Page 2 — Thursday, October 25, 2012 — The Hastings Banner
Students take field trip to Art Prize Lane Cooper brings art to the classroom by Shari Carney Staff Writer Art Prize may have ended, but students at Barry Intermediate School District in Hastings have been keeping it alive by creating versions of favorite pieces. The experience continued with a visit from Art Prize artist, Lane Cooper. A field trip to Grand Rapids earlier this month, Thursday, Oct. 4, had students, staff and volunteers trekking around the city visiting Art Prize entries. Besides interpreting the art pieces, students involved themselves in the voting process. Tie-ins were made to the upcoming presidential race. The two and a half hour field trip commenced from the Gerald R. Ford Museum and wove through various venues. “The only thing that stopped them was they were hungry,” said Amy Scoville, instructor. Back at the school the budding artists worked to create replications of favorite
Students at BISD get a close up view of a praying mantis created by visiting artist Lane Cooper, (front, from left) Matt Elliott, Steven Nagy, (back) CJ Brugh, Alicia Washburn and Michael Endsley.
Steven Nagy has found the piece he will replicate at Art Prize 2012. Nagy toured the event with his class Thursday, Oct. 4. (Photo by Amy Scoville)
Teacher Sally Shuster-Shoff shares a moment of art appreciation with Tasha Betzner. Artist Lane Cooper visited BISD Wednesday, Oct. 17 and brought found art creations for student exploration.
BISD student Alicia Washburn fashions an art project after a mosaic piece viewed at Art Prize. (Photo by Amy Scoville)
Steven Nagy reaches for the praying mantis created by Lane Cooper. Cooper is an award winning artist and contributer to Art Prize. He visited BISD Wednesday, Oct. 17.
Students, staff and volunteers from BISD toured Art Prize in Grand Rapids Thursday, Oct. 4, (front, from left) Robbie Spaulding, Bill Easey, Ray McKelvey Jr., (standing) Donna Schallhorn, Steven Nagy, Wanda Hartman, Keena Reid, Connie Summers, Drew Deming, Sally Shuster-Shoff, Derek Stiver, CJ Brugh, Alicia Washburn, Amy Scoville, Eric Daniels and Jan Day.
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Eric Daniels examines a figure with a door knob head, made by Lane Cooper. Cooper brought found art creations to show students at BISD Wednesday, Oct. 17.
Bill Easey wields a paint brush in the early stages of his art prize project. Each year the students at BISD choose a favorite Art Prize entry and recreate it for a display in the administration office. (Photo by Amy Scoville)
Steven Nagy carefully cuts the dog he has colored for his rendition of a favorite piece at Art Prize 2012. (Photo by Amy Scoville) pieces. The pieces are on display in the BISD adiministration office where they will be voted on by visitors and staff. Lane Cooper, an award winning artist from
Freeport, participated in Art Prize. He brought examples of found art creations to the students Wednesday, Oct. 17. A table was laden with sculptures including, a hockey player, horseshoe crab, flowers, praying mantis, lizard and a tractor. Using found art, Cooper sees potential in what most would consider junk. The horseshoe crab is made from an actual horseshoe, the tractor’s body from an old fashioned sewing machine, heads for a hockey player and skier from door knobs. Cooper shared that he suffered a closed
head injury, as the result of an accident, in 2003. The pain, while excruciating at times, has been helped by art therapy. Cooper learned welding as an employee at Amway. He would see items tossed away and would rescue them to create works of art. Students interracted with the pieces, touching them, turning them over and reaching for favorites. “It made my day to see these kids,” said Cooper who plans to come back and make a craft with the students.
Artist Lane Cooper visited the students at BISD Wednesday, Oct. 17. Cooper has learned to function with the challenges of a closed head injury sustained in 2003. Art has been therapy and now a full-time pursuit for Cooper.