 Tom Kelchner
Randy
Granger,
2004 -
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Dear Friends and Colleagues in Art education,
I am writing to you at a time when, in the words of author Hal Borland,
“the field corn begins to tassle out and the tang of corn pollen hangs
in the air of a hot afternoon”. I am writing, too, from a place of deep
awareness of the critical importance of the restorative value of
professional and personal activities for each of us in art education.
Summertime can become the perfect time to advance our own learning and
“recharge” our passions and spirit. It can become a wonderful time to
rediscover the child in each of us and to run with the same curiosity
in ourselves that we value so much in the students we teach and learn
from.
I’ve just come away from the 2005 PAEA Leadership Retreat where art
teachers from across Pennsylvania came together to recharge passions
while advancing the important work of the association. It was so
wonderful to meet again this year in Philadelphia and to be inspired by
such a rich variety of cultural treasures and experiences. Over forty
PAEA members from across the state came together over three days in
mid-July to solve problems and share in “professional rejuvenation”.
More than one-third of the participants in attendance at this year’s
retreat were not on the board, but were regular members with an
interest in our upcoming collaborative mural project or they were
members curious to learn first-hand about what the board does in its
work. Each participant’s energy, enthusiasm, and contributions added
significantly to the outstanding success of the enterprise.
As president of PAEA, I’m very pleased and proud of what we
accomplished at this year’s leadership retreat. I am even more pleased
that we will extend that work immediately, in a highly visible way, by
actively contributing as partners in an exciting and pioneering
collaboration between the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE),
PAEA, and the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. This enterprise is
underway as I write, and will culminate this November in a permanent
20’ X 30’ mural to be installed outside the PDE building in Harrisburg.
The design of the mural will not only reflect the mission of PDE, but
will also serve forcefully as a highly visible advocacy tool for PAEA
and art education. The mural’s content is being created under the
oversight of resident muralist, Cesar Viveros and is based on
ideational recommendations made by PAEA teachers during the
Philadelphia training session held in July. Students and their teachers
will produce mural sections at their respective schools across PAEA’s
twelve regions. Cesar Viveros will install the completed sections at
the PDE site in late October.
I have every confidence that retreats and projects such as those
presented above will serve to advance our mission and message of
ensuring quality arts education for all people in Pennsylvania. I
pledge to continue to work to advance exciting restorative and
collaborative opportunities for our membership throughout my
presidency. Please join me in this worthy work!
Sincerely,
Randy W. Granger |
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