Guest Post: Upcyclers & Artists Wanted Happenings

Lisa Callender, spare parts Intern

3…2…1…TIME! Please put your hands in the air & step away from your artwork!”

During the final week of June, spare parts hosted 2 fun & free events with art activities for kids, families & teachers. Housed in the St. Paul School Gym, we challenged participants to put their creativity & ingenuity to the test & utilized reusable materials to realize their own artwork.

The main activity was called VIP. Inspired by Food Network’s show, Chopped, the game challenged participants to use an assortment of provided reusable materials, while also highlighting a surprise ingredient revealed 5 seconds before the timer started. Materials ranged from straws, cardboard & foam to coffee filters & magazines. Participants were given 20 minutes to use any of the materials on the table to create an original work of art, include a title card & clean their area of extra supplies. Competition was fierce, with friend battling friend, student battling teacher, even brother battling sister! Winners were chosen on how well the surprise material was used, as well as the originality, craftsmanship, durability & overall concept.

VIP contestant Anika Blanco. Photo thanks to Chris Castillo.
VIP contestant Anika Blanco. Photo thanks to spare parts intern Chris Castillo.
VIP Materials Pantry for competition. Photo thanks to spare parts intern Chris Castillo.

Another activity of the day was the Mini Museum. Patrons of the Mini Museum create their own piece of art no larger than the size of a business card, title their mini masterpiece & provide an imaginary price. These artworks will hopefully be a traveling exhibit, touring schools around San Antonio & will debut at the Fine Arts Fair on July 26.

A final activity for families was the Help-A-Teacher Table, in which we asked friends to take the provided reusable materials on the table & create a fun and easy lesson plan for educators. The goal is to give teachers ideas about how to engage their students in educational & artistic reuse.

Artist & Art Educator Giovanna Carrola at the Help-A-Teacher Station. Photo thanks to spare parts intern Chris Castillo.

spare parts would like to thank all participants for an exciting & creative 2 days! And remember to attend the Free Fine Arts Fair at Wonderland of the Americas on July 26! See you there!

 

News from spare parts - Summer here we come!

St. Paul School Gym - spare parts summer materials & supplies donation site 350 Sutton Dr. - San Antonio, 78228  PLEASE CHECK WEBSITE FOR SCHEDULE Pictured: St. Paul School Art Club & Carla Berryman, 4th grade teacher
St. Paul School Gym - spare parts summer materials & supplies donation site
350 Sutton Dr. - San Antonio, 78228
PLEASE CHECK WEBSITE FOR SCHEDULE
Pictured: St. Paul School Art Club & Carla Berryman, 4th grade teacher
Please note: there will be an ongoing donation drop-off schedule. Check this website for dates. Email us with any questions.
Upcoming

May 29, 5pm - Internship Application Deadline. Click here for info.
June 3, 9am-11:30am - spare parts accepts materials & supplies donations. materials & supplies donation guide. St. Paul School Gym.
June 3, 9:30am-10:15am - spare parts is actively looking for invested, motivated community members, businesses & organizations to help with this summer’s materials & supplies drive for PreK-12 grade San Antonio educators. Please attend this meeting if you are interested. EVERYONE is invited. St. Paul School Gym.
June 20, evening - Maker Mama & spare parts host an Etsy Craft Party: Craft for Community. Details to come.
July 23, 10am-2pm - Encino Park Elementary accepts materials & supplies donations for spare parts. materials & supplies donation guide. 2550 Encino Rio - San Antonio, 78259.
July 26 - Free Fine Arts Fair for PreK-12 grade San Antonio educators (materials & supplies giveaway). Registration required. Details to come. Wonderland of the Americas.
This year's Free Fine Arts Fair is Friday, July 26 at Wonderland of the Americas, Loop 410 & I-10 - San Antonio, 78201 Pictured: David B. Frank, ArtGives.Org; Victoria Hernandez, Wonderland of the Americas & Mary E. Cantu, spare parts
This year’s Free Fine Arts Fair is Friday, July 26 at Wonderland of the Americas, Loop 410 & I-10 - San Antonio, 78201
Pictured: David B. Frank, ArtGives.Org; Victoria Hernandez, Wonderland of the Americas & Mary E. Cantu, spare parts

Thank you: St. Paul Church, St. Paul School Principal Colleen Hermes & Teacher Carla Berryman; Wonderland of the Americas(WOTA) & WOTA Director of Marketing Victoria Hernandez; ArtGives.Org David B. Frank; Encino Park Elementary Principal John Hinds & Assistant Principal James Miller; & Mary’s parents, Jeanne & Robert Cantu.

Guest Post: Teacher Profile-Carla Berryman, St. Paul 4th Grade Teacher

Carla Berryman* is a 4th grade teacher at St. Paul Catholic School and sponsors the after school Art Club.

ME: Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Carla: “What can I tell you, my name is Carla Berryman; I have been a wife for almost 24 years to Michael Berryman and a mother to Logan (21) and Gunner (17). I have known that I wanted to teach ever since middle school…”

ME: How did you did you develop an interest in art/education?

Carla:”I studied at EKU, Eastern Kentucky University and graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education. I also took several art classes, so many that I was one oil painting class away from a double major; but back then they wouldn’t recognize a double major and setting up for an oil painting class was not going to friendly towards my college budget! My Texas certification is EC-4th grade. I have been a 4th grade teacher at St. Paul, soon to start my 12th year.”

ME: How did you begin sponsoring the St. Paul Art Club?

Carla:”I became the untitled Art Club supervisor because of my love for art and knowing how important a creative release is for children…”

ME: How have you integrated spare parts into your classroom?

Carla: “In my class I use the spare parts‘ mind set of “what we have is all we need”…In my [class]room, art and creativity is all around, it just is.”

ME: Specifically could you tell us how you have used materials from last year’s spare parts Teacher Fair in your classroom?

Carla: “The fabrics that I picked up from the last teacher give-away have been used on bulletin boards instead of paper. Students have used the colored “sticky paper” to help with a decorative touch on Social Studies poster presentations. Scissors and pencils, you would not believe how many pairs of scissors fourth graders require…”

So lets get some more pencils, scissors, and fabric donations turned in!

Please remember spare parts is accepting donations until August 4th. (That’s also the date we will be having a donation drive with the help of Texas Public Radio!)

If you would like to donate or learn more about our project visit the spare parts crew at the Guadalupe Gallery and lets inspire some young minds to think outside the box. We hope to see you soon because time is running out! See our calendar for the schedule.

Monico O. Vitela is a spare parts intern. Learn more about him here!

*Berryman participated in the 2011 spare parts Teacher Fair last year, she also sponsors The St. Paul after school Art Club which participated and WON at the Art on the Spot Competition in Pie to the People 2 on May 5, 2012.