Enhancing Art Thru Metalsmithing
Student work
About the Program
Our goal is to revive and reenergize metalsmithing instruction in middle and high school art classrooms and give art students an introduction to the art and craft of metalsmithing.
For five years, BoMA has offered a hands-on, train-the-trainer metalsmithing course for up to ten local art teachers. We've taught age-appropriate techniques and projects for middle and high school students and provided tools & materials for the teachers to take into their own classrooms to teach their students.
Our program enhanced both the BVSD art curriculum & the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Standards by offering unique creative training & technical skills with a different medium & presenting a unique career path in the arts. We reached approximately 1,000 students in regular classroom sessions & after-school clubs.
Benefits to the Students
Students who participate in the program learn how to make metal jewelry and other metal objects, how to judge good craftsmanship, and will gain a new perspective on how such objects are made. They'll learn about different vocations in the arts and gain technical skills that contribute to workforce readiness. According to a focus group of teachers who participated in this program, students
• get a sense of accomplishment from making tangible items with intrinsic value
• gain 3D skills that broaden options for artistic expression
• learn to use tools while practicing fine motor skills
• learn about the properties of metal
Other skills include an understanding of mechanics, visual acuity, three dimensional thinking, eye-hand coordination, project development, artistic design, and creative problem solving.
Metal is an exciting medium. Teachers have reported that even reluctant students engage in these projects because they offer something other than paper and pencil the've used in art classes since kindergarden. There's also a 'cool' factor in making something they can wear and show other kids and their families. Teachers also note that these projects appeal to boys as well as girls.
Complementing Curriculum and Offerings
BoMA held a focus group in December 2017 with teachers who participated in past years to identify how this project fulfills their curricular needs & what works in the classroom. The teachers identified cross curriculum opportunities & possibilities to broaden the impact of the program with a gallery exhibit of student work. They reported our project has also engaged parents, contributing to the 'success effect' of Boulder Valley School District.
Enhancing Art Thru Metalsmithing teaches skills which fit into Career and Technical Education (CTE) state initiatives. Students learn about different vocations in the arts & gain technical skills that contribute to workforce readiness. Metalsmithing is a lead-in to other technical fields including welding & automotive. 'Enhancing Art Through Metalsmithing' provides solutions for the two biggest barriers to metalsmithing in the classroom: lack of instructor training & availability of tools & equipment in resource-limited schools. Metalsmithing has been absent from the art curriculum in most Boulder County Schools for some time. 'Enhancing Art Thru Metalsmithing' also provides professional development for art teachers,
Funding
We've received funding for the program from Boulder Arts Commission, Boulder County Arts Alliance, SCFD, award-winning Boulder-based jeweler Todd Reed, and Rio Grande jewelry supply.
Leadership
Karen Edgerly and Beth Merckel, the program’s creators, are both experienced metalsmiths. Karen was a BVSD teacher and CU workshop instructor for 22 years and is now a professional jeweler with her own brand. Beth is a practicing metalsmith and Executive Director of Boulder Metalsmithing Association responsible for all its programming and workshops.
Projects for 'Enhancing Art Thru Metalsmithing' are designed using metalsmithing 'best practices', and we employ skilled BoMA member artists who will provide training to the art teachers, and are available to assist the art teachers in their classrooms. BoMA’s mission is to teach people about metalsmithing.
The art teachers have been enthusiastic about participating in the program in the past and some have returned year after year. We've successfully produced this project for five years, on-time and on budget.
How You Can Help
If you'd like to contribute to the continued success of this program, click on the Donate button below.
Our goal is to revive and reenergize metalsmithing instruction in middle and high school art classrooms and give art students an introduction to the art and craft of metalsmithing.
For five years, BoMA has offered a hands-on, train-the-trainer metalsmithing course for up to ten local art teachers. We've taught age-appropriate techniques and projects for middle and high school students and provided tools & materials for the teachers to take into their own classrooms to teach their students.
Our program enhanced both the BVSD art curriculum & the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Standards by offering unique creative training & technical skills with a different medium & presenting a unique career path in the arts. We reached approximately 1,000 students in regular classroom sessions & after-school clubs.
Benefits to the Students
Students who participate in the program learn how to make metal jewelry and other metal objects, how to judge good craftsmanship, and will gain a new perspective on how such objects are made. They'll learn about different vocations in the arts and gain technical skills that contribute to workforce readiness. According to a focus group of teachers who participated in this program, students
• get a sense of accomplishment from making tangible items with intrinsic value
• gain 3D skills that broaden options for artistic expression
• learn to use tools while practicing fine motor skills
• learn about the properties of metal
Other skills include an understanding of mechanics, visual acuity, three dimensional thinking, eye-hand coordination, project development, artistic design, and creative problem solving.
Metal is an exciting medium. Teachers have reported that even reluctant students engage in these projects because they offer something other than paper and pencil the've used in art classes since kindergarden. There's also a 'cool' factor in making something they can wear and show other kids and their families. Teachers also note that these projects appeal to boys as well as girls.
Complementing Curriculum and Offerings
BoMA held a focus group in December 2017 with teachers who participated in past years to identify how this project fulfills their curricular needs & what works in the classroom. The teachers identified cross curriculum opportunities & possibilities to broaden the impact of the program with a gallery exhibit of student work. They reported our project has also engaged parents, contributing to the 'success effect' of Boulder Valley School District.
Enhancing Art Thru Metalsmithing teaches skills which fit into Career and Technical Education (CTE) state initiatives. Students learn about different vocations in the arts & gain technical skills that contribute to workforce readiness. Metalsmithing is a lead-in to other technical fields including welding & automotive. 'Enhancing Art Through Metalsmithing' provides solutions for the two biggest barriers to metalsmithing in the classroom: lack of instructor training & availability of tools & equipment in resource-limited schools. Metalsmithing has been absent from the art curriculum in most Boulder County Schools for some time. 'Enhancing Art Thru Metalsmithing' also provides professional development for art teachers,
Funding
We've received funding for the program from Boulder Arts Commission, Boulder County Arts Alliance, SCFD, award-winning Boulder-based jeweler Todd Reed, and Rio Grande jewelry supply.
Leadership
Karen Edgerly and Beth Merckel, the program’s creators, are both experienced metalsmiths. Karen was a BVSD teacher and CU workshop instructor for 22 years and is now a professional jeweler with her own brand. Beth is a practicing metalsmith and Executive Director of Boulder Metalsmithing Association responsible for all its programming and workshops.
Projects for 'Enhancing Art Thru Metalsmithing' are designed using metalsmithing 'best practices', and we employ skilled BoMA member artists who will provide training to the art teachers, and are available to assist the art teachers in their classrooms. BoMA’s mission is to teach people about metalsmithing.
The art teachers have been enthusiastic about participating in the program in the past and some have returned year after year. We've successfully produced this project for five years, on-time and on budget.
How You Can Help
If you'd like to contribute to the continued success of this program, click on the Donate button below.
