Designs on the Future Penn Wynne Students Study Architecture with Artist-in-Residence

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Lower Merion (March 2000) – For the ninth year in a row, the students at Penn Wynne Elementary will not only get to talk to an artist up close, they'll work side-by-side with one -- this year for more than a month -- creating their own masterpieces and a major gift to the school.

The Artist-in-Residence program, organized and sponsored by the Penn Wynne Home and School Association, each year gives the 450 students of this Lower Merion school an in-depth look at a new and different aspect of the creative world. For three years this program has been funded in part by a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts. This year, to coincide with a major renovation and addition to Penn Wynne, the Artist-in-Residence is an architectural designer.

"It is my goal," says designer Georgina Lipsey, "that the students will gain knowledge and understanding about the art and science of architecture, with increased personal involvement and interest in architecture in general and the school renovation in particular." A designer and teacher who resides in Philadelphia, Ms. Lipsey has developed and conducted numerous workshops for young children and adults in the art of architecture.

At Penn Wynne, beginning on March 20, 2000, students will meet Ms. Lipsey- Rahe at assemblies where she will introduce herself and her profession. Subsequently each grade will have an age-appropriate, behind-the-scenes tour of the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and structural systems that make the school work. The Ms. Lipsey will demonstrate the physics of structural strength by testing some models under more pressure to the point of collapse. Advances on the construction site will be continually monitored and documented by the designer and students.

Every student in the school will keep a sketchbook for recording design ideas. Each student will ultimately create his or her own architectural structure on the theme "Memorials" using clay and recycled materials.

"We selected the theme ‘memorials'," says Artist-in-Residence program co-chair and parent Sharon Weinstein, "because people throughout history have chosen to commemorate important times and events with these concrete symbols. As we watch the renovation of the school, the children will have the chance to address the issues of time and space, and to reflect on our history and future." Co-chair Sue Chisholm adds, "It is our goal to have the children apply what they learn, and create a permanent memorial for the school and community."

The memorial, which a core group of 60 students will be working on over the six- week program, is a 7 x 14-foot mosaic mural that will be installed at the new handicap main entrance ramp to the school. Students will design and construct the mural with the assistance of Ms. Lipsey and volunteer parents. The mosaic materials are cut mirrors, broken dishes, mugs, flowerpots, and other ceramic pieces that Penn Wynne families have donated to the project. Volunteers wearing safety glasses will be smashing contributions into small tile pieces the morning of March 24 outside the school.

Previous Artists-in-Residence have included an African story-teller, modern dancer and percussionist, poet, and Brazilian musicians among others. Next year's artist is an actress. The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts grant stipulates that the artist spend half of each day working with students, and half doing her own work in a designated space within the school. 

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Schedule of Noteworthy Events

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Friday, March 24, 9:00 – 11:00 am, side lawn Mothers smash pottery on the grass outside the school to create small tiles for large mosaic mural.

Monday, March 20, 9:30 – 2:45, auditorium Lipsey talks with large groups of students in several assemblies. What is architecture? What do architects do? What is a memorial?

Tuesday, March 21 – Wednesday, March 29, afternoons Lipsey takes groups of students through the building infrastructure and construction site, examining mechanical / electrical, plumbing, and structural systems and discussing how these systems work together.

Monday, April 3 – Friday, May 5 (except during spring break, April 17-21) Lipsey and students work with clay and recycled materials to create memorials.

Tuesday, March 21 – Thursday, April 27 (except during spring break, April 17-21) Tests of physical strength of models under pressure: Structural demonstrations by Lipsey- Rahe.

Monday, April 24 – Friday, April 28, art room Students assemble tiles for outdoor mural.

Thursday, May 11, 7:00 p.m., auditorium Exhibition opening. Mural, memorials on display at school-wide evening event.

 Photography courtesy of Mike Lynch mikelynchphoto.com