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GC’s resident artist<br>takes kids to Africa

GCNP — The unique culture of West Africa has enveloped Grand Canyon Elementary School.

Over the past couple of weeks, students in kindergarten through the third grade have been making masks in preparation for a grand parade next week. Currently, kids in fourth through sixth grades are working on their masks.

Artist Richard Johnson works with third-graders Roberto Ramos, behind the mask at left, and Ashley Boone, in foreground at right.

It's all part of the school's Artist-in-Residence Program, which this year features sculptor and potter Richard Johnson.

"I have no children of my own ... and I feel very fortunate to be here," said Johnson, who works out of his studio in Jerome. "The different age groups offer their own challenges and gain their own rewards."

Back in 1987, Johnson spent 10 months in Burkina Faso, West Africa, through a Fulbright Grant. There, he worked in the capital city of Ouagadougou where he fired clay and cast bronze in the workshop which creates many of the country's national monuments.

"I'm to address quite a lot during this four-week period," Johnson said. "I show the kids slides of these events as a cultural experience and what a mask can be. Here, we have few occasions when we wear masks and costumes. Our parading is a little similar."

Johnson's slide show, which will be part of a March 1 event at the school, includes seven different masking events in five different villages in West Africa. While there, he also photographed funerals, masks that drive away evil, an initiation ceremony and 18-foot tall leaf masks which ask for rain and fertility.

"A mask is not just something that covers you and hides your identity, it reflects your persona," Johnson said.

Students have been given the opportunity to explore the art in their own way through the creation of the masks and body suits. They will share their artwork with the community on March 1 at 7 p.m. during a show in the school's multi-purpose room. Johnson will share slides on West Africa and there will be the kids' parade.

"This program gives me artistic freedom," said Johnson, who works in enrichment programs about 100 days per year in four states. "The program gives me freedom in my students. And I'm not burdened to sell what I produce."

Johnson is no stranger to working with children. For the past 11 years in Jerome, he's run a summer program for youth called the Kid Jerome Street Theater. Therefore, it’s not uncommon to see kids parading down the streets in masks and costumes created by the kids in his studio.

Sharing his artistic talent with children to create items such as the masks brings various rewards.

"When they parade, people are cheering and taking their pictures," he said. "The sculpture they've created is also something they can play with. And when it breaks, you can go back in the studio and create again."

Cyndi Moreno, third-grade teacher at Grand Canyon, said the experience has been great for her students.

"I'm just amazed at what they've come up with out of paper," Moreno said. 'The costumes are not as hard to make as they thought they were."

Don't be surprised to see some West African-flavored costumes parading around the village on Halloween this fall. Some students used Johnson's techniques to create bird costumes for last week's Odyssey of the Mind competition.

"The kids are making three-dimensional objects that can be hung up or they can be worn and come to life in special situations," Johnson said.

The students also make their own choices on color and form to best express their own personalities in the work.

Grand Canyon's Artist-in-Residence Program is funded through the Arizona Commission of the Arts and a community match.

Other sponsors include contributors include the National Endowment for the Arts, Arizona Artshare, Maricopa County Attorney's Office, Grand Canyon Parent Teacher Association, Grand Canyon Professional Educators, Grand Canyon Lion's Club, Grand Canyon Rotary Club, Grand Canyon School District, Albright Training Center and American Legion John Ivens Post No. 42.


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