(Maitland, FL – March 28, 2012) – The Art & History Museums – Maitland (A&H) is pleased to announce the opening of its newest exhibition in the A&H’s Maitland Art Center Galleries, Park Maitland Perspectives, on Friday, April 20, 2012, with an opening reception that evening from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. The opening reception is free and open to the public. The Galleries are located at 231 W. Packwood Avenue, Maitland, FL 32751. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Sunday, 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Admission is 3.00 for adults; $2.00 for Seniors (55 & older) and for Children (4-18 years). A & H Members and Children (3 and under) are free.
Park Maitland Perspectives features the works of the skillful 6th grade Park Maitland School students instructed by arts educator Sandy Bonus, NAEA. This showcase of young talent that is sure to delight and inspire. Mrs. Bonus’ innovative teaching techniques are demonstrated in these works, which feature the use of perspective and theatelier method, techniques usually reserved for much older students.
With a class mission statement, created by Mrs. Bonus and her students, which reads “My artwork will be inspired by my passions and guided by the compass of my integrity,” these students are encouraged to break free of any thoughts that may hinder their achievements.
“I teach my students to obtain a grasp of some of the technical skills while still expressing their personal viewpoint,” says Bonus. “To have a grasp of the skills that seem so mysterious, even if they don’t necessarily master them, is extremely helpful. It’s the small nuances from your eye, to your brain, to your hand, and to your brush, and how to connect them; when you realize how to connect these things, the sky is the limit. You can utilize that proficiency to accomplish anything; you understand that you have no limits and that anything is possible.”
“In my class, I focus on exemplary creativity as well as grasping a technique,” Bonus continues. “I interact with everyone individually, and I let everyone work to achieve their personal best. There is no pressure here. Art, first and foremost, has to be fun. If I can spark a desire to learn about art, it can be a life-long love. More importantly, if I can help the students discover their personal viewpoint through art, then that is a true success and I have achieved my goal as an educator.”
Works in the exhibition feature the use of math synthesized with art, the theme that Bonus has employed over the past year. One aspect of the works is from the L-method technique, created by Bonus, an effective way of breaking up space and using your body as a device to tell how large something is in the distance. The exhibition also includes 60 geodesic spheres, inspired by the architecture of Buckminster Fuller, that will be suspended in a collaborative sculpture.
Additional works include personal logos invented by the students. The logos are the culmination of a project in which the students searched within themselves and created personal statements, then designed a visual work congruent to that statement. With statements such as, “Some people dream of success, others wake up and make it happen,” “I will paint the portrait of my life with broad colors,” and “Don’t let anything get in your way; keep on opening doors,” these works are sure to inspire. Another component of the exhibition is a short film, created with the help of the UCF Film Department, which shows the student’s interpretations of what their art sounds like. Also on display are the abstractions of the students’ Park Maitland Perspectives oil paintings. Complex lines are reduced into simplified shapes and forms in these acrylic on wood works.
Please join the A&H as we explore the talents of these youthful artists at Park Maitland Perspectives. For more information on the exhibition and the Art & History Museums – Maitland, phone 407-539-2181 or visit www.ArtandHistory.org.
