation of the following Gallery School installations:

·         Masterworks Gallery Hallway, 2010 – present

·         English, German classrooms, Media Center painted murals, 2010-present

·         Students Against Being Bullied (S.A.B.B.) mosaic mural in school lobby, 2012
·         Principal's courtyard mosaic sculpture garden, 2009

·         Packing tape figure sculptures, 2008, 2009
·         World Peace Day clay tile mandala, 2009

·         World Peace Day wrought-iron figure statues in courtyard, 2008

Oversee representation of student art shows, exhibits, including correspondence, selection, preparation of artwork, and receptions, 1999-present

Exhibit student work in:

·         Teen Arts Festival, 1999-present

·         Vernon, Mount Olive and Wallkill Valley National Art Honor Society Shows, 1999-present

·         Youth Art Month/Sussex County Arts & Heritage Council Show, 1999-present

·         Peter's Valley Crafts Center Sally D. Francisco Show, 2007-present

Assisted in the creation of numerous student portfolios for admission to various colleges and art schools, 1999-present

Serve in Mentoring for Success Program, 2012-present
Volunteer teach yoga to staff and students on a weekly basis, 2012-present
Led students in the Empty Bowls Project, donated proceeds to food pantries 2005-present

Served on World Peace Day Planning Committee for High Point World Peace Day Festivals 2009, 2010

Completed Rigor, Relevance, Relationships course, published gold star lesson, 2009
Serve as the Teen Arts coordinator of High Point, 2008-present

Taught evening adult school courses in Drawing, Stained Glass, and Precious Metal Clay Jewelry, 2001, 2003, 2006

RECOGNITION:
Nominated by High Point for Princeton University Distinguished Secondary Teacher Award 2012-2013
Selected for Art Educator Scholarship by Peter’s Valley Crafts Center, 2012
Named most influential teacher by National Honor Society, 2009
Featured in numerous newspaper articles, local television for leading projects, 1999-present
Serve as a member of and attend conferences held by The National Art Educator's Association and Art Educators of NJ, 1999-present
Named to Who's Who in Education, 2008

AFFILIATIONS:

Completed 200-hour Yoga Teacher Certification Course, 2011-2012

Completed scholarship course in Encaustic Painting at Peter's Valley Crafts Center, 2012
Participate in oil painting, life drawing classes at Trail Works, 2012-present
Participate in yoga classes at Breathing Room Center, 2011-present

Serve as co-op member, exhibitor at Gallery 23 in Blairstown, NJ, 2003-present

Completed course in Raku Pottery in Lodi, NJ

Exhibit personal artwork in:

·         Sally D. Francisco Gallery at Peter’s Valley

·         Gallery 23

·         Sussex County Arts & Heritage Council Gallery

I currently teach Crafts 1, Crafts 2, and Fine Art 3 and 4 Portfolio (click the links below for more info). 

http://artwithmeyers.blogspot.com/p/crafts-1.html

http://artwithmeyers.blogspot.com/p/crafts-2.html

http://artwithmeyers.blogspot.com/p/fine-arts-3-4.html

Yvette Gramignano Selected for State-level Youth Art Month Exhibit

Congratulations to Yvette Gramignano for being selected for the State-level Youth Art Month Exhibit. Yvette was among a relatively small group of wonderful student artists statewide. Yvette, her family, my husband, and I attended the opening at the State House in Trenton on March 1st.

Yvette accepts her certificate

This is the elite group of students artists selected for the exhibit

Yvette's self-portrait in ink is bottom row, center

Yvette's family could not be more proud!

The Annual Bicycle Still-life: Fine Art 3 Portfolio

This year's bicycle still life was really challenging! Special thanks to Beemerville Auto Wrecking, who generously donated an old ten speed to our High Point artists. Thank you to Mr. Davidowsky who beat the bike up with a sledge hammer for me. Thanks to Mrs. Carter for the Forensics class police caution tape. And thanks to Brooksy for the cones! It really does take a village to set up a weird bike still life!

Quinncy Honeycutt

Sarah Eddy

Jenny Hayes

Calliope Selected for Highest Award!

I am pleased to announce that the 2012 edition of Calliope, our school literary and arts magazine, has been selected by the National Council of English Teachers for Highest Award. 417 schools entered nationally, and only 26 earned Highest Award. Calliope was the only Highest Award recipient in the state of NJ. Congratulations to Peter Granville and Courtney Wirths, 2102 co-editors, as well as senior artist Gideon Feo. Ms. Strout and I are extremely proud to co-advise Calliope!

Doves For Peace

Thank you very much to the many staff members and students who participated in the Doves for Peace Project in honor of the victims of Newtown, CT. Your outpouring of compassion and empathy through art created a truly moving and powerful visual response. Something as simple as decorating a dove gave students and teachers a chance to pause and perhaps process the tragedy on a deeper level - an act that is not always practiced in our desensitized society. The hundreds of radiant doves displayed in our school lobby were mailed to Newtown this past weekend.

Paper peace doves made by staff and students covered the windows of the school lobby. A special thank you to Destiny and Brittany Strick for volunteering their time to hang the majority of them! Thank you also to the many other students who helped put up and take down the doves.

Former Students Return to Speak to HP Art Students

A special thank you to Raechel Eddy, who came back to speak to the Art 3 & 4 students about her college experience at Montclair State University. Raechel is an art education major, and she brought samples of her handmade metal jewelry and other artwork to share with the students.

Gideon Feo, a freshman at Savannah College of Art and Design, also returned to speak and give students a first hand look at the school, southern living, and samples of artwork with a fantastic slide show! It is so generous of former students to donate their time to inspire and inform HP's future graduates with real-life experiences. Visits such as these are so much more personal than visits from art school reps. Thank you, Raechel and Gideon!

Congratulations on Vernon National Art Honor Society Invitational Exhibit Success!

WOW! The student artists of High Point really shined at the Vernon N.A.H.S. Invitational Exhibit this year. Brian Perez took 1st place in the Drawing/Illustration category. Brian Dely took 1st place in the Photography category. Mark Onorevole took 2nd place in the Crafts category. Sarah Eddy was recognized as a finalist for a William Paterson University art scholarship. This is an extremely competitive annual show, and each participating school sends just 10 pieces. Also representing HP were Corrin Bishop, Cheyenne Wagner, Connie Ortiz, Alyse Delaney, and Quinncy Honeycutt.

"Stepping Through Time" Ink Drawing by Brian Perez

"Condemned" Digital Print by Brian Dely

"Musical Triad" Mixed Media Bells by Mark Onorevole

"Life Lines" Ink Drawing by Sarah Eddy

Art 3 & 4 Life Drawing

There is a heavy emphasis on life drawing and its educational value at the 3rd and 4th level of Fine Art. Below are pictures of the students practicing drawing live models.

Sarah Eddy

Brian Perez

Emily Kazmierski

Yoga Now Being Offered at High Point

I now volunteer teach yoga to our students and staff at High Point. On December 8, I completed my 200-hour Hatha Yoga Teacher certification. Becoming certified has been a personal goal of mine for over ten years, and I feel fortunate to share my practice with others. Any staff member or student of High Point is welcome to come and try out a class - no experience necessary! Yoga class is held on Mondays from 3 to 4 pm, in room 120. Below is a photo of the amazing women I worked with while becoming certified.

S.A.B.B. Students Against Being Bullied Mosaic Mural Complete

Our annual community art installation of 2012, completed last June, is a large mosaic mural created by our Contemporary Crafts students. It has been placed outside the main office and is a wonderfully colorful way to greet our visitors coming in through the main doors. The mural design was based on the S.A.B.B. logo, promoting peace among our student community. This work, made of hundreds of carefully placed shards of stained glass and mirror, is a gorgeous example of 'service art' made by many hands.

Senior Mural Project by Gideon Feo and Kaitlyn Texel ('12)

Here is an exciting new mural made up of over sixteen ceiling tiles. This giant puzzle of color can be found right outside the Media Center, which is filled with books - the perfect place to let your imagination wander! This very large acrylic paint creation, which is a modern twist on Alice in Wonderland, was produced as a final senior project by 2012 graduates Gideon Feo and Kaitlyn Texel. Especially interesting is how the artists chose to incorporate the actual light in their work.

My Art Educator Scholarship - Encaustics at Peter's Valley

This summer I had the honor of taking a course at Peter's Valley Crafts Center through the Art Educator's Scholarship Foundation. I chose to study encaustic painting, since I had not experienced this technique before. It was a fabulous course, and I am very excited to share this painting method with my students. Below are some of the works I created while there.

Wreath Placed at 9/11 Ceremony

Kevin Pettenger was asked to place a wreath in honor of the fallen heroes of 9/11 at the annual ceremony at SCCC. He was recognized for the stained glass window he made along with Steve Martinelli and Mikie Scalise during their senior year (2012). Kevin is a volunteer firefighter. Steve and Mikie are currently serving in the military. Congratulations on your successes, gentlemen!

Wecome to a new school year 2012-13 in the HP Art Dept!

I am very excited to start a new year with my veteran art students as well as some fresh new faces! My Crafts 2 (3-D artists) seem like an especially enthusiastic bunch! And Louie VanHorn is taking an independent study in Crafts. He has many great plans for this year. Just look at what he has created already! Last year he capped off his year by painting his denim jacket, and this year he is experimenting with multi-layered screenprinting. As his teacher, I have been chosen as a lucky recipient of a Jim Morrison t-shirt!

Teen Arts Festival 2012

Congratulations to all the Fine and Performing Arts students who were selected to attend the Teen Arts Festival at SCCC on March 15th. The day was filled with inspiration and creativity! A special congratulations to Billy VanWingerden, who was selected as a recipient for a Peter's Valley Craft Center Scholarship - only four were awarded among over 600 students! Billy was recognized for his aluminum tooling mid-term exam, and he plans to take a blacksmithing workshop over the summer.

P.J.'s New Tattoo in Honor of his Father

Fine Art 4 student P.J. Mindo designed his new tattoo in celebration of his late father, Perry T. Mindo, Sr. If you look closely, you will see the word DAD hidden in the feathers. Your dad would be so proud of all the wonderful things you do, Peej!

Field Trip to The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Ms. Hodgins, Ms. Strout and I recently spent a fabulous day at the Met in NYC with a phenomenal group of Fine Art students. This fun and educational trip was a first-time experience for some of our student artists. What better way to inspire their creative minds than to turn them loose in a museum the size of a whole city block? Although there is always a permanent collection that represents art throughout the ages, there was an especially interesting exhibit on the life and work of Alfred Steiglitz, a highly esteemed photographer/gallery owner who was married to Georgia O'Keeffe. We also saw the museum Christmas tree adorned in all its splendor and glory - always a treat!

High Point Art Gallery is now ONLINE!

I am very pleased to announce that our students' fine art can now be viewed from the High Point home page. Just click on this link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47450408@N06/collections/

Field Trip to Princeton University Art Museum and Grounds for Sculpture

Our trip to the Princeton University Art Museum was taken in Spring of 2011 (just look at that show of tulips!), was one of our greatest trips ever taken. We already have a date set to return this May.

The Grounds For Sculpture, in Hamilton, NJ is beautifully landscaped with a large focus on sculpture and art. What a place to picnic or simply meander through the breathtaking gardens.

Stained Glass Project is Complete!

I am very pleased to announce that our large scale stained glass window project is complete, and is now installed in the main office. Please make the trip up to see it - pictures simply do not do it justice. Over sixty students had a hand in this awesome installation.