Forty-two educators from the elementary, middle school, junior high and high school levels attended the 2024 Windgate Summer Art Launch for Arkansas Educators June 10-14 at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville.
Teachers from the schools at Atkins, Bentonville, Bergman, Bigelow, Booneville, Caddo Hills, Clarksville, Conway, Crossett, Cutter-Morning Star, Dardanelle, Dover, Fordyce, Greenbrier, Heber Springs, Highland, Hope, Memphis-Shelby County (Tenn.), Morrilton, Mulberry-Pleasant View, Ozark, Pottsville, Pulaski County Special School District, Quitman, Russellville, Stuttgart, Subiaco Academy and Wonderview participated in the workshops.
The art teachers received instruction in how to create fused glass flowers, storytelling collage quilts, animal forms from ceramics, cyanotypes, mixed media portraits and figurative drawings and figure drawings.
Dr. Lynnette Gilbert, ATU assistant professor of art education, served as director for the 2024 Windgate Summer Art Launch for Arkansas Educators.
Instructors included Alice Aida Ayers, artist and art educator; Summer Bruch, ATU professor of art; Aaron Calvert, artist and art educator; Rex DeLoney, art instructor and fine arts department chairman at Little Rock Central High School; Margo Duvall, University of the Ozarks visiting professor of art; and Ashley Kinsey, adjunct instructor of art at ATU and the University of the Ozarks.
The final day of the program featured a virtual lecture entitled “Lesson Building: Plaster Ideas and How to Manage the Mess” by guest speaker Theresa Burgess, artist and art educator at Cinco Ranch High School in the Katy Independent School District (Texas).
Program participants will submit their original works of art for inclusion in a virtual exhibit.
The professional development program, which was founded in 2018, is made possible through a grant from the Windgate Foundation. Participants earn up to 30 hours of professional development from the Arkansas Department of Education.
Learn more about the ATU Department of Art at www.atu.edu/art.
