TEXAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF PRESS RELEASE<\/p>\n
Contact: Keena Miller<\/p>\n
Phone: 512-462-5328, cell: 512-658-4444<\/p>\n
Email: Keena.miller@tsd.state.tx.us<\/p>\n
FOR RELEASE MAY 22, 2009<\/p>\n
BLANTON MUSEUM STUDENT GUILD LENDS HAND TO<\/p>\n
MURAL PROJECT FOR TEXAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF<\/p>\n
OPENING CELEBRATION TO UNVEIL COLLABORATIVE WORK<\/p>\n
Austin, Texas \u2013 May 22, 2009 The Texas School for the Deaf (TSD)
\nproudly unveils a new colorful and inspiring, one-of-a-kind mural that
\nadorns the hallway of one of the school\u2019s main corridors today at
\n1:00 pm with an opening reception and wrap party.<\/p>\n
The Blanton Museum of Art\u2019s Student Guild organization, along with
\nlocal nonprofit, Mural Visions, have worked tirelessly over the past
\nseveral months with TSD to create this expansive artwork in the
\nSpecial Needs Department (SND) at the school. The theme of the mural
\nis \u201cgrowth,\u201d illustrated by brightly colored silhouettes of
\nchildren engaging in learning activities and recreation, including
\nscenes of sign language, bicycling on the South Congress Bridge and
\ngraduation. The aim is to have the TSD pupils walk along the corridor
\nand be inspired by the actions represented. <\/p>\n
Jan Reed-Anderson, principal of the Special Needs program at TSD,
\nsays “as part of our Positive Behavior Support program, we wanted to
\ncreate an environment the students would feel proud of, and could be a
\npart of. With silhouettes portraying the stages of development that
\nthe students in the program will follow until they transition into the
\nreal world, the mural has already proven to be a motivator, instilling
\na sense of pride in our students. They point at a silhouette and
\nthink, “that’s me!” It’s just what we wanted to achieve.” Several
\nstudents were models for the mural.<\/p>\n
WHAT: Mural opening celebration \u2013 unveiling a collaboration between
\nthe Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) and the Blanton Museum of Art
\nStudent Guild. The event is free of charge and open to the public.<\/p>\n
WHERE: Special Needs Department rotunda<\/p>\n
Texas School for the Deaf (TSD)<\/p>\n
1102 South Congress Avenue<\/p>\n
Austin, TX 78704<\/p>\n
WHEN: 1:00-2:00 pm, Friday, May 22, 2009<\/p>\n
MORE: In 2008, Jan Reed-Anderson and Monica Kurtz from TSD sent out a
\ncall to artists for the creation of a mural for their Special Needs
\ndepartment. Suzanne Moore, the Blanton\u2019s University Programs
\nCoordinator, saw this as a unique opportunity for the museum\u2019s
\nStudent Guild to serve the community. She, along with Beth Ferguson, a
\nUniversity of Texas Department of Art and Art History graduate student
\nin design and the founder of Mural Visions, and Maria Indelicato, a UT
\nundergraduate in Art History and Volunteer Chair of the Blanton
\nStudent Guild, worked closely with the School\u2019s administrators to
\ndevelop design concepts for the project and a strategy for completion.
\nAlong with the volunteers from the Student Guild, the mural was
\nexecuted by Texas School for the Deaf students and staff and
\nvolunteers from the community, and was underwritten by Mural Visions
\nand the Cultural Contracts Division of the City of Austin, Jerry\u2019s
\nArt-a-Rama, the Texas School for the Deaf, and the University Co-op.<\/p>\n
With a strong belief in culture and community at TSD, students form a
\nunique identity based on their individual strengths and talents,
\nrather than their disabilities. TSD is an environment where students
\nlearn, grow, and belong. For more information about TSD, visit
\nwww.tsd.state.tx.us.<\/p>\n
For more information about the Blanton Museum of Art, visit:
\nhttp:\/\/blantonmuseum.org. The Student Guild is a University of Texas
\nregistered student organization whose mission is to share the
\nBlanton’s resources with university students and to serve as
\nambassadors in the Austin community. Guild members are UT students
\ninterested in learning about art in a relaxed atmosphere while having
\nfun. Students from all backgrounds and disciplines are invited to
\njoin.<\/p>\n
Mural Visions is an Austin community based mural program that is
\nsponsored by the City of Austin Cultural Arts Division. The Mural
\nVisions mission is to create collaborative murals with public schools
\nusing local artists, and volunteers. Started in 2006 as a
\ncollaboration with the Theatre Action Project at the Kealing Jr. High
\nSchool, Mural Visions recently partnered with the Blanton Museum of
\nArt Student Guild on a mural at the Texas School for the Deaf. Photos
\nfrom the project may be viewed at: flickr.com\/photos\/muralvisions\/.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TEXAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF PRESS RELEASE Contact: Keena Miller Phone: 512-462-5328, cell: 512-658-4444 Email: Keena.miller@tsd.state.tx.us FOR RELEASE MAY 22, 2009 BLANTON MUSEUM STUDENT GUILD LENDS HAND TO MURAL PROJECT FOR TEXAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF OPENING CELEBRATION TO UNVEIL…<\/p>\n