Well, beneath about 6 fresh inches of snow, we had our final planning meeting before the three big days of all-school tile-making. I'm pretty jazzed; I think the school is too.

I spent Monday, all day, at the school giving a presentation of the project, aims, and each student's contribution to the mural. Fourth and fifth graders rock out: they were the most excited etc. One even said, "What if what's important to me about place is more like a virtue, like "food." Wow, that caught me a little off-guard but we worked it in: what food is special in your home? Are their any foods you think of as "Vermont" foods? Another said, "My place is my imagination." They'll do fine...

Middle school is next: they asked the most questions and seemed to really be in to the topic ("What is my place") with their own nuance - "What if what I think about 'my place' is my friends, and my relationships?" Perfect: how we feel about those around us - and how far out we can reach with those feelings - is a huge part of understanding our "place" in the world...

The high school tied with the kindergartener's in terms of overall response. While the kinders seemed to respond more positively to the presentation (we read a book that I'd scanned onto presentation software so we could project for k-5 since the groups were really big - about 40-50 in each group), the highers 'got' the concept and asked some interesting questions ("Can I bring the front-end off my S10 (a pick-up)?" Maybe a small part of it - if you can cut it up.

All in all, I'm pretty psyched - and I think once we roll up our sleeves and get down and dirty, so will the rest of 'em. I think having the shop class cut the wood, and the seniors help to "curate" the mural - along with everyone's individual "tile" contribution - have amplify the sense of ownership and enthusiasm for the final product.

Well, pix and stories to come Monday...

another 4 inches of snow, a cold picked up on the train to NYC, and now back in Vermont to run the first of three days of peace tiles workshops - grades K-12 plus staff. wow...

today was great. got there about 8:00 to set up, with the first group - seniors - trickled in by 8:40 and we were off.

well, to be honest, a bit of a rocky start. its monday, its hard to have art stuff shoved at you first period, and there's the whole being seniors thing... but after some chit chat, flipping through magazines, coaxing, and resetting of the context etc they got warmed up. by the time the period was over most were not ready to stop - which is a good place to be to set up the next two days of work.

I was nervous going into today. even after running the basic process dozens of times, something always feels like it could go drastically awry - and it never does. i think i realized today that my fears tend to turn on an underestimation of who the youths are. somehow their projection of coolness, disinterest, etc gets read as a barrier more than it is - simply a projection. once a small group gets going, it seems the meme always takes over - that sheer excitement with color, texture, freedom, etc. they are so used to doings things "right" - being asked to create something completely on their own terms seems intimidating at first (its almost always easier to follow clear instructions)...

anyway, after the group - from an start of about 15 to around 50 by the last - reached a tipping point, it was literally impossible to tear them away and send them to class. it was neat to see the enthusiasm and support from the other grades - and amongst themselves - as they sought to share their tiles (they were arranged on a stage in the cafeteria to dry, for the whole school to view throughout the day).

anyway, i'm jazzed about tomorrow - and its not the sudafed! i think the students and teachers are too - and that's the most important bit...

Thanks for sharing all the excitement with us, Lars.

And we are going to get to see the whole 400+ tile mural, aren't we?

:D

David, thank - yes, when the mural is up I will certainly share a picture. For now, we are still at the tile-making stage.

Speaking of which, yesterday was a great confirmation of my impression from Monday's activities. We had great attendance, real intense concentration and discussion and creativity as students both developed their tiles, searched for and traded items, and socialized. It was a cool scene.

I think our big challenge is to integrate the lower grades into the same space/process as the older students. I think its is important to extend the feeling of community that can be cultivated during the process when it is shared across grades and throughout the school. However, there is some nervousness among the teachers of the younger grades that interaction may not be 'appropriate' - its odd. so that will be a fun bridge to cross thursday (school is canceled today due to snow.

The short report is that students continue to impress themselves, one another, and their teachers by creating works, for the most part, they are proud of. we had a reporter and photographer in from the local paper to photograph and speak with the students, which i think helped to amplify their sense that they were contributing to something important - something that would make a lasting impact on their school community.

Sounds like this residency is going fabulously Lars! Kudos and I on my seat waiting to hear about the couple of days!

I LOVE the tile in the post above! What a wonderful composition of color, gradient, and you can see how intensely and thoughtfully she is proceeding! Just wonderful!

i think i realized today that my fears tend to turn on an underestimation of who the youths are. somehow their projection of coolness, disinterest, etc gets read as a barrier more than it is - simply a projection. once a small group gets going, it seems the meme always takes over - that sheer excitement with color, texture, freedom, etc. they are so used to doings things "right" - being asked to create something completely on their own terms seems intimidating at first (its almost always easier to follow clear instructions)...

Ah the kids are cool:-)

Art is so important because we have to think and create. This whole project make me so happy and excited. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Thanks John. Yes, kids are cool. They remind me to simultaneously lighten up, and tighten up. For example, I was giving a workshop on civic engagement to some young AmeriCorps service members today and found that I hadn't gotten through half of what I'd hoped. Its that tension between creating room for dialogue and "transfering knowledge." there's alot I need to learn to "get it right." I need to tighten up; Peace Tiles helps me "lighten up."

Nice article in today's Times Argus, a local paper. Contains a ned.com plug.

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Fantastic article in the Times Argus Lars! I got a little choked up. I look forward to seeing some pictures of tiles and Twinfield students if available.

Jim, thank you. I had the chance to chat with Lindsey quite a bit before she began her tile. She was really worried at first that she might not be able to make a dedication to Mike because it might not relate to the theme. I just listened to what she remembered about Mike, asked a few questions, and she was off and running. Her background is this lovely marbled effect she achieved using a sponge. It was really great to see something so personal and important to her emerge. She really feels like she has now created - and will leave with the school - a memorial for this former graduate who has passed on.

And it has been great working with all of the people mentioned - the process has become very emblematic of the community, like Owen the principal said - and people are all finding a "place" for the contribution they want to make.

There have, of course, been a few ups and downs - for example the kids who want to push "cool" using images of alcohol in the works, which needs to be redirected - but in the main an overwhelmingly positive experience.

BTW, if you can get the print version of the article, there is another nice image of some of the tiles the students and staff are producing.

Since the whole process is taking a little longer than expected - difficulties principally in getting the younger grades scheduled in since there was (and remains) trepidation about mixing lower school with upper school - we'll continue with lower school students Monday and Tuesday. The saga continues...!

Thanks so much Jim!

Today marks the final day of my work with Twinfield students. All in all it was a lovely experience. The students were so welcoming, and most eager to experiment and "play," which is a big part of what its all about. I think its fair to say that they are really excited to see what in the world will be done with all of the images. So am I

So now I will begin the long and detail intensive process of cataloguing all of the tiles, and arranging them into the mosaic. Workplan looks something like:

• Photograph tiles
• Work with school to develop "source" image (might be a tile to create a fun micro-macro "find the source" game)
• Create composite image
• Number tiles
• Create directory (so people can find their own, friends' etc by name
• Install

Something else I have thought of along the way - which hasn't been approved yet - is to "float" some really elegant quotations about place just off the surface of the mosaic. I am thinking they could be etched (sandblasted) or screened onto the narrow (8" x 72" say) plexiglass strips and fastened 3-4" off of the surface using narrow metal risers - like bolts without the threads. We'll see how far that goes.

Here is a selection of some of my favorite tiles so far:

Fabulous! Great coverage in the Times-Arg, too! As Aidan would say, "I so proud of you!"

I'm interested in how you will organize the mosaic. Will be it by color, theme, content, age, etc. Please do keep us posted!

Thank you Allison - I'm so proud of Twinfield: they really took to the effort school-wide and have made some just fabulous tiles. Wait until you see the art teacher's.

I think what we have decided to do is to choose one of the tiles that really reflects some aspect of Twinfield and place - a simple landscape me thinks - and make the whole mural create that. So there'll be this "find the source-tile" "game" that, in addition to the artwork itself, will draw people in.

Make sense?

I am in the process of documenting all of the tiles next week - so stay tuned...!

Sounds perfect! Can't wait to see the finished product!

I was just looking at some of tiles you just put up at Flickr. Wow! It's so impressive how great these tiles are.

Here is my absolute favorite from the Twinfield set - for its sublime use of the form and space, its palette, composition and intimacy. In responding the theme, "What is my place," this artist reproduced a painting in her studio, and masterfully alluded to some of her influences...

Thanks for checking them out and your good word, John.

Here is what the collection of tiles is looking like - only 200 or so of them, slightly arranged by color...

Just fabulous! I DO love the tile you highlighted in the previous post. Hmmm...maybe she's a Peace Tiles workshop leader in the making?!

Oh this is so fantastic. And agreed on the "favourite tile" from the set ..... it is extraordinary - every time I look at it I see something different - feel something different.

I love the way you've arranged the 200 tiles - it is quite striking. (I can't imagine how long it took though)

Hoorah for the Twinfield students! :)

Yes, hooray for Twinfield - they've had a fantastic time and I'm really grateful for that. Will be proposing three design directions to the Senior class for them to select a final mural arrangement. This, rather than design it themselves, is the direction they've chosen. It is nice to have their confidence.

Thanks for the good words Gayle, Allison and all!