Dixie and the Marin Arts Community Celebrate Something Fishy

Over 30 Dixie families came out to support our 3rd grade artists for their exhibit opening of Something Fishy at Art Works Downtown in San Rafael, on Friday May 14. The evening celebrated their mixed media fish and aquatic creatures made from recycled materials. Our 3rd graders were excited to see their fish and creatures become part of a larger expression of an aquatic environment, and also share their work with many gallery visitors. The evening was an enriched experience for all, and was attended by not only our Dixie community and our super dedicated art

great time with their families exploring the many open artist studios and learning from the variety of artists in residence at AWD.

Something Fishy was a project to reinforce Dixie’s values on environmentalism and going Green. Our inspired art teacher, Claire McDowell, used wire clothes hangers as a starting point for the project. The kids then created with found and reused objects their own unique, wild, and wonderful new species of fish and aquatic life--all while learning the importance of keeping stuff out of landfills. “ Last year’s focus was on the accumulation of plastics in our ocean,”said Claire McDowell,”. . .and this year we reinvented the project with a focus on landfills to raise further awareness of the importance of reusing everyday objects and its affects on the environment.”

teachers, Claire McDowell and Joan Gray, but also many visitors from the Marin arts community. This year their exhibit was part of the monthly Art Walk Night on Fourth Street where galleries stay open late and also resident artist studios are open at AWD. Our 3rd grade artists, also had a

Something Fishy is Dixie School’s fourth annual exhibit of 3rd grade artwork at AWD. “Art Works Downtown is so generous in giving our students a rare opportunity to let our young artists have a public voice about recycling and the environment through exhibits like this that share their creative expression with the Marin art community!” says Maya Bartolf DAC Volunteer Art Show Curator. Our successful partnership with AWD has helped to inspire AWD’s new school outreach program to exhibit art from students at schools throughout Marin! 

A huge thank you to all of our friends and artists at Art Works Downtown--especially Stan Gibbs, Program Director, and Petrina Wielgos, Gallery Manager. Our hats-off to our Dixie Art Council Volunteers, Noel Olson, Jennifer Benson, and Cheri Semanick, Maya Bartolf and Mia McGehee (CFO & Board Member) for installing and organizing the reception!

Something  
    Fishy

Tiles are out of the kiln and installed on the amphitheater steps just in time for 5th Grade Graduation!

DAC members along with parent volunteer Scott Driggs installed the Class of 2010 Legacy Tiles in the amphitheater just in time for graduation!
Check them out!

Our graduating 5th graders will leave their creative mark on Dixie with a unique public art project made by their entire graduating Class of 2010. Each student will create  an individual clay tile with their unique design or personal message. In celebration of the 5th Grade Graduation, the Class of 2010 Legacy tiles for the entire grade were mounted this week on the concrete risers in the outdoor amphitheater adjacent to our library.  We hope you will check them soon! This is the fourth year of this popular class project, and it is a wonderful legacy for each graduating class at Dixie. A HUGE thank you to Scott Driggs, a parent volunteer who helps each year even though his children are no longer at Dixie! You are the BEST! Our hats off to Bill Hansell and Susan Parkinson for installing the tiles each year!
[ See our photo gallery! ]

Class of 2010

Legacy

Tiles

Class of 2010 Legacy Tiles! [Take a closer look]

Become a Dixie Art Council Parent Volunteer and you can join in the fun of planning some of our favorite annual art events, as seen below. For more infomation, contact Maya Bartolf.