Exploring the Interweaving of Art and Science

Join us for an experiential evening of: Physics & Art in demonstration of the interweaving of Science and Art with Thomas Clark, Denver Waldorf School, Practical Arts and Science Instructor and Ericka A. Baxter, the Center for Visual Art's (CVA) Education Outreach Coordinator.

6 - 7:00PM   Explore the Exhibition while enjoying snacks & drinks at the 910Arts Bar.    

7 - 9:00PM   Presentations followed by questions and discussion.

The evening will begin with a description of children’s work involving the integration of art and science of the Metro’s Center for Visual Arts by Ericka Baxter.  Then after a description of the complementary approach to art and science as found in the Waldorf curriculum, Tom Clark of the Denver Waldorf School will take advantage of the darkened room to present several physics demonstrations from the middle school curriculum in the study of the nature of light and color in the natural world.  Following the demonstrations, the audience will be invited to engage in wet-on-wet watercolor painting in the artistic study and experience of color as taught in the Waldorf school curriculum.

Erika will be sharing information about the CVA's Art Builds Communities (ABC) program, as well as, discussing CVA's current exhibition OUR COMMUNITY: CVA Outreach Exhibition (January 6 - 21, 2012) which features multi-disciplinary, collaborative art projects created by youth in CVA’s community outreach programs.  http://www.metrostatecva.org/

Both presenters will illustrate the value of integrating art into education in order to make the most out of the capacity to learn.

Tom Clark has taught at The Denver Waldorf School since 1985 and has taken three groups of children from early grade school through the 8th grade.  Presently he teaches art and academics in the middle school, fine arts including painting, drawing, clay modeling, printmaking, and copper work in the high school, and physics in the high school and middle school.    He also trains teachers at Sunbridge Institute in New York during summers, and is working with the Lakota Waldorf School on the Pine Ridge Reservation.  Tom enjoys playing the accordion, banjo and the Bajo Sexto and baritone 12 string guitar. 

Ericka A. Baxter served as a special education teacher, first as a member of Teach For America (TFA) and most recently as a special education teacher in an Affective Needs classroom in a Denver Public School prior to joining Metro’s Center for Visual Art (CVA). Baxter is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin where she studied Art History and Studio Art, and has a Master’s degree in Art Education from New York University and a Master’s in Special Education from American University where she focused on using art to engage students with learning disabilities.  Baxter’s experience in under-resourced urban schools has informed her of the vital role art education plays in helping all students reach their full potential. She is committed to ensuring that students of all backgrounds have access to high quality art instruction, and looks forward to sharing information about her work with CVA.