Happy Earth Day! Art from Craft in Schools 4th graders and Calder Kamin
Earth day is just a few days away! Our Craft in Schools program had a blast hosting reclaimed/reuse artist and sustainability advocate Calder Kamin for our Winter field trips. Our young, neighborhood artists from Mrs. Dror’s Rosewood Elementary 4th grade class were especially inspired by Calder’s work, artist conversations, and reclaimed-art hands on projects. As a group we repurposed marker caps to create a vibrant jump rope (photo at very end, below).
These 4th graders related to Calder’s message of ecological stewardship and environmental values. Calder shared her artist’s journey and ethos for using recyclable materials to address and reduce waste problems through her art residencies. We had lively classroom conversations around the recurring theme of transforming the human made problem of waste into art– because “nature never wastes, that’s why I(Calder) reuse!” In turn, these 4th graders shared about their student-led recycling club and how they repurpose everyday objects for creative and inventive projects. Environmental care and creativity~ what fun!
Each student illustrated a creative, heartfelt thank you card to Calder for our Craft in Schools visits– including illustrations which we were green-lighted to web publish. Please enjoy and share this special collection of inspired art! For more of Calder Kamin’s original work, visit her artist website at www.calderkamin.com; or checkout our 3-d virtual tour on Winter 2023-2024’s Spirit of Play Exhibition page.
Student Illustration Gallery
![Rosewood+Calder colorful orange fox with plants around it bust illustration](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration3.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder "Rat with Rubbish" pencil and pastel illustration, the rat is grey and black, sitting atop many colorful food items illustration](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration4.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder green Cerberus creature with jagged teeth and yellow eyes illustration](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration25.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder Squirrel drawing, brown squirrel with a striped dark tail sits atop a very dramatic charcoal-leave textured tree stump](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration19.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder green "plant puppy" colored pencil illustration of a hanging plant-art object](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration31.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder "Extinction" bold tiger bust illustration with vivid orange and black fur patterns, and yellow eye details](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration18.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder detailed pencil drawing of "Superartificial Stag"](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration22.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder "Hello Calder" bubble letter garland, flowers, and mushroom red-fox bust illustration](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration7.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder crayon drawing of "Rat with Rubbish" a rat on top of a pile of debris and food with thank you message](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration27.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder paper collaged mushroom with several little mushrooms on top of it, floats above a unicorn plant creature bust illustration](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration1.png)
![Rosewood+Calder student Recycled Unicorn simple line drawing of a white unicorn with a flower and pink details](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration26.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder "Plastic Fawn" happy planet colorful illustration of a deer among plants, trees, and a squiggly sun](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration29.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder "Rat with Rubbish" pencil with accents of yellow and red colorful crayon, the rat sits perched atop a food heap](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration15.png)
![Rosewood+Calder blue and teal recycle arrow symbol and "Indigo_Dingo" creature bust illustrations](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration13.png)
![Rosewood+Calder "Raspberry Fox" purple, black, and blended vivid green pastel illustration of a fox bust](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration14.png)
![Rosewood+Calder "Snakeplant" multicolored fox head amidst green and orange foliage illustration](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration2.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder "High Desert" block lettered purple fox bust surrounded by green, yellow plants pastel illustration](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration6.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder grey rat "Rat with Rubbish" drawing, the rat's standing on top a mass of floating, colorful fruit](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration20.png)
![Rosewood+Calder "Rat with Rubbish" colorful crayon drawing, the rat looks smugly sitting atop a pile of food](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration10.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder flower and sunny hill colored pencil illustration](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration24.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder multi colored "Snake Plant" pencil illustration](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration23.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder mushroom-bordered "Charcoal Canine" colored pencil, creature bust with bold yellow markings on black fur illustration](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration9.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder softly blended color pencil drawing of multicolored fox titled "Snake Plant"](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration21.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder unicorn bust, mushroom, and floating waterfall and star in space colorful illustration](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration5.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder pencil and crayon comic with thought bubbles of "Rubbish Rat" eating food](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration17.png)
![Rosewood+Calder red spotted mushroom on green grass illustration](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration30.png)
![Rosewood+Calder grey pencil block letter recycle and reuse-arrow signs](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration11.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder collaged paper, foil, and pastel drawing of a plant and mushroom fox bust illustration](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration8.jpeg)
![Rosewood+Calder puppy heart collage](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration32.png)
![Rosewood+Calder student pencil and crayon drawing of Calder, 4th grade jump roper, and Sam jump roping with big smiles](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.CraftInSchools.Calder.Rosewood.Illustration28-1024x348.png)
![Artist Calder Kamin, Sam from Craft in America, and 4th graders enjoy a game of jump rope with a marker-cap toy they created together](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.Rosewood.Repurposed.MarkerCap.Jumprope.Fun_.jpg)
2024 Winter Highlights: Craft in Schools Field Trips & Partners
As we round the corner from winter into spring, our Craft in Schools program would like to reflect on our most recent and multimedia season of teaching artist & student programs. Throughout February, over 200 students across five schools learned about and explored the creative potential of puppetry, piñatas, reclaimed, and assemblage art from our Spirit of Play: Craft and Imagination exhibition.
Inspired by our most recent PBS Craft in America featured Play & Miniatures episodes, we connected and engaged these students ages 9-18 with featured teaching artists Lorena Robletto, Calder Kamin, and local artist Eleanor Tullock from the Bob Baker Marionette Theatre.
![Rosewood Elementary 4th grade classmates, a chaperon, and their teacher ooh and ahh over the many colorful plastic/recycled art sculptures by Calder Kamin](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/W2024-Rosewood-Group_.jpg)
![Smiling group photo of 2 dozen or so enthustiastic Paul Revere M.S. art class with their teacher among the many colorful plastic/found object sculptures of Calder Kamin](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/W2024-PaulRevere-Fieldtrip-Group1_.jpg)
![Candid group photo of Rosewood elementary schoolers studying Schroeder Cherry's Future Voter artworks](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/W2024-Rosewood-2.jpg)
Our gallery visits investigated the environmental impact and hope within reclaimed/reuse art practices, guided by visiting artist Calder Kamin; we had a blast discussing school recycle programs, building out marker-cap jump ropes (pictured below) and exploring how we envision the future based on collective ecological responsibilities. Our curriculum explored poignant historical art related to Black History Month as seen in Schroeder Cherry’s historical puppetry and hopeful Future Voter Series assemblage art. Working with each of these artists was such a treat– full of personal artist-journey insights and messages of creative empowerment.
![Paul Revere middle schoolers gather their cardboard and found object materials for assemblage project with artist Calder Kamin](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.PaulRevere.Calder1-1.jpg)
![close up photo of colorful star pinata's with varying shades of blues purples and oranges held in a group by Van Nuys High School student hands reaching from off-camera](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/W2024-VanNuys-Fieldtrip-pinata1.jpg)
![Candid moment of Fairfax High School art students studying Mark Murphy's displayed miniatures and Loren Robletto's giant window Piñata](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/W2024-Fairfax1.jpg)
![Close up of cork and various found object mini figurines made by Palms M.S. students. Students work on their found object projects in the background](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/W2024.PalmsMS.ReUsed.Sculptures.jpg)
![Fairfax High students showing off their origami fabric puppets](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/W2024-Fairfax-3.jpg)
![Van Nuys high schoolers and Amazing Piñata Studios teacher craft star piñatas together with crepe paper](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_7483.jpeg)
All of us collaborating educators were impressed and delighted in our students’ depth of inquiry, creative innovation, and visual thinking. Special thanks to the following schools teacher and chaperone collaborators at: Rosewood Elementary, Paul Revere Middle School, Palms Middle School, Fairfax High School, and Van Nuys High School.
Community Partnerships: Reaching this many students in a whirlwind few weeks wouldn’t have been possible without key community partnerships. Our Craft Center would like to show our biggest thanks to all of our teaching artists and shoutout our wonderful LA-community partnerships with Remainders: Creative Reuse Space & Thriftstore in Pasadena; and Señora Robletto’s Mid-City Amazing Piñatas Creative Studio for donating our assemblage/reclaimed, piñata teaching artists, and piñata workshop materials. Do yourself a favor, explore and connect with these wonderful community shops and studios!
For more information about our Craft in Schools program or teaching artist opportunities, please contact (me) Sam@craftinamerica.org or center@craftinamerica.org
![Lorena Robletto (of Amazing Piñatas in LA) and Francisco Cardenas, PLAY, Craft in America](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Lorena-Robletto.jpg)
![Storefront of Remainders Creative Reuse store and community hub in Pasadena, CA](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Remainders_its_here_somewhere-640x640-1.jpg)
![Calder Kamin with her unicorn installation, PLAY, Craft in America](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Calder-Kamin-with-her-unicorn-installation-Denise-Kang-photograph1-edited-e1699558217961.jpg)
Austin Creative Reuse to Screen PLAY Episode
![Calder Kamin, PLAY, Craft in America](https://www.craftinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Calder-Kamin-1024x576.jpg)
Join Austin Creative Reuse for an exclusive evening with Austin-based reuse artist, Calder Kamin. They will be screening one of Craft in America’s newest episodes, PLAY. It features Calder and follows the creation of her installation, “Once Upon a Time in the Future,” which is currently on display at ACR. Meet Calder, make a unicorn brooch from reuse materials and see the episode before it airs for the public.
Friday, November 17th, 2023
6:00 PM 9:00 PM
Austin Creative Reuse
2005 Wheless LaneAustin, TX, 78723
6 pm: Doors open, Make a unicorn brooch from reuse materials with the Artist
7 pm: Screening
8 pm: Q&A with the Artist
This is a free event with donations gratefully accepted. Suggested donation: $5
All ages welcome!
This is an outdoor event. Please bring a lawn chair and dress for the weather. Rain date: Sunday, November 19, 2023
This project has been financed in whole or in part by the City of Austin’s Elevate Grant Program.
More information here.