NYS Summer Reading theme meets Jackson Pollock

This summer , the reading theme at libraries in New York State is "Ready, Set, Read!".  It is about being or staying physically active; my translation, read, but don't be a couch potato.

After several days of "What were they thinking?"  Because as a Visual Arts Teaching Artist at first I was stumped.

THEN I had one "A-HA moment!" Start Here Studio (my DBA) has a musical chairs round-table art-making program we have used for years. No one loses a seat, everyone draws, and the participants are exposed to music from around the world.  So- tweak that program and we have ONE potential idea to tell the librarians about. 

Then enter, Stacy W. (a teen librarian) who says, what about  Jackson Pollock?  And the gong in my head rang, and I slapped myself on the forehead and said "Doh!". 

Photo credit Museum of Modern Art, NYC.

After a week of serious thinking about having kids ages 8 and older splatter painting in a LIBRARY, I am bibliophile, books are the one thing in my life I take excellent care of. (Okay, my Golden brand acrylics, and my sable water color brushes)  I realized I am just crazy enough to do this. (And I am armed with drop cloths and 18 years experience in teaching all ages.) 

Add another few weeks of letting the program's format and sequence roll around in my head. Add more time researching Jackson Pollock (JP)- and finally re-watching Ed Harris' brilliant portrayal of JP- I was ready. 

Add a day of buying supplies, deciding which paints to go with- washable or not, latex house paint or not, and an evening of paint prep and making the surfaces. 

Finally, it all culminated today, the debut of ART and MOVEMENT featuring JACKSON POLLOCK. 
Fifteen brave souls, including parents and grandparents splatter painted as a group. The weather gods were kind- sunny and no longer 90 plus degrees out, a gentle breeze added the element of surprise a few times, but SUCCESS!

Here are some photos of the art. I always have the kids hide their faces, and even the adults wanted it that way today.  :)

Warsaw Library, June 21, 2016