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in residence teaches beading skills
Last week Cottonwood schools were pleased to host Artist in-Residence, Jeanne Leffingwell, from Moscow, Idaho, who is nationally known for her architectural bead sculptures. Her work has been exhibited across the United States- including the American Craft Museum in New York City. Ms. Leffingwell worked with high school and middle school students for a week, teaching 125 students how to bead on looms she designed from recycled materials. Each student made a bracelet and many worked on a collaborative piece for each school. Leffingwell, recently worked with over 2500 students in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington to complete the Million Bead Project, which she founded. Last summer, panels comprising 1,000,000 glass beads, hand woven by the students, were exhibited in the Prichard Art Gallery in Moscow. Idaho’s Artist-in-Residence program is particularly valuable to students in rural areas. It allows them to experience designing and producing art alongside working artists. This can inspire and enrich their awareness of art careers and other possibilities for art not normally available in small towns. Many thanks go to the Idaho Commission on the Arts and the Booster Club, who have generously supported this event. And a special thank-you to Rene’ Forsmann for making it all come together.
Junior High students working on their beading projects. At the front table from left are Ashley Ross, Ashley Shumway and Savanah Poxleitner. At the table in back are Troy Lorentz, Josh Zigler and Justin Schmidt. |
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