DeKalb West Middle School students, participated in the Friends of the Appalachian Center for Craft of Tennessee’s (FACCT’s) Focus on Fine Craft Program in Smithville,TN on May 9th, 2011. Students created masterpieces in three different art classes: ceramic masks, Itajime-Japanese fabric dying, and photography. Janet England, the students social studies teacher, teaches the students the importance of the crafts studied at the Craft Center in relation to the cultures they study in class.
Craft Center artists guided participants as they designed and completed hands-on art projects and learned about basic history, terms, materials, tools and equipment. One parent-chaperone said, “This is a fantastic way to allow students to experience different areas of art. The students love the workshops and are involved the entire time.”
This program is funded under an agreement with the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the Tennessee General Assembly, the William N. Rollins Fund for the Arts of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Wal-Mart and the Highland Rim Chapter of the Tennessee Association of Craft Artists.
“The community’s support of this program is exemplary!” said Noreen Grisolano, FACCT treasurer. “This support has allowed us to bring quality arts experiences into the lives of over 24,000 area students over the past decade and we are grateful!”