Anderson Ranch Arts Center 2014 Annual Report | Page 17

fourth of july parade 3rd grade studio program Nothing captures the patriotic spirit of a small American town like the Fourth of July parade in Aspen, and Anderson Ranch Arts Center was proud to participate in the 2014 parade with children from the Parade Float Extravaganza summer art class. Students ages seven years and up spent a fun-filled week creating the “Anderson Ranch is WILD About Art” float. The jungle-themed float was decorated with giant tropical plants, colorful woven birds of paradise, and a hand-sewn boa constrictor! The students beamed with excitement and pride as they marched alongside the float during the parade. Anderson Ranch won “Best Children’s Float” for 2014. In 2014, Anderson Ranch initiated a new program geared toward third grade classrooms in the Aspen School District. The program introduces local kids to the Ranch and allows them to experience the studios firsthand. Each classroom visits one of the unique studios on campus in woodworking, printmaking, painting, ceramics, photography & new media, and sculpture. They also enjoy a tour and eat lunch in the Ranch Café. arts career day In October, Anderson Ranch hosted the inaugural “Arts Career Day” in which high school students from across eight school districts were invited to participate in a halfday outreach program on campus. The program included an introduction by Nancy Wilhelms, two one-and-a-halfhour studio sessions in which the students created small art projects to take home, and lunch in the Ranch Café with all of the Anderson Ranch staff. Over 85 students participated in the event and represented schools located in Palisade, Grand Junction, Rifle, Glenwood Springs and the Roaring Fork Valley. The program successfully exposed high school students to the resources that Anderson Ranch offers artists of all ages and engaged them in a hands-on learning experience. In the fall, three classes from Aspen Elementary School visited the studios of sculpture, printmaking and photography & new media. The projects they made included welded steel lawn ornaments, watercolor monoprints and cyanotypes. Each child took home their new creations after they enjoyed lunch in the Ranch Café. Aspen Country Day and the Aspen Community School visited this spring. “The students loved being in the studio and getting hands-on experience! The projects were engaging and on a different level from what we can accomplish in the school art room. We really appreciate the opportunity!” - Hilary Forysth Aspen Community School Art Teacher outreach AndersonRanch arts center 17