Mantua – For the second year in a row, Patty Timbrook, Visual Art Teacher at Crestwood Intermediate School, lead her students on a field trip to experience the art studios at Kent State University and Hiram College, exposing them to both college and potential careers in the arts. This year, 14 students attended, with four parents and one grandparent acting as chaperones. The trip was held on a weekday — NEOEA Day — when school was not in session. Timbrook explained the value of such an excursion, sharing, “Field trips like this inspire young people to envision their future as a college student, pursuing an interest in the arts or any other field of interest.”
At Kent State, the group explored the art building, visiting the textile studio to check out the looms, and the ceramic studio, where students learned about the various kinds of kilns. In addition, the group watched as a student-artist created a pot thrown on the potters’ wheel, silk-screening in printmaking studio, and they watched an exciting demonstration of a bowl being blown in the glass studio. As an added bonus, one student for the group won the glass bowl to take home. After the touring the art studios, the group enjoyed lunch at the Student Center. While at KSU, the group also learned that next year, all art disciplines will be housed in a new art building that is currently under construction. That news was bittersweet for Timbrook, since she spent many years in the existing building as both an undergraduate and graduate student, where she met her husband. In addition, her oldest daughter will soon graduate from KSU with a degree in Visual Communication and Design.
That afternoon at Hiram College, the group visited the art building to see the painting areas, ceramic areas, drawing, printmaking, photography, and art history spaces. Timbrook continued, “This trip also broadens the definition of art that a young person may have. They see many interesting approaches to personal expression.” In addition, students had the opportunity to visit Hiram’s on-campus art gallery as it was being prepped to hang a show. Timbrook gushed, “The student ambassadors at both campuses that worked with us were exceptional, professional, and had a wonderful rapport with our CIS students.”
Planning for next year, Timbrook shared, “I would love to have time to tour the graphic design studios, new poetry house and surrounding outdoor performance area, and eventually, the new Architecture building, since those areas of study would be of great interest to students.” Timbrook marveled, “And the parents seem to enjoy themselves as much as the students, sharing how educational these tours and demonstrations were for them. From the bus ride to the studios, we all had an enlightening day that inspired many student towards a college career and possibly a career in the arts.”
The field trip was funded through a grant from the Hiram Community Trust. For more information, contact Patty Timbrook at ptimbrook@crestwoodschools.org.
