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Through these halls
walk the leaders of the future.
Within these classrooms their thirst for learning is quenched.
The teachers prepare their minds for life's opportunities.
Faculty and staff maintain the structure for an environment to
learn.
Our responsibility to our youth is to unlock
The Doorways to the Future.
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Doorways to the Future,
is another public art project of the Museum Of Cultural Arts,
Houston (MOCAH). The project was made possible through the vision
of Principal Dan DeLeon and through the hard work and dedication
of, Grant Coordinator, Carolyn Teas. In the spring of 2003 Principal
DeLeon conceived the idea of creating a tile mosaic mural for
the entrance hallway of Thomas A. Edison Middle School. Ms. Teas
was assigned the role of selecting an artist for the work and
identifying the funds to execute the project. Six key funding
sources were engaged, 21st Century Community Learning Grant, Greater
Houston Inner City Games Inc., Harris County CASE, RGA Computer
Systems Inc., John M. O'Quinn Foundation and Employment Training
Centers. Reginald Adams, public artist and Executive Director
of MOCAH, was selected as the artist to execute the job.
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During the summer of
2003, over a 9 week period, Adams worked with over 50 students
from Edison and the surrounding community to produce (15) 3'x
7' tile mosaic murals. The mural project began with a series of
design workshops that lead the students through a process of research,
development and design. The initial class of 28 students was divided
into (14) teams of two. Each team was assigned a subject that
the school offers through its' general curricula such as: Reading,
English, Math, Science, Technology, Photography, Art, Sculpture,
Horticulture, Sports, Dance, Drama, History, and Music. The teams
were assigned the task of identifying 20 key words that related
to their respective subject. Each team was them provided an opportunity
to research their subject and related key words via the internet.
Their goal was to find and printout images and symbols that correlated
with their subject and key words. This exercise established the
foundation for the development and composition of their designs.
Click
to view kids at work
After approximately
four weeks of arranging and rearranging their collected imagery
the class completed their final compositions in preparation for
the coloring process. Color theory was explained and modeled to
the students. Each student was guided and instructed on how to
create a color wheel and identify the primary, secondary and complimentary
colors. This exercise laid the foundation for their decisions
as to how their own designs would be colored. Each of the teams'
designs was completed in time for the summer program's finale,
which took place June 27, 2003. The teams were provided an opportunity
to display their work to their teachers, peers, family and friends
that attended the finale. Along with their displayed designs each
team wrote a poem that briefly yet creatively described the meaning
and purpose of their respective subjects.
Click
here to view designs and poems
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really hard work began. Though many of the original students returned
in July to assist in the production of the murals other students also
came to assist in the process. We began by transferring each of the
(15) designs to 3'x7' hardiback panels. Once the design transfers
were complete we covered the panels with clear plastic sheeting. The
plastic allowed the designs to remain visible as the students created
the clay tile for the murals. Working in teams of 3 or 4 each mural
consisted of handmade and formed clay tiles. Students, teachers, faculty
members, and volunteers from the community assisted in the tile production.
From rolling out the slabs of clay to cutting the various shapes and
forms to simply encouraging the students teamwork and progress, everyone
had a task to complete. After approximately three weeks of tile production
the murals were relocated to classroom within closer proximity to
the school's kiln. While the greenware tiles were being fired commercial
tile was broken and set in areas that allowed for solid colors. After
the initial firing the tiles became bisqueware and were ready for
glaze. Using their finished colored designs, the students glazed and
colored the respective tiles according to their design schemes. Once
all of the tiles were completely glazed and fired again they were
set amongst the commercial tile mosaics. |
Click
to view video clip
(real media)
The process of setting
the handmade and commercial tiles was the most laborious phase of
the project so three additional artist assistants, Prince Maduekwe,
Chuma Okoli and Arthur Amanambu, were brought in to ensure the completion
of the project on schedule. Within a two week production period
all of the tiles were set and the murals were ready for installation.
Juan Cervantes, a professional tile layer, was contracted to install
the mural panels along the main entrance hallway of the school.
The murals were installed and then grouted to finalize the project.
The mural dedication is set for Thursday, September 4, 2003 at 10
a.m. On this date we cordially invite the entire community to this
dedication to celebrate the creative and historical legacy that
these students will leave for future students, teachers, faculty
and visitors at Edison Middle School to appreciate for decades to
come. |
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