Lilly Grant Sends Local Art Teacher To Australia
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Staff Report-
The letter informed Johnson that she was one of 120 teachers throughout the state to receive a grant for $8,000 from Lilly Endowment Inc.
The Teacher Creativity Fellowship award was designed 24 years ago with the goal of encouraging personal and intellectual revitalization. Her proposal, titled “Connect the Dots, Cycle and Recycle,” involved travel to Australia to learn about the culture and study Aboriginal Dot painting.
Her recent presentation to the Town and Country Garden included highlights of her travels with a special emphasis on the Aboriginal people and the importance of plants to their lives in the Outback. Dot painting is rich with symbolism and many of the symbols represent plants and nature.
Following her travels, she has been creating metal sculptures with recycled parts such as old brake drums, bike wheels and sprockets. Throughout this school year, Johnson has been sharing her experience with her students at Edgewood and Lakeview Middle Schools. The students also have had the opportunity to create a variety of art projects with reuse materials.
This year, Johnson will offer two Summer Enrichment Camps for elementary students in third through sixth grade. They are being offered the weeks of July 16-20 and July 23-27. Participants will experience the life and culture of Australia through activities that will include designing their own surf board, exploring the Aboriginal style Dot painting, drawing native Australian animals and sampling snacks from the infamous “land down under.”[[In-content Ad]]Johnson encourages all area teachers, media specialists, guidance counselors and principals to apply for this opportunity and encourage them to not get discouraged if they are not successful on their first try.
“My Australian proposal was not accepted until my third or fourth attempt,” she said.
For more information regarding this program, visit www.teachercreativity.org
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The letter informed Johnson that she was one of 120 teachers throughout the state to receive a grant for $8,000 from Lilly Endowment Inc.
The Teacher Creativity Fellowship award was designed 24 years ago with the goal of encouraging personal and intellectual revitalization. Her proposal, titled “Connect the Dots, Cycle and Recycle,” involved travel to Australia to learn about the culture and study Aboriginal Dot painting.
Her recent presentation to the Town and Country Garden included highlights of her travels with a special emphasis on the Aboriginal people and the importance of plants to their lives in the Outback. Dot painting is rich with symbolism and many of the symbols represent plants and nature.
Following her travels, she has been creating metal sculptures with recycled parts such as old brake drums, bike wheels and sprockets. Throughout this school year, Johnson has been sharing her experience with her students at Edgewood and Lakeview Middle Schools. The students also have had the opportunity to create a variety of art projects with reuse materials.
This year, Johnson will offer two Summer Enrichment Camps for elementary students in third through sixth grade. They are being offered the weeks of July 16-20 and July 23-27. Participants will experience the life and culture of Australia through activities that will include designing their own surf board, exploring the Aboriginal style Dot painting, drawing native Australian animals and sampling snacks from the infamous “land down under.”[[In-content Ad]]Johnson encourages all area teachers, media specialists, guidance counselors and principals to apply for this opportunity and encourage them to not get discouraged if they are not successful on their first try.
“My Australian proposal was not accepted until my third or fourth attempt,” she said.
For more information regarding this program, visit www.teachercreativity.org
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