I explained to Annette I wanted all of my students in K-6th grade to create an art piece of the Steam Plant with the smoke stacks lit in pink light and use all 415 pieces of art to create a photomosaic . I was also hoping the Steam Plant would be interested in hanging the 6 ’ x 4 ’ piece of art for years to come . It took Avista ’ s management about a minute to say yes . I was very excited , but then I had to find the money to create the piece .
Without the Hagan Foundation , East Farms would not have the level of the art that keeps the “ A ” in STEAM . East Farms art department has been blessed with grants from the Hagan Foundation for the past three years . Thankfully the grant proposal we submitted for the public art piece was awarded , making the Hagan Foundation ’ s generosity for East Farms Art Program four years in a row . In January , 2017 , we had the space for the public art piece to hang and the money to make it happen . We introduced the project to the students and they got busy making art , all striving to create images to be used for the final photomosaic .
In the beginning of the project there were concerns about discussing breast cancer with the students ; once we started the conversation all concerns melted away . I was shocked by how many students had loved ones that have been affected by breast cancer . Everything changed , suddenly the art project allowed the students to talk about breast cancer and their feelings . The conversations we had in the classroom became profound and life changing . The project became a healing experience for all of us .
20 ART CHOWDER MAGAZINE