Art teacher Sue Silverstein’s amazing art program is now a regular part of this blog. Sue teaches 80 art students at Bishop Gibbons High School in Schenectady, New York, and the art her students produce is amazing, thanks to the Bedlam Farm Army Of Good donations and discarded or forgotten objects. It’s creating some buzz in schools all over the country.  She now has a weekly column here to talk about what the donations of discarded objects are inspiring and the stunning work of her students. This is the second one; they’ll be posted once a week, according to Sue’s choice of the day.

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So much is happening in the art room this week…always something new. Sometimes, it’s like an orchestra, everyone doing different things in different ways yet working together. The go-big or go-home cake sculptures keep growing.

It’s always great when the first group to finish sets the bar high. Thanks to everyone who sent treasures this week. Lynn, who describes herself as a proud soldier in the Army of Good, took the time to send a note with a quote from Mary Oliver: “Maybe the desire to make something beautiful is the piece of God that is inside each of us.”

We will be adding that to the art room wall. I’m excited that Rick dropped off a box of trophies and medals, the minds of the kids were instantly designing when they saw them. We will keep you posted. A couple of finally rain-free and warm afternoons allowed us to get outdoors for photography class. Cyanotypes (sun prints) are always a sign of spring in the art program.

The most fun by far was the bubble photo shoot. You never know. During grocery shopping last weekend, I passed a row of beautifully colorful bubble wands. It was the colors, like a new box of crayons. I grabbed a couple of packs; no one in my life questions what I come home with anymore; they are used to me. I took the class outside, and we talked about capturing moments that would otherwise be fleeting. Also, about light and filters, using reflections in the photos.

They produced amazing images, and we had fun. Nothing like watching kids twirl and jump like they are 5 again. They have enough time for pressure and grown-up concerns. There is not a day that creativity does not happen because of your help. I sometimes tell the kids that we have no business having the number of materials that we do. The best part is finding a new purpose for them. We can always use paints, canvas, foam, and anything else that we think we can turn into art. A huge thank you to everyone for your constant support.

See you next week, Sue. My e-mail is:  [email protected]