Create Here!

The "Create Here" mini canvases have hit Reston! Look for one at your favorite bookstore, coffee shop, restaurant -- anywhere you find yourself sitting for a while. If you find one, create a work and email an image to createhere@restonartistree.com . Include your first name, where you found your canvas and anything else you'd like to add. Jeremy starts us off with this one he did at Robeks this afternoon.

Include Funding for the Arts in Economic Plans

I received the following in an email from Americans for the Arts. We don't want the Arts to be overlooked in the economic recovery plans being debated in Congress. You can follow the links to learn more and to find out what you can do.

For the last month, Americans for the Arts has been working with the field, Congress, and the Obama Transition Team to include support for the nonprofit arts sector and individual artists in any federal economic recovery package. With your help, we have been compiling examples of how the recession has affected arts groups. We are getting this compelling information along with our economic impact data into the hands of key policy leaders in Washington.

Last week, Americans for the Arts officially proposed Nine Recommendations for Economic Recovery & the Arts to help nonprofit and governmental arts groups as well as individual artists during this economic downturn. Today, Americans for the Arts President and CEO Bob Lynch met with the Obama Transition Team to discuss these and other ideas.

Also today, the House Appropriations Committee released an $825 billion economic recovery package. Included in the proposed bill is an infusion of $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (in addition to its annual appropriations) to specifically preserve jobs in the nonprofit arts sector threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support. The House plan proposes additional opportunities throughout other parts of the federal government that could also help the nonprofit arts sector and individual artists. Many of these other opportunities correspond closely with our Recommendations for Economic Recovery & the Arts.

Take Action
The Senate and the White House will likely unveil additional versions of an economic recovery package. We are calling on arts advocates to contact your House and Senate members and your local media to raise the profile of why it’s important to ensure there is support for the nonprofit arts sector in the federal economic recovery plan.

1. Write to your Members of Congress
2. Send a letter to the editor of your local media

Happy New Year

2009 promises to bring changes big and small to artisTree. We are expanding our programs and continuing our search for a permanent home. We are in the process of revamping our website to improve the flow, provide meaningful information and facilitate online registration and payment. In the meantime, however, our ability to accept online registration will be limited. We hope to get the new, improved site up and running soon, but are at the mercy of our day jobs. We appreciate your patience and understanding during the transition.

Here's some information about Winter classes:

Groundworks Dance classes resume this week. One of our teachers may have a conflict on Monday evenings this semester, so the classes may be altered slightly. Instead of ballet, we would offer Dynamic Alignment, a class designed to improve body awareness and mindful movement through anatomy, yoga and ballet-inspired stretching and toning. We will know after January 15th.

Mondays (at Wee Play)

• 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. in Studio I - Ballet I/II (or Dynamic Alignment) (age 8-12)
• 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. in Studio II - Modern II/III (age 13 & up)
• 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. - in Studio I - Ballet II/III (or Dynamic Alignment) (age 13 & up)
• 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. - in Studio II -Modern I/II (age 8-12)
• 8:00 - 9:30 p.m. - Ensemble Rehearsal (Groundworks Ensemble members only)

Wednesdays (at Brown's Chapel) - beginning January 14, 2009

• 3:00 - 3:45 p.m. - Creative Movement (age 3-5)
• 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. - FUNdamentals of Acting (age 7-12)

Thursdays (at Wee Play) - beginning January 15, 2009

• 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. - Dance FUNdamentals (age 5-9)
• 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. in Studio I - Yoga for Dancers (and parents)
• 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. in Studio II - Hip Hop I/II (age 8-12)
• 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. in Studio I - Groundworks Acting Ensemble (Acting for Dancers)
• 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. in Studio II - Hip Hop II/III (age 13 & up)
• 8:00 - 9:30 p.m. - Ensemble Rehearsal (Groundworks Ensemble members only)

We are still working on the elemenTree visual arts class schedule. We plan to resume Monday afternoon classes at the Glade Room in February. We also plan to add an additional day to the schedule. Stay tuned!

We are striving to keep our costs down, but everything is a little more expensive than it was when we started this past summer. As a result, you may see a slight increase in fees this semester. ("Slight" means less than $2 per class.) We're still playing with the numbers, looking for ways to keep tuition down. We should have prices set by the end of the week.

If you want to register for a class, please contact me at info@restonartistree.com . Let me know your name, the student's name & age, and the class you're interested in. I'll get back to you within 48 hours with registration details (length of the session, cost, etc.). You may also leave a message at 703-650-9200, if you prefer.

We look forward to a creative, collaborative, educational and growth-filled year with everyone at the 'tree!

What are we doing?

If you're wondering why you haven't heard from us in a while, it's because we have to share one typewriter!






We are wrapping up the first semester of youth programs at artisTree and are so proud of what we and our young artists have accomplished in such a short time.

Since July, Amanda and the Groundworks team have

• Provided over 100 hours of dance instruction
• Begun to set several pieces on the dance ensembles
• Performed in the Reston Town Center Parade
• Developed a script for the Groundworks acting ensemble
• Worked with dance master Diane Yates
  
• Made creative use of a non-traditional dance setting without complaint

Amanda has also taught our youngest moving artists (age 3 to 4) in Creative Movement and introduced a group of 5 to 8 year-olds to the FUNdamentals of Acting. As always, the students are enamored of their beloved "Miss Amanda."

Meanwhile, Marco Rando and the elemenTree arts crew have

• Offered three successful sessions of art and design classes to 15 enthusiastic young artists

• Created found object sculptures and Cornell-style 3-D collage boxes

• Introduced principles of graphic design under the tutelage of Doug Fuller

• Reached out to more local artists to expand artisTree's visual arts programming

• Created and carried an 8 foot by 10 foot canvas banner for the Reston Town Center parade

We are working on programming for Seedlings, our theatre arts branch. We would like to offer an audition prep series for middle and high school age students (and maybe one for adults), which would cover the 16-bar audition song, the one-minute monologue and basic dance sequences. If you are interested in this series and would like to have input in the scheduling, please contact me at seedlings@restonartistree.com to let me know when you'd like to see this program offered.

On the administrative side, we are continuing our search for studio space. We looked at two promising, yet very different, spaces last week and are hopeful that one will work out for us in the not too distant future. If you know any arts-loving developers or commercial property owners in Reston, let us know!

We have a VERY limited number (2 adult L, 2 adult M) of our exclusive "Create Here" t-shirts for sale for $20 each. The front has an 8x10 blank "canvas" for you to create your own design (Sharpies work well), while the back is adorned with the colorful artistree splash logo (designed by Doug Fuller) Email info@restonartistree.com if you would like to purchase one.

We are currently reworking the website and plan on re-launching it before the end of the year. If you have any ideas or suggestions you'd like us to incorporate in the new, improved design, send them on over to greg@restonartistree.com .

We are looking forward to expanding our programming in 2009. If you have an idea for a class you'd like to take or to teach, pitch it to me at info@restonartistree.com !

Holiday Parade was a Success

SUCCESS!

First, a big thank you to all the students, parents and friends who came out to support Reston ArtisTree in our first public performance.

Seven of our dancers performed for the crowd and were well received. Thank you Miss Amanda and girls for a great performance.

The weather was beautiful and not too windy, which made carrying the banner much easier. Thank you to all the people who added their personal touch to the banner and Marco for sharing his artwork (PLU), canvas, engineering skill, and guidance in the construction of the banner.

Thank you to Larry for the photos.

And finally a huge thank you to Margo for registering for the parade, herding cats, and helping it all come together for a fabulous day.

Collaboration and Flow

This evening the posts are flowing! Margo was working on some script before she decided to document the process instead. Unfortunately there are no photos of the effort, but you will see her work in the upper right corner.

I sat back and watched the right and left brain artists battle it out. Fascinating to say the least.

The idea of being in the Reston Holiday Parade came about a few weeks ago. At that time we batted around a few ideas, and there were some grand schemes! Over time, we kept refining the ideas, until today when we actually put it together. The final idea was influenced by the t-shirts (no pix until after the parade!) that we picked up this morning.

We are about recycling and reusing, so Marco's banner from the first Lollapalooza at Lake Fairfax makes a return after 18 (!) years. With the banner, t-shirts hot off the press and looking around at what we had, the final idea was constructed.

We figured a way to 'carry' the banner (bamboo) and added more art. You can see what I am talking about from the two previous posts.

All very exciting, at least for the five of us working this evening. Tomorrow, we will add more doodles and make final preparations for the parade.

We hope to see everyone at the parade, 11 a.m. Friday.

Kids Start Doodling

J creating.

It's 9:00 p.m. and the kids got right to work creating their own doodles for the parade banner.

J and Greg collaborating.

Z posing.