From: Davis, Cornelia Sent: Sat 5/30/2009 9:25 AM To: Page, Karen S Subject: RE: how to navigate changemakers - we need comments please!
The entry, "Prayer Wheel", in the Pittsburgh is very appropriate and timely to the current adolescent needs in Pittsburgh and desire of these same to speak and be heard...or in this case "Create & Be Seen"!
As and Arts & Humanities educator and administrator in Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS), I am delighted to see the names of three of our fine PPS Arts & Humanities faculty members attached to this proposal as facilitators/coordinators. The involvement of our students at Pittsburgh High School for the Creative & Performing Arts (CAPA) gets my vote with a double whammy! (1.) These students will come to the project with high levels of skill and commitment. (2.) CAPA is situated on the banks of the Allegheny that looks out on the busy North Shore urban walking trail and city park where the "prayer wheels".
While I understand and agree with the philosophical link of this particular project to the Tibetan prayer wheels, when I saw the image of what I assume is the prayer wheel prototype being installed on the North Shore walking trail, I couldn't help but reflect on yet another good name, "Talking Drums", as being representational of our 62% African American student population in Pittsburgh Public schools. As a concept, the talking drums speak to the voice and involvement of a community focused on positive change. What better way to address a spirit of Cultural Responsiveness than through Arts Education than with this particular proposal!
Cornelia Davis, Ph.D. Curriculum Supervisor, Arts & Humanities Pittsburgh Board of Public Education Professional Development Center at Greenway 1400 Crucible St., Room 212 Pittsburgh, PA 15205
I really hope that the PPW project gets a chance to become a reality! The most successful projects are student-driven and neighborhood/community based. Adding local working artists and a final, sustainable installation in our community is definitely what young people are looking for. So many of our young people need a chance to speak the unspoken shared experiences they live everyday but have never truly connected it to other people's lives in their community. The idea of using the internet, a teen friendly forum, to start the process is great. The process then gradually moves to more intimate art-making, mark-making that personalizes the experience and allows kids to have a safe dialogue among themselves. Using the quiet, contemplative prayer wheels allows for a visual vehicle that repeats their questions, their prayers, their wonderings over and over to the community in which they live. Young people are more aware and connected to their natural environment and placing the prayer wheels along our waterways where the earth, sky and water all come together is inspirational.
I look forward to seeing and visiting these artful prayer wheels along our city riverways and having them remind me of the quiet, unspoken voices of our young people.
They will add to the river trails color and excitment and provide thought but not intrude on the beauty of area watch movies online. I think it is a wonderfull way for our youth to communicate and interact with others Watch G-Force Online. The youth of Pittsburgh can be very creative and are capable of making wonderfull public art under such artistic and mature leadership as the three CAPA teachers Watch Adam Online.
This project is well worth funding! It will be an amazing outlet of expression for the kids involved and will be inspirational to those who visit the artwork.
This sounds like a wonderful project, wrapping together exploration of environmental, cross-cultural, and spiritual themes in a way that provides students with a srtart-to-finish role in the creative process.
The VYPPW project sounds extraordinary. Besides being a terrific idea and an outstanding addition to the rich history of Public Art in Pittsburgh, the blog site and public forums proposed would allow for participation and the sharing of voices by all youth of Pittsburgh beyond just those physically producing the work. It would allow those of less artistic talent to participate in a public art project and see their ideas and views become a reality. An important factor in determining funding is the ability of those involved to actually carry out the project. Each of the teachers involved in the proposal of this activity is outstanding in their own right and have successfully carried out notable projects of their own. Their desire to pass this experience and knowledge on to the youth of Pittsburgh is certainly worth celebrating.
This is a very innovative concept.This project will engage youth on a number of levels and topics. To create the works, youth will first investigate religion to learn how cultures create and use sacred objects. The participants will recycle materials to create the prayer wheels, possibly addressing the concept of how cast- off objects can be redirected into a positive new use. The prayer wheels will be a collaborative effort, each young person's module will build to make the whole. Finally the wheels will be placed close to our river banks, close to the source of our community's renewal. Great project!
As the contact person for the collaborative "kitchen4art" , I feel that we have been very fortunate to have so many responses to our idea. With that in mind, we would like to clarify our ideas. Prayer wheels can be configured in many ways, and our photo-shop idea is only one. Please google prayer wheels (images) to see the many possibilities. Large wheels would be fantastic along the river front; however, a collection of smaller wheels could also be installed in neighborhoods, at libraries, at bus stops' and each could address a specific topic or a set of comments of various, pertinent topics . . etc. We are assuming that the supporting foundations will assist us with choosing the best sites. The possibilities for installation are endless.
We are suggesting an all inclusive voice for all youth in Pittsburgh - any organization, school district, neighborhood, church group, etc. It is not based in the PPS system--only in the fact that we have direct access to students to act as ambassadors. It is our hope that all organizations would contact us ( or us them) and become involved with a project that will generate positive energy into our environment.
This sounds like a wonderful idea and I would love to see it realized. We could all use more positive images in our world, messages of hope. I think this would not only inspire the young artists to think about what they would pray for but it would also let others know what are the hopes and dreams of our students. Looks like a win-win situation to me.
The Prayer Wheels are a visual way of talking to everybody. They will add to the river trails color and excitment and provide thought but not intrude on the beauty of area. I think it is a wonderfull way for our youth to communicate and interact with others. The youth of Pittsburgh can be very creative and are capable of making wonderfull public art under such artistic and mature leadership as the three CAPA teachers.
I am excited about the prospect of having Prayer wheels installed around the river trails of Pittsburgh. I imagine them to be visually attractive, unique, and thought provoking. This will lure more people to the river front as well as create a positive interactive experience for all involved.
When the G-20 meeting takes place here in September I hope our International leaders can see what the youth of Pittsburgh want for the world.
This idea deserves funding and full support so it can be manifested!
Comments
-----Original Message-----
From: Davis, Cornelia
Sent: Sat 5/30/2009 9:25 AM
To: Page, Karen S
Subject: RE: how to navigate changemakers - we need comments please!
The entry, "Prayer Wheel", in the Pittsburgh is very appropriate and timely to the current adolescent needs in Pittsburgh and desire of these same to speak and be heard...or in this case "Create & Be Seen"!
As and Arts & Humanities educator and administrator in Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS), I am delighted to see the names of three of our fine PPS Arts & Humanities faculty members attached to this proposal as facilitators/coordinators. The involvement of our students at Pittsburgh High School for the Creative & Performing Arts (CAPA) gets my vote with a double whammy! (1.) These students will come to the project with high levels of skill and commitment. (2.) CAPA is situated on the banks of the Allegheny that looks out on the busy North Shore urban walking trail and city park where the "prayer wheels".
While I understand and agree with the philosophical link of this particular project to the Tibetan prayer wheels, when I saw the image of what I assume is the prayer wheel prototype being installed on the North Shore walking trail, I couldn't help but reflect on yet another good name, "Talking Drums", as being representational of our 62% African American student population in Pittsburgh Public schools. As a concept, the talking drums speak to the voice and involvement of a community focused on positive change. What better way to address a spirit of Cultural Responsiveness than through Arts Education than with this particular proposal!
Cornelia Davis, Ph.D.
Curriculum Supervisor, Arts & Humanities
Pittsburgh Board of Public Education
Professional Development Center at Greenway
1400 Crucible St., Room 212
Pittsburgh, PA 15205
Tel: 412-928-2830 E-Mail: cdavis4@pghboe.net FAX: 412-928-0517
I believe this would make a huge difference with our youth. Hope it gets selected!
This will be a wonderful and welcomed project for our youth and community.
I really hope that the PPW project gets a chance to become a reality! The most successful projects are student-driven and neighborhood/community based. Adding local working artists and a final, sustainable installation in our community is definitely what young people are looking for. So many of our young people need a chance to speak the unspoken shared experiences they live everyday but have never truly connected it to other people's lives in their community. The idea of using the internet, a teen friendly forum, to start the process is great. The process then gradually moves to more intimate art-making, mark-making that personalizes the experience and allows kids to have a safe dialogue among themselves. Using the quiet, contemplative prayer wheels allows for a visual vehicle that repeats their questions, their prayers, their wonderings over and over to the community in which they live. Young people are more aware and connected to their natural environment and placing the prayer wheels along our waterways where the earth, sky and water all come together is inspirational.
I look forward to seeing and visiting these artful prayer wheels along our city riverways and having them remind me of the quiet, unspoken voices of our young people.
They will add to the river trails color and excitment and provide thought but not intrude on the beauty of area watch movies online. I think it is a wonderfull way for our youth to communicate and interact with others Watch G-Force Online. The youth of Pittsburgh can be very creative and are capable of making wonderfull public art under such artistic and mature leadership as the three CAPA teachers Watch Adam Online.
This project is well worth funding! It will be an amazing outlet of expression for the kids involved and will be inspirational to those who visit the artwork.
This would be a great project. Most art peices done in groups are better than thoughs done alone. Good luck!
I want to see this happen. I'm curious about the size and riverside locations. And I really want to interact with it!
Any student driven art project that promotes the release of positive energy is worth funding! Everyone benefits!
This sounds like a wonderful project, wrapping together exploration of environmental, cross-cultural, and spiritual themes in a way that provides students with a srtart-to-finish role in the creative process.
The VYPPW project sounds extraordinary. Besides being a terrific idea and an outstanding addition to the rich history of Public Art in Pittsburgh, the blog site and public forums proposed would allow for participation and the sharing of voices by all youth of Pittsburgh beyond just those physically producing the work. It would allow those of less artistic talent to participate in a public art project and see their ideas and views become a reality. An important factor in determining funding is the ability of those involved to actually carry out the project. Each of the teachers involved in the proposal of this activity is outstanding in their own right and have successfully carried out notable projects of their own. Their desire to pass this experience and knowledge on to the youth of Pittsburgh is certainly worth celebrating.
This is a very innovative concept.This project will engage youth on a number of levels and topics. To create the works, youth will first investigate religion to learn how cultures create and use sacred objects. The participants will recycle materials to create the prayer wheels, possibly addressing the concept of how cast- off objects can be redirected into a positive new use. The prayer wheels will be a collaborative effort, each young person's module will build to make the whole. Finally the wheels will be placed close to our river banks, close to the source of our community's renewal. Great project!
As the contact person for the collaborative "kitchen4art" , I feel that we have been very fortunate to have so many responses to our idea. With that in mind, we would like to clarify our ideas. Prayer wheels can be configured in many ways, and our photo-shop idea is only one. Please google prayer wheels (images) to see the many possibilities. Large wheels would be fantastic along the river front; however, a collection of smaller wheels could also be installed in neighborhoods, at libraries, at bus stops' and each could address a specific topic or a set of comments of various, pertinent topics . . etc. We are assuming that the supporting foundations will assist us with choosing the best sites. The possibilities for installation are endless.
We are suggesting an all inclusive voice for all youth in Pittsburgh - any organization, school district, neighborhood, church group, etc. It is not based in the PPS system--only in the fact that we have direct access to students to act as ambassadors. It is our hope that all organizations would contact us ( or us them) and become involved with a project that will generate positive energy into our environment.
This sounds like a wonderful idea and I would love to see it realized. We could all use more positive images in our world, messages of hope. I think this would not only inspire the young artists to think about what they would pray for but it would also let others know what are the hopes and dreams of our students. Looks like a win-win situation to me.
The Prayer Wheels are a visual way of talking to everybody. They will add to the river trails color and excitment and provide thought but not intrude on the beauty of area. I think it is a wonderfull way for our youth to communicate and interact with others. The youth of Pittsburgh can be very creative and are capable of making wonderfull public art under such artistic and mature leadership as the three CAPA teachers.
I am excited about the prospect of having Prayer wheels installed around the river trails of Pittsburgh. I imagine them to be visually attractive, unique, and thought provoking. This will lure more people to the river front as well as create a positive interactive experience for all involved.
When the G-20 meeting takes place here in September I hope our International leaders can see what the youth of Pittsburgh want for the world.
This idea deserves funding and full support so it can be manifested!
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