Student Work: High School Elective Art Gallery 2012

as promised, I want to share about maybe the most exciting art event Doulos has ever put on.

 (or at least that's my opinion :)

Last year, the school decided to actually have required art classes for some of the HS grades and maintain the art elective for HS. I was super excited to be able to spend the required classes developing skills and devote the elective time to more student-led curiosity and personal investigation of visual arts. My hope was to create a  mock independent study course where we studied how to develop a self-defined theme and use that theme to create a series of artworks.

It was a journey and process to say the least. At the beginning many of my students struggled with confidence or lack of exposure to what a well thought-out artwork or series could even look like or encompass. We dove head first into keeping a sketchbook of ideas. This habit is still one that I hope to work with my students with.






By the end of the first semester, they had chosen and proposed themes they wanted to explore and created a first piece to fit into that theme. Then the second semester, together we struggled through variation of the theme, use of materials, deadlines, and overall responsibility and dedication to their art.







I had a range of levels in this class-- some who could completely take ownership over this project and others who needed a hand held in every step of the way; some that had almost no visual art experience but ended up surprising not only themselves but me with their growth and talent via ownership and dedication; some whose ideas were as simple and basic as you can imagine but humbly accepted my constant pushing and shoving; some whose ideas were expansive but lacked follow-through.






They were frustrated at times, I was frustrated at times...they were joyfully surprised at times, and I was joyfully surprised at times. And finally, after some pulling of teeth and many deep breaths, we got it all together and celebrated with our community at our first ever Doulos Art Exhibition.

We had a great turn out of family, friends, and Doulos staff. A new plaza had recently opened up across the street and because of some connections our accountant had we were blessed to be able to use the gallery space for free! Praise God! It made the night that much more special because there was a sense of professionalism rather than just another school-based event.

As the students arrived and saw their work hanging up, I saw smiles and light bulbs flashing bright. The whole year I kept pushing them and telling them that we were going to have this gallery and it was a big deal-- they would always respond to me with confused eyes and "whatever" shrugs. It was like finally they saw what I was trying to help them see all along.

Already there is talk and visions for next year...and not just from me but from the students! I hope that God will allow this exhibition to be an annual event that Doulos can use to celebrate the visual arts of our students with the community.

Doing and Becoming

These past months have been full of activities, per usual. I think every time I sit down to write I think that same thing.

Though this most recent weekend, we were at home. I journaled that I was blessed to have a real and full Sabbath.  Much of our lives here are defined by all that we do. We teach, we disciple, we go here and there, we plan, we prepare, we hope, love and trust, we commune and share, and at the end of it all I realize I also try to do a lot more than that. Myself, and a few other Doulos teachers were blessed by the opportunity to attend the Expeditionary Learning National Conference in Denver a couple weeks ago.  With all the networking and sharing with other educators in the growing EL community, our unique school and missions often rose to the top of our conversations (especially when they heard we fundraised our own salaries, haha!). It was clear that what we “do” was considered out-of-the-ordinary.

By day three of hearing, “Oh, the Dominican Republic…that’s cool. I didn’t know there was an EL school there. Are you from there? How did you end up there?” I actually was getting annoyed with telling my story, our story. Every time that annoyance would strike in my heart, a pang of guilt tailed it. I should be rejoicing at another chance to tell someone about the sweet mission God has called me to. The first 20 people that asked me about it I probably responded with joy, but my pleasant sentiments began to fade.

Why did my heart change after a while? Why was I tiring of telling people what I do, what our school does? I still don’t fully know. But I am guessing a touch of selfish energy, a tendency to shy from attention, and a feeling of inconsistency had something to do with it.

We definitely do a lot at Doulos. But that’s not the whole picture. Our ideals are sky high, heavenly high, and our hope and drive are likewise strung on those heights.  This makes for some good stories—ones where God must be the main actor. But daily do I take the time to see out into that? Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

My story at Doulos includes “equipping and educating servant leaders through Christian discipleship and expeditionary learning to impact the Dominican Republic”. It includes seeing God provide in perfect timing, witnessing students succeed beyond anyone’s expectations, and connecting my life with the lives of this community. But it also includes watching students lose their scholarships because of failing grades, hearing more of broken families that healthy ones, shaking off the fear of burglary, swallowing pride and doses of doubt.

I guess what I am trying to say is that what I do, the tangible evidence of my life here, is not always congruent with what is happening to me, what I am thinking or feeling, or what I see around me. Our mission and ideals are what we are shooting for; they keep us motivated towards the goal. The clean and ripe fruit of that work isn't always seen or tasted simultaneously.

What I do is only in effort to become the salt of the earth and a city on a hill. At Doulos we try to keep a perspective (not always successfully) that the product isn’t necessarily more important that the process.  What I do is definitely a process.

Now, hopefully not to contradict myself too much, here are some snapshots of my student and I’s “process”…

5th grade photo essays about their trip to a Batey on a sugar plantation

2nd grade Australian animal costumes

9th grade graphic timeline of poetry, events, and artworks

the lovely HS elective students and I in their final gallery show.
I'm going to devote a whole post to them later....