I’ve come to a realization in my “real off-line life”.
I don’t have enough contact with people in my own area that are active in the arts (however limited it is here in Midland, TX).
Well, that’s gonna have to change.
If you’re in the Permian Basin, or anywhere in West Texas really, and are involved in the arts in anyway, I’d love to take you to lunch or coffee. Just to talk about art and culture or whatever.
Use the contact page. It’ll be fun. As long as I’ve had my coffee!
Well color me pleasantly surprised (that would probably be a subtle shade of pink).
color chunks ii by gierszewski
In today’s local news it seems that there is much for me to celebrate in my kiddos’ futures.
Bowie Elementary is being converted to a Fine Arts Magnet school.
It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to those of you who read this blog that, as an artist, I am simply overjoyed by this new state of affairs.
Excerpt from press release at My West Texas:
Students in grades kindergarten through third at Bowie will attend a different fine arts class each day. “For example, a kindergarten student might go to dance one day, general music (rhythm band, folk music), art, theater arts and piano lab,” Thomas said.
Orchestra and band are added in fourth grade. Fourth- fifth- and sixth-grade students will be offered a chance to specialize in two of those areas, plus orchestra and band.
“It’s been incredibly exciting,” Thomason said. “Right now, I’m working on the list I need to submit detailing all the new equipment we need for each room. I need to get that done before do interviews for teachers.”
Crayola Lincoln Logs by laffy4k
This comes in just in time as Heather and I have decided to officially plant our roots here (for awhile anyway).
One of the things that really scared me about living in a smaller town was the lack of arts culture in this surrounding area. I’m hoping that the attention that a magnet school dedicated to the Fine Arts will help to change that.
At the very least my little monsters will be able to get their hands dirty and their minds really working in a creative culture.
It is well documented that children and young adults that have a background or a foundation in the arts (especially music) typically have grades that are better.
This has much to do with tapping into both sides of the brain; the analytical side and the creative side. Reading music while playing an instrument happens to hit both sides at the same time. These skills pay dividends in any adults life during situations where creative problem solving is needed.
So with our feet planted in Midland we now have a place to send our children to school where they will get an education that will help to produce smart, creative, and productive adults.
Wait…shouldn’t we have been working on that the whole time?
I’m just saying…
