Children Make Art for Children: DeVos Children's Hospital Artwork

Friday night was an exciting night for VSA and the students who have been involved in the DeVos Children's Hospital project!

LaFontsee Galleries hosted an art opening exhibiting some of the art that has been created by VSA students for the Children's Hospital. The exhibition featured much work from VSA students along with students from other community organizations around Grand Rapids. Artists, students and teachers all came out for the event and everyone was excited to see their work framed and on display. Stay tuned as more VSA artwork is choosen as the hospital is completed.

Thanks to all the parents, students, and artists who came out for this exciting event and for LaFontsee for hosting.

Call For Art: Legacy Trust Award Collection

VSA arts of Michigan-Grand Rapids seeks artwork from adult artists with disabilities for the Legacy Trust Award Collection to be included in ArtPrize 2010 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

VSA is soliciting artwork entries created by adult artists with disabilities for the Legacy Trust Award Collection of ArtPrize 2010.

ArtPrize is a radically open art competition, giving away the world's largest art prize. Part arts festival, part social experiment - this international art contest is decided solely on a public vote. ArtPrize runs September 22 through October 10, 2010 in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. For more information see the ArtPrize website at www.artprize.org.

This award collection has been designed to assist adult artists with disabilities to participate in a preliminary art competition with three winning artists moving forward to compete in ArtPrize 2010* in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as the Legacy Trust Award Collection.

*VSA will make every effort to secure an appropriate venue for the three winning artists, but neither artprize nor VSA can make any guarantees

To register and for more information,

see the Call for Art here.

Music in Mrs. Geers Room

Each year over forty special education classrooms from throughout our community participate in VSA Artist Workshops and Artist Residencies, in mediums such as dance, music, pottery, jewelry making, and painting—all which encourage expression and confidence in these youth.

The pictures below are from one of our music workshops at Appleview Elementary. Teacher, Lynelle Geers, submitted a proposal for a workshop in music to "learn new ways to incorporate music into their routine that will burn some energy while teaching key concepts" She wrote, "I would would to use music to gain their attention, get some wiggles out, and build coordination."

Teaching artist and trained Music Therapist is doing just that with this class of 11, 8-11 year olds. Today was Erinn's second time visiting this classroom and she will finish up next week with the final, one-hour session. Erinn definitely has to work hard to keep the attention of these energetic students, but with the help of drums, active songs, egg shakers and lots of movement, she's able to do it!



Thanks to Mrs. Geers class for letting me come in today to make some music and take some pictures, you guys are great!

THANK YOU ARMA!

This past Friday, February 5, 2010, VSA received a very exciting delivery. VSA was the proud recipient of boxes and boxes of art and office supplies very generously donated by ARMA (Association of Records Management Professionals).

ARMA has chosen VSA as their 2009-2010 non-profit partner whom they learn about and support in a variety of ways.

Thank you again for your VERY GENEROUS support ARMA--your gifts will reach many youth and adults with disabilities through VSA programs!

Drumming and Choral Concert

Students in Holland, Zeeland, and Hudsonville's Community Based Instruction program recently finished their 9-session residency in Music. Every other week the students would meet with Jim Cooper, percussionist in a local band and teacher at the Holland Arts Council, to learn about various types of drums, experiment with different rhythms, and enjoy expression through a free-style drum circle. After an hour of drumming, students would then meet with Ron Toering, singer and experienced choir and music teacher, for an hour of vocal warm-ups, choral games, and generating a repertoire of popular choral music.

The students ended this residency by performing for friends and family in a concert. Both concerts showcased the students' hard work and enjoyment of singing and drumming and everyone (especially the kids in audience who danced to the drumming) had lots of fun.

Thanks to our two wonderful teachers, the students, and to our sponsors the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Outstate Michigan and the Herman Miller Foundation for making this possible.

See more pictures of the two concerts on our facebook page.

Call for Art!

VSA arts of Michigan-Grand Rapids will showcase a special gallery exhibition of artwork by VSA artists in November, 2010 at the Forest Hills Fine Art Center Gallery. The Forest Hills Fine Arts Gallery showcases the talents of artists from throughout Michigan in exhibitions through-out the year.

VSA is soliciting artwork created by artists with disabilities of all ages for this upcoming special exhibition. Artwork received by VSA by the deadline of Friday, February 26, 2010 will be juried to create an exhibit of approximately 30 pieces that includes a full range of ages, abilities, and geographical representation.

To learn more and to download the application form, click here.

For questions about this opportunity call Katie or Michele at #885-5866 or e-mail vsaprogram@iserv.net or vsagr@iserv.net.

An Amway GRAND Tour

With many of our students interested in exploring careers in the culinary arts, getting a chance to see into the inner workings of a commercial kitchen is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. On Wednesday morning, the VSA Arts & Mentoring class got that chance with a behind-the-scenes look at the amazing culinary operations at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. We learned that on some days, the culinary department can serve as many as 4,500 people in their special events alone!

The tour started at the Hotel’s loading dock as the order of fresh fruits and vegetables was being delivered. Fresh produce is delivered daily to the hotel! From there, we toured the special kitchen used just for the produce. From special sinks to a full-sized cooler, the fresh fruits and vegetables are kept separate from all other aspects of the culinary prep to avoid any contamination.

We even met Executive Chef Josef Huber in the main kitchen, who was busy preparing for the lunch menu for the day. Speaking with Chef Sally, who was busy preparing bacon for a recipe, we learned about the training needed to work as a cook in the kitchen. Our own Grand Rapids Community College has one of the finest two-year culinary degree programs in the area and many of those graduates now work for the Hotel. Other line cooks learn their jobs through on-the-job training and many years of experience.

We thank Assistant Catering Director Darrin Lettinga for giving us this wonderful tour.