ART with MEYERS

Welcome to Art with Ms. Meyers!

2013-01-01T09:30:00.000-05:00

Hello! I would like to welcome you to my blog. My name is Erin McCrea Meyers, and I have been teaching here at High Point since 1999. I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to blend my love of art with my passion for teaching. Working with high school students is inspiring and rewarding. Prior to High Point, I taught Art for two years in Vermont, where I attended Bennington College for Fine Arts, and Vermont College for Art Education. I received my Master's degree in Education from The College of New Jersey in 2006. I currently teach Crafts 1, Crafts 2, and Fine Art 3 & 4 Portfolio (click the links below for more info). I am very excited to use this blog as a forum to share all the fascinating work my students create. You will also be able to read about our news on class trips, festivals, and our latest endeavor - creating a Gallery School! I hope you enjoy your glimpse of the Fine Art department here at High Point!

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

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

2012-01-17T22:28:00.008-05:00

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

2012-01-17T21:57:00.012-05:00

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 Success at Vernon Invitational National Art Honor Society Show

2011-12-16T11:58:00.013-05:00

The opening reception for the Ninth Annual National Art Honor Society Invitational Exhibit at Vernon High School was held December 7. Ten other high schools competed with High Point in this advanced level show. Please congratulate the following fine art students who shined:

1st Place in the 'Open' Category - Erica Williams
2nd Place in the Drawing/Illustration Category - Alyse Delaney
Participants:
Justin Burse
Gideon Feo
Alyse Delaney
Peter Granville
Cara Hubbell
Reed Mattos
Billy VanWingerden
Erica Williams

High Point Art Gallery is now ONLINE!

2011-11-28T11:41:00.001-05:00

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/

Crafts 2 Students Learn To Monoprint

2011-09-29T14:03:00.005-04:00

Paul and Taylor have been very prolific artists! They enjoy using the bright, colored inks necessary to create monoprints. They used the band Phish as their inspiration to produce large-scale prints. Great job, Paulie and Taylor!

The 2011-12 School Year Begins

2011-09-26T19:59:00.006-04:00

The advanced student artists are already exhibiting creativity and good, focused work. The Fine Art 3 Portfolio students are immersed in their value studies in black and white charcoal and chalk pastels. Lately, we have been discussing the importance of keeping a sketchbook and portfolio preparation. Scheduled to visit our school are reps from various art schools and colleges.

Field Trip to Princeton University Art Museum and Grounds for Sculpture

2011-09-01T20:24:00.000-04:00

This field trip, taken in late Spring, was one of our best ever! We already cannot wait to go back again because we did not have enough time to soak up all the wonders of these two places, both located in central NJ. The Princeton University Art Museum is located on the campus.

Grounds For Sculpture, in Hamilton, NJ is beautifully landscaped with a large focus on sculpture and artwork. It is a great place to have a picnic and meander through the breathtaking gardens.

Stained Glass Project is Complete!

2011-06-05T20:44:00.005-04:00

I am very pleased to announce that our large scale stained glass window project is complete, and is now installed in the high school main office. Please make the trip up to see it - pictures simply do not do it justice. Thank you to the following people: Mr. Youngman, for awarding us the Principal's grant to make this possible. Lisa Hodgins for all your help and for lending out your students to cut, grind, foil, and solder. Jeff Davidowsky, for creating the beautiful frame and devising the back-lighting system. Jim at Northeast Stained Glass Shop for your invaluable expertise and for supplying us with gorgeous glass and supplies. Mike Hingston for backing up every creative endeavor we have ever set our sights on and for starting up the Gallery School initiative. The HP custodians, who we art teachers could never live without! And most of all, my amazing students - over 60 of you worked tirelessly on this project and your enthusiasm, teamwork and tenacity was off the charts. I am honored to be your teacher!

Principal's Grant Stained Glass Window Project Update

2011-05-16T12:02:00.003-04:00

Our annual community project is well under way, and turning out beautifully. Our Tiffany-inspired stained glass window is 2.5 X 3 feet in size, and will grace the wall of the main office with a wood-framed, electrically lit shadowbox. This particular window is made up of roughly 400 pieces of glass, which our students have meticulously cut by hand, ground on a glass grinder to ensure the pieces fit together like a puzzle, and copper foiled. The next step will be to solder them together and line the edges with zinc strips. This has been a huge undertaking, but many hands make light work. Headed by Independent Study Crafts goddess Laura Moser, the project attracted many willing participants. I am overwhelmed by how many students have asked to help with it and learn the fine craft of creating stained glass. It is so great to see students feeling so invested in a process such as this one, and exhibiting such focus and tenacity. It will be a breathtaking addition to our Gallery School initiative.

High Point Installation 2011 in the Works

2011-02-22T19:46:00.005-05:00

It has become tradition for me to take on a yearly art installation to help beautify our school, which goes hand-in-hand with our Gallery School initiative. This year, I have decided to oversee the creation of a massive stained glass window installation in a back-lit shadowbox along the wall of the main office. The scene will be of the lovely, panoramic landscape that is across from our school, with the monument off in the distance. My senior independent study Crafts students Mackenzie Forbeck, Laura Mozer, and Sam Sliker are at the helm of this project, although with over 350 pieces of glass that must be cut, I will enlist my 32 Crafts 2 students, who will be learning how to create in stained glass this Spring. The pattern has been finished, and the landscape scene has been drawn in the exquiste style of Louis Comfort Tiffany, the greatest stained glass artist ever. Below are some examples of Tiffany's work. Soon we will have our own Tiffany-inspired work to unveil to the High Point community.

The Sanford Smith Outsider Art Fair in NYC

2011-02-14T20:39:00.010-05:00

I recently went to what is called the Sanford Smith Outsider Art Fair in New York City, which benefits the Creative Growth Art Gallery. This original exhibition and sale for self-taught, intuitive, visionary, and primitive art is now in its 19th year. Thirty-three international dealers brought their finest selections of intense, stunning, enigmatic artwork created by artists in all walks of life, but outside of mainstream society. Below are some of the works that were on display:

Cross-Curricular Collaboration

2011-02-10T20:27:00.000-05:00

It is always really exciting when cross-curricular projects come about, and this one is no exception. Senior Laura Moser created this gorgeous stained glass tabletop using the traditional Tiffany method. Senior woodshop students Matt DiPiano, Mike Laforgia, and Shawn Snyder created the table base for Laura's glass panel, designing it to her specifications. I was amazed by how well the students communicated with one another to finish with such a professional result. And a special thanks to Mr. Dan Muller, who is an exceptional woodshop teacher (and he is always really good about lending me his tools!)

Mount Olive Invitational National Art Honor Society Show

2011-02-09T20:07:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday, February 8, 2011, the Mount Olive Invitational Art Show was held at Mount Olive High School. Each school involved submitted only 10 of their best works, and this was a very high-caliber show. Congratulations to Gina Colasurdo, who placed 2nd in the Photography category! Also pictured is painter Ina Feo, whose work was also exhibited.

Field Trip to The Met and Liberty Science Center

2010-12-02T19:00:00.002-05:00

On December 2, 2010, we took an awesome group of art students on a fabulous field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. Check out some of the work and artifacts we saw. You just can't do the entire Met in one day - there is SO much to see!

We also visited the Liberty Science Center IMAX theatre where we saw the 3-D movie, "Brush with Genius", about the interesting life and work of Vincent VanGogh.

Vernon Invitational National Art Honor Society Success

2010-10-30T19:39:00.000-04:00

The Vernon Invitational was a huge success for High Point. Our outstanding students truly shined among the participating schools. Kaitlyn Texel placed FIRST in the Painting Category and Gina Colasurdo placed SECOND in the Photography category (Gina is my photography hero who graces me with her amazing independent work now that High Point has lost its Photography program). We sent ten of our best works to this show. Below are some pictures from this eventful evening, which also featured - for the first time ever - a mini college portfolio night, where students were able to receive feedback on their best portfolio works from college reps from Savannah College of Art and Design, Pratt Institute, Kutztown University, Corcoran College of Art and Design, and others. What a great opportunity for prospective art students.

Art 3 & 4 News

2010-10-15T13:28:00.000-04:00

My Fine Art 3 & 4 Portfolio Class is an extremely talented bunch! We have been heavily focusing on direct observation drawings and drawing from live models. It is so exciting to be helping to compile and photograph my students' strongest works in preparation for college admission. We have had some great discussions on college criteria and art career options. We had a rep come and visit from Delaware College of Art, and we attended Portfolio Night at Vernon High School on December 9th. Among the schools critiquing work were Pratt, Kutztown University, William Paterson, Savannah College of Art and Design, and Full Sail University. It was a great opportunity for our students to receive valuable feedback on their artwork.

The German Room Mural!

2010-09-02T00:00:00.000-04:00

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This beautiful mural was created by Megan VanGlahn, Rebecca Marie Nelson, Devyn Harrell, Deena Spaner, Tom Brennan, Kyle Rutledge, Ed Fortuin, Katherine McCole, Jeremy Meyers, Gabriela Niejadlik, Chelsea Farischon, and Candice Corby. This took a lot of time and hard work (reaching up to paint above a blackboard is no easy task!) but together the kids pulled it off beautifully. A special thanks to Jeremy and Katherine who spent a few days of their summer finishing it.

2009-2010 World Peace Day Art Installation

2010-06-20T09:34:00.000-04:00

It is my tradition to head up a permanent art installation of honor of World Peace Day. This year I presented the idea to Ms. Hodgins and Ms. Stanek to have all our Crafts 1 students collaborate on creating a huge ceramic tile mandala to be installed in the main hallway of our school. Of course they were enthusiastic and on board immediately, and we set to work designing it and teaching the kids how to roll out and hand-cut and -carve the slabs. The Fine Art Sculpture students jumped in and offered up their help too! A huge thank you to Katherine McCole who tirelessly grouted and sponged the tiles till 6:30 in the evening! The entire process took about 3 months - just in time to unveil it for World Peace Day. Just look at how gorgeous it is!

Teen Arts Festival at Sussex County Community College

2010-05-20T18:08:00.001-04:00

Visual art, dance, instrumental music, video, theatre, and creative writing are some of the elements comprising the 37th Annual Sussex County Teen Arts Festival, held on March 14 at Sussex County Community College (SCCC). The Teen Arts Festival encourages student artists in grades 7-12 from local area middle and high schools to explore and exhibit their talents. Over 40 professional artists were selected to stimulate creativity, encourage artistic exploration, and provide feedback on student submissions. Most of our attending HP art students were selected to exhibit their work at subsequent shows.

Kaitlyn Texel's "All Wrapped Up and No Place to Go" was selected for the State Teen Arts Traveling Exhibit.

Fine Art Sculpture Creates Magic Outdoors

2009-08-19T14:21:00.002-04:00

While studying the works of renowned Land Artist Andy Goldsworthy and others within his movement, the Sculpture students were inspired to make their own Land art. Land Art is a movement that is sometimes referred to as Earth Art or Earthworks. It emerged in the 1960s and early 1970s, and is based on the concept of linking one's art with the landscape. In other words, the art is not placed in the landscape, but rather the landscape is the very means of the creation. The works are often located well away from civilization, left to change and erode from the forces of nature. The word used for this change and eventual 'breaking down' of the work is called ephemeral. This forces artists to live completely in the moment, and to look at art as a process rather than a product. It is also a metaphor for the lives we live, and how beauty is often fleeting. Ephemeral art must be documented using photo or video. The students loved working outside, and found their materials to limitless!

Professional Sculptor Jean Kawecki Visits High Point

2008-07-31T13:08:00.007-04:00

Local sculptor Jean Kawecki, grandmother of sculpture student Cloe Kawecki, was kind enough to visit our Sculpture class, show slides of her work, and share with us her personal and artistic journey. Ms. Kawecki works in wood, stone and epoxy resin to create large scale works of animals, human figures, and other subjects. Her website is www.jeankawecki.com.

Class Trip To Ricky Boscarino's Luna Parc

2008-06-01T13:03:00.000-04:00

We recently took a trip to the home of local artist, Ricky Boscarino, of Montague, NJ. His entire property is a visual menagerie of glass, mosaics, sculpture, stained glass, and found object art. Ricky has always been gracious enough to invite my students to his residence for a personal tour. He is an amazing artist who specializes in sculpture, metalsmithing, glass and ceramics. His amazing website can be viewed at http://www.lunaparc.com/.

The Mural Project

2006-08-18T21:27:00.000-04:00

In 2005, I received permission to lead my students in the creation of a giant wall mural in the Cafe Annex. The blank wall that stared back at me day after day during the period I spent on cafeteria duty would finally take on a life of its own! I went to some of the Fine Art 4 kids to help design the mural. I ended up using the drawings of Christa Zinner - who graduated in 2007 - as the basis for the work. Only this mural would not be painted onto the wall - it would be made of 4 x 4 inch, clay relief tiles, crafted by my Crafts 2 students.

The project was extremely labor-intensive. Since I had never done a mural such as this before, I look back now and say, "Wow! That was biting off WAY more than I could chew!" The tiles took up a LOT of classroom space - two much-needed tables! But all the other classes were really great about working around this monster project! Here, the mural begins to reveal itself. Each of the many tiles was made from a hand-rolled clay slab, and built up and carved by hand to create relief ( a term used in art to describe highs and lows).

After the bisque firing, all the tiles were bright white and ready for color. Color selection is tougher than most people think - a REAL commitment! Luckily, most everyone agreed on what color underglazes to use on each section! Although all of my Crafts 2 kids labored away each day on the mural for more than two months, we still didn't finish by the end of the school year!
But this wonderful group of die-hard students - ones who had already graduated by this point - came back over the summer for some work dates (okay, I'll admit it- there was some pizza involved).

Below are the underglazed tiles after the second firing! The colors are much more vibrant now, with clear glaze atop the underglaze.

The most exhilerating feeling was to have finished adhering the tiles to the wall like a giant puzzle and step back to see the project as a whole. During the process, we did suffer some set-backs, like the time I set a large piece of plywood that contained the entire sky atop some potter's wheels to load the dried pieces into the kiln (drying slabs this size takes weeks) only to watch the potter's wheels turn under the weight and the plywood flip RIGHT OVER! Another moment of heartbreak was when someone accidentally put some chairs atop a table that contained some covered, bone-dry tiles - they broke into pieces like cookies!

But we pressed on, because all great endeavors are never easy!

This was a true test of tenacity, but also a labor of love, and the mural is now a permanent installation at High Point. If you get the chance, visit the HP Cafe Annex, and see (and touch!) the finished mural for yourself. The mural was completed in the summer of 2006. Since then, the Crafts 2 classes of 2006-07 created two more clay relief tiles which flank the sides of this one. Photos soon!

The Principal's Grant: Precious Metal Clay Project

2006-06-24T20:30:00.002-04:00

During the 2006 school year, Mr. Greg Youngman announced he would be awarding a principal's grant to anyone who devised and proposed a plan to incorporate a new technology in the curriculum. As an art teacher, I celebrate the fact that I teach traditional, hands-on methods that echo techniques that have been used by artisans for hundreds, even thousands of years. Likewise, I find it most important to foster right-brain problem-solving, patience, and careful attention to detail - practices that are sometimes tough for some students to pick up - especially in our faced-paced, immediate-results, technology-driven world. I often encourage my students to slow down, pay closer attention to their work and surroundings, and reap the benefits of careful, tenacious work. So in my quest for a cool grant project, I decided to take a slightly different spin on 'technology'. I had recently read about a truly cutting edge material used by artists for less than a decade called Precious Metal Clay - often referred to as 'PMC'. Invented by Mitsubishi (yes, the car company!) of Japan in the 1990s, PMC is an amazing new way to create unique, hand-crafted sterling silver jewelry. It is a type of clay made of tiny sterling silver fragments, water and organic binders. In its raw form, it acts very much like clay when manipulated with the fingers, hands and tools. But after it is formed and dried, it is fired in a kiln, becoming a solid metal object which has undergone a small amount of shrinkage. After cooling, the metal must be 'finished' through a series of traditional jewelry processes, and then VOILA! - a one-of-a-kind piece of sterling silver jewelry has been created!
Needless to say, I was not sure that I would be selected for a grant since my idea was surely off the beaten path. But I wrote up my proposal anyway, and much to my excitement, I was selected for a $1000 grant. This money allowed each one of my level 2 Crafts students enough silver clay to create two pieces of jewelry, along with the necessary tools. I did a great deal of reading on this new medium, and I enrolled in a PMC course in High Bridge, N.J. which focused specifically on creating rings. I learned a LOT, but I wanted my students to learn in the same ways that I did. This project required a lot of student-directed research using the internet and books, as well as taking notes on PMC and sketching various designs. My students were so excited to have been given this opportunity and they understood how working with sterling at the high school level is quite rare, due to the high cost. I was so impressed by their work, and extremely proud to display their creations in our school and the Wantage Library. One library patron asked if she could buy a student's ring!
This fall, I will be offering a course in PMC for the High Point Adult Education Program.

For details, e-mail me, or view the Adult Ed. mailing. Enjoy the pictures!