On May 3, students at Carson Elementary unveiled an outer space mural and presented visual art, poetry, and music during a culminating event for the school community. UG teaching artist Jillian Gryzlak conducted residencies with Carson classes during the 2011-2012 school year focusing on the theme of outer space. Jillian used poetry and visual arts to explore this theme on both scientific and metaphorical levels, encouraging students to consider ‘personal orbits’ in their own lives while they were also discussing scientific ideas of the universe with their classroom teachers. To cap off the project, Jillian’s after-school class used her other students’ artwork and poetry to create an outer space mural on the 3rd floor of the school. We love how deeply students engaged with Jillian’s imaginative residency:
I remember doing our writing of what we wanted to send into a black hole. Something to apologize about. When I wrote, I felt a new era awakening.
When we created our stars I put so much effort into it. I meant it to go on forever to keep on going. When I was creating it I felt sweat. I thought life could go on forever while making my lines.
Check out inspiring photos from the Carson event on May 3!