Teen Projects in Review 2013-14 - West Michigan Center for Arts

PROJECTS IN
REV IEW
YEAR ONE
provides a culture of opportunity
for people to create social and
economic progress in their lives
and community.
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THE DESIGN PROCESS
DISCOVER
SHARE
REFINE
IDEATE
EXPERIMENT
CREATE
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GRAPHIC
DESIGN
Multimedia Design and How Teens Can Help Save Energy
Community Partner: West Michigan Environmental Action Council
Teaching Artists:
Jericho Castillo + Salim Muhammad
Teens:
Josh Alverez, Sadie Brubaker, Rafael Chavez,
TJ Coleman, Destiny Curry,
Marcos Flores, Rohullah Hassani,
Deontae Lister, Riley Tew,
Jason Thein, Amari Young
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DISCOVER
Our team was aware of a few
problems in our environment,
but wanted to discover more
about how environmental
issues impact our community.
We visited the West Michigan
Enviromental Action Council
(WMEAC) to learn about their
mission and how it relates to
the lives of our peers.
IDEATE
We brainstormed how might we
get more teens interested in
WMEAC and enviromental issues.
After considering lots of possible
solutions, our team narrowed our
ideas to a few to test.
EXPERIMENT
Our team members decided to
prototype posters, buttons, a
video, and even a public service
announcement!
er.
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CREATE
+
REFINE
With support of WMEAC, we decided on a
clear message and created a plan to tackle
the different parts of our project. WMEAC
visited us towards the end of the year and
gave feedback. They had a lot of positive
things to say as well as constructive critiques,
which gave us a few last revisions before we
were ready to share the work with the community.
SHARE
We worked with WMEAC to pinpoint events
such as Active Commute Week, where we
promoted environmental issues to teens.
Our exhibition also gave us the chance to
share our project and design process.
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P H OTO GRAPHY
Outdoor Fun!
Community Partner: Blandford Nature Center
Teaching Artist:
Dennis Grantz
Teens:
Elijah Cason, Iris Fischer, Kimberly Garrett,
Jazmin Hawkins, Gabby McManus,
Jennifer Orellana, Kiara Richardson
Emilio Rodriguez, Zakia Staten
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DISCOVER
+
IDEATE
Blandford’s education director came to WMCAT to share
their mission, goals and projects. She emphasized the
need for good photographs to use in promotional and
educational efforts. We visited the center and explored
the nature trails, the historic village, and the wildlife.
We used Facebook to ask friends what kinds of
activitities they most enjoyed outside. We brainstormed
ideas for the photo shoots and arranged for trips out to
Blandford.
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EXPERIMENT
Before we could produce great photos, we had to become acquainted with the camera and the
art of photography. For a mini design challenge we built our own giant pinhole cameras and figure
out how to make really big images using 8x10 photo paper. We then drove to Blandford and took
a group portrait. We also had the opportunity to photograh Dance in the Annex during a dress
rehearsal, as well as, a day of shooting at WMCAT, concentrating on unique angles and lighting.
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CREATE
While creating our final project
we went on many trips to collect
our images. Back in the studio we
selected the best photos to be
edited.
REFINE
Through newly developed Photoshop
skills and critiques we refined our
collection of photos.
SHARE
The compilation of images were
used by Blandford in their visitor
center and printed materials. Our
work was exhibited at the Wealthy
Street Theatre, Art.Downtown, Lowell
Arts!, and WMCAT.
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I L LU ST R AT I O N
URBAN FOREST PROJECT
Community Partner: FRIENDS OF GRAND RAPIDS PARKS
Teaching Artist:
George Eberhardt
Teens:
Audrey Hagger, Megan Crouch,
Marisol Gallarzo, Damian Wilson,
Ron Marzett, Kari Haack, Kendal Hart,
Jennah Hibbs, Jonni Hibbs, Jeremy Payne,
Paul Czarnopys, Brandon Campbell
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DISCOVER
We sat down with Friends of Grand
Rapids Parks to learn about green
spaces in Grand Rapids. Our team
discovered why increasing the number
of trees in our urban downtown area
impacts our neighborhood and city.
IDEATE
Our team asked “How might we
support Friends of Grand Rapids
Parks in getting the word out about
the Urban Forest Project?” We brainstormed many cost effective ways
of marketing and split into smaller
teams to test different designs.
EXPERIMENT
Our teams tested several designs and
voted on the most successful
solutions. Once we choose our top
prototypes, we presented them to
Friends of Grand Rapids Parks.
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CREATE
+
REFINE
Once selected, we created our designs by
working in Photoshop. We worked together
to continue to refine and critique our designs
before completing our project.
SHARE
For the last stage, we worked on transforming
our studio space into a gallery to share our work
with the community.
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V I D EO
P RO D U C T I O N
WHAT’S SO FUNNY?
Community Partner: LAUGHFEST
Teaching Artists:
Chuck Peterson + Godwin Jabangwe
Teens:
Corionna O’Neal, Shujaa Wright,
Jimia Williams, Rae’Shonda Guyton,
Jody Vo, Ross Potter
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We visited Gilda’s Club which is the location of LaughFest’s offices. Walking the grounds was an amazing
experience for our team. We discovered the important work of Gilda’s Club and what they provide
our community. When LaughFest released their comedian line up our team was disappointed to
learn we did not know any of the comedians. LaughFest was missing out on engaging the teen demographic.
We interviewed and surveyed teens about humor. We also connected to young comedians through video
conference calls including Key & Peele and Zach Pearlman.
DISCOVER
Our team brainstormed many solutions to our “how might we question”, but in the end the best
solution was to create a few videos that demonstrated humor that appeals to teens. These examples
that will help LaughFest design new programming in future years.
IDEATE
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EXPERIMENT
+
CREATE
We prototyped several ideas and decided
to create a series of prop-based videos. The
team brought in guests fr om other WMCAT
teams and gave them a small role in the films.
REFINE
+
SHARE
We invited Laura Melendez of LaughFest back to watch
our videos. She had a lot of questions and students
shared the information they gathered as well as
their design process. A copy of their video collection was given to LaughFest to reference as they
plan next year’s event.
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GRAPHIC
DESIGN
Vinyl + Cat Toys
Community Partner: Humane Society of West Michigan
Teaching Artists:
Jericho Castillo + Salim Muhammad
Teens:
Riana Becton, Randy Trieu, Chris Douse
Julio Duenez, Bonnie Cazares, Trevon Love,
Sequoya Heidenfeld, Dakota Lee,
Domingo Lopez, Kam’ryn Patterson
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We visited the Humane Society of West Michigan to learn about all the services they offer our community
and how they impact our lives.
DISCOVER
How might we support the Humane Society and their important cause? After generating many ideas
we decided to decorate the cat colony windows in an effort to get visitors excited about adopting a
cat. We discovered it helps to have a starting point for design so we developed inspiration boards. We
used those to develop our design standards to create a cohesive look.
IDEATE
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EXPERIMENT
+
CREATE
Our team experimented with several ideas
but after meeting with the Humane Society we
decided to create simple animal silhouettes. The
designs the team created could be installed on
windows and walls of the cat colony. We also
worked with the Textile Design Team to create cat
toys for the display.
REFINE
+
SHARE
The exhibition gave our group the chance to
share our solutions with the public. Now when
visitors walk through the Humane Society, they
will see our design and hopefully some happy cats!
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P H OTO GRAPHY
Faces and Places of Grand Rapids
Community Partner: Downtown Grand Rapids Inc.
Teaching Artist:
Dennis Grantz
Teens:
Janyxa Avalos, Cassandra Avalos,
Jayden Bodziak, Noemi Gonzalez,
A’layna Kelley, Mercedez Ramos,
Diego Vasquez Rodriquez,
Cheilynn Rosario, Andrew Scarbrough,
Keontay Seymour
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DISCOVER
As a team, we took a walking tour
around the downtown area to see
firsthand what is happening in
the changing landscape of Grand
Rapids. A local historian peaked
our interest with stories; city
workers were testing new lights
for the upcoming holiday season
at Rosa Parks Circle; and we even
got free frozen yogurt at a grand
opening for Yoblendz! We also
walked around ArtPrize exploring
some things about photography
and how it worked.
IDEATE
Brainstorming sessions
ensued after learning about
DGRI. How might we use
photography to show a teen
perspective of the city? We
investigated a few projects
such as Humans of New York.
Inspired by the information
we gathered we decided to
create our own project Faces
and Places of Grand Rapids.
EXPERIMENT
We took on a mini design challenge
and built a giant pinhole camera that
could shoot a grid of 8x10 sheets to
make up a large black and white image.
We loaded the camera into the WMCAT
van and drove over the Sixth Street Bridge
to record an image and then digitally
enlarged and reversed it to a positive.
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CREATE
+
REFINE
We hit the streets with our cameras, visiting lots of spaces and places of Grand Rapids, including a local coffee shop. DGRI made some
good connections for us and provided impromptu experiences as well. We had to do some role-playing to practice our introductions
to strangers, and through critique strengthened our photography skills.
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SHARE
DGRI exhibited several framed works including our
pinhole camera images and a slide show of all of our
images during the State of Downtown event. We also
entered pieces in Art.Downtown and at the Youth
Regional Competition at LowellArts!
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I L LU ST R AT I O N
Herkimer Mural
Community Partner: Dwelling Place
Teaching Artist:
George Eberhardt
Teens:
Derrick Baker, Devante Barnes, Gen-Dairec
Buchanan, Kristhel Carias-Pena,
Kayla Cooperwood, Britney Demarais,
Chris Harris, Daniel Lopez, Alexia Rufus
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After meeting with a representative from Dwelling Place, we decided to create something that
positively impacts the neighborhood directly around WMCAT. We visited several locations in the
area including the Herkimer Apartments. We met with residents, gathered information on public
art and discovered inspirational artwork.
DISCOVER
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IDEATE
+
EXPERIMENT
We brainstormed lots of ideas and experimented
with a variety of techniques. Mini design challenges
helped us develop confidence for large scale projects.
Our prototypes led us to the decision to create a mural.
During this process we developed a plan for team
communication and our individual roles within our
collaborative project.
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CREATE
REFINE
+
SHARE
While creating our mural, the team showed
real improvement and strengthened communication
skills. It was exciting to see a few leaders emerge
as positive motivators. Through critique and
discussion we continued to refine our project.
The final product was the mural, now displayed in
the lobby of the Herkimer Apartments.
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FA S H I O N
DESIGN
NATURAL DYNAMIC DESIGN
Community Partner: Blandford Nature Center
Teaching Artist:
John Cox
Teens:
Melanie Delacruz, Gabriel Hall,
Marcial Hernandez-Freeman, Lakiya Hunter,
Ariel Norder, Koleshia Seawood,
Keloni Seawood-Walton, Markiesha Weaver
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We visited Blandford Nature Center and discovered many things about Michigan’s natural wildlife.
While gathering information, we were inspired by the issues surrounding invasive species. Through
interviews with peers and speaking with experts in the field, we decided to help inform the public
about this important issue.
DISCOVER
After hours of debate and brainstorming we decided the best solution was to create a fashion show
and design an event to get the word out. We prototyped several costume ideas and developed
characters based on the types of species we chose.
IDEATE
Before creating our finalized designs, we experimented with lots of different dyeing methods and
sewing techniques. This informed our final selection for our design boards and patterns.
EXPERIMENT
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CREATE
+
REFINE
Sewing is an essential part of fashion. By this
point we had learned all about fiber and sewing
techniques. Now it was time to learn how to put
our ideas and skills together in 3D. We worked
hard on constructing our fashions, and through
critiques we refined our projects.
SHARE
Our team hosted a runway show to showcase
our final projects. The theme of the exhibition
tied directly to the issue we were addressing in
the community.
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APP
DESIGN
Community Partner: Downtown Grand Rapids Inc.
Teaching Artists:
Samuel Bowles + Justin Plowman
Teens:
Imani Akbar, Takayla Brown,
Carlos Calderon, Esvin Deleon,
Viviana Farfan, Luke Gaines,
Murtaza Mohammadali, Rae’quon Patterson,
Shadaa Salazar, Delvon Trotter
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DISCOVER
Our team toured downtown
Grand Rapids with staff from
Downtown Grand Rapids Inc.
(DGRI). We visited the offices
of local software development
company Mutually Human,
interviewed teens about their
perceptions of downtown, and
researched other apps on the
market.
IDEATE
Through intense brainstorming,
we began to coalesce around
two themes: zombies and spies!
EXPERIMENT
We began prototyping by creating
storyboards for our app. The basic
premise was that users would follow
a sequential adventure in which
visiting key locations downtown
would advance the action. Our
storyboard was presented to DGRI.
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CREATE
All details of the app design were
developed including color, transitions,
graphics, and writing.
REFINE
A prototype was presented to DGRI.
Through feedback the team refined
the project.
SHARE
Our final prototype was presented
to the community during our yearend exhibition.
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TEXTILE
DESIGN
LIFTING FIREFLIES
Community Partner: Family Promise
Teaching Artist:
John Cox
Teens:
Yesenia Bernal, Elisa Mena, George Miguel,
Arianne Morgan-Jimmerson, Elijah Newton,
Jason (Pyae) Thein
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DISCOVER
We met with Family Promise
representatives and visited families
currently utilizing Family Promise as
a resource. We spent time with the
organization and the familes, which
inspired our “how might we” question.
We chose to focus on the children of
the homeless families and find a way
to provide comfort to them while in
transitional housing.
IDEATE
Our team brainstormed many ideas
from a laundry bag to a backpack
with plush doll and flashlight.
EXPERIMENT
Through the process of prototyping
we were able to narrow down our
ideas and select a final project - a plush toy
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+
CREATE
REFINE
We took our prototype and created a final
design. During this process we saw the need
to develop a story to accompany our product.
That story helped serve as an additional comfort
to our clients.
SHARE
We knew that the amount of toys we could
produce was limited, so we develped a “how to”
video. The goal was to inspire others to continue to
create, donate and positively impact our community.
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V I D EO G A M E
DESIGN
TURTLE DUCK STUDIOS
Community Partner: Friends of Grand Rapids Parks
Teaching Artist:
Justin Plowman
Teens:
Zaquon Clemon, Malachai Jones,
Leon Keely, Meaza Love,
Kasey McNutt, George Miguel,
Anja Pejalovic, Mikal Pichot,
Michael Schardt, Earl Shepard
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We met with Friends of Grand Rapids Parks and visited nearby parks currently being redesigned.
With the help of a landscape architect, we discovered the importance of community input for public
spaces. To inspire our ideas we investigated different types of video games and how they make
a positive social impact.
DISCOVER
With our park experiences fueling our creativity, it was back to the studio to brainstorm. We used
lots of materials to explore our ideas. As the weeks went by, a design began to emerge from notes
and scribbles.
IDEATE
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EXPERIMENT
We took our more defined ideas and
prototyped. To develop them we used
software platform Unreal Game Engine
and Blender, which we learned about
during our discover phase.
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CREATE
Once the team had a solid foundation in
both level design and 3D modeling, it was
time to make our game a reality. A document
was written to help keep everyone informed
and on the same page.
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REFINE
Not all the ideas made it into the final
prototype. We selected one and then
made a plan. Our team separated tasks
into what needed to be completed. As
we neared the end we held critiques
to continue to refine and tweak.
SHARE
The finalized prototype was shared
at our spring exhibition and considered
by Friends of Grand Rapids Parks as a future
tool used to gather community imput when
designing public
spaces.
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V I D EO
P RO D U C T I O N
COOL IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Community Partner: Dwelling Place (Avenue for the Arts)
Teaching Artists:
Chuck Peterson + Godwin Jabangwe
Teens:
Andrew Martin, Nariah McNeil,
Hadasha Clark, Mercedes Mast,
Jaquan Guy, Darcy Norder, De’Nisha Evans,
Desiree Jones, Trevon Love
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WMCAT is near a district called “Avenue for the Arts” where artists entrepreneurs and residents work to
create a thriving, creative neighborhood. We explored the neighborhood learned about the history
and spoke with representatives from the area. These experiences led us to many discoveries about the
neighborhood.
DISCOVER
Together we brainstormed many ideas including movie scripts, skits and how to collaborate with other
teams.
IDEATE
We took several of our ideas and decided to prototype them. One of our prototypes was a web series
called “The Real World of WMCAT”. With this self-reflective humorous format, we could throw in any
issues and create characters to grapple with those issues. We knew this was the right structure for our
project.
EXPERIMENT
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CREATE
Our team wrote a story that
addressed community issues.
We filmed our web series on the
“Avenue for the Arts”.
REFINE
During the editing process we
continued to refine and completed
two full episodes.
SHARE
Our completed episodes were
shared on YouTube and directly
linked to Dwelling Place’s website.
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