Artists-In-Schools (AIS) is a unique residency that places MCG teaching artists in Pittsburgh Public School classrooms. Collaborate with us to develop projects for your students that are outside the scope of your resources, connect to academic standards, foster the development of problem-solving skills or simply excite learning. AIS projects are a great way to enhance the school environment!
AIS placements are available every semester and are FREE to Pittsburgh Public Schools. We do our best to accommodate all requests but we cannot guarantee placement in all classrooms. Upon receipt of your application, an MCG teaching artist will contact you to set-up an initial meeting to discuss ideas and logistics. AIS residencies are popular, kindly limit requests to no more than four per semester per school.
All residency projects are capable of utilizing arts and arts-integration to supplement all academic subjects in your school's curriculum. See below for a full list of residency options!
If you have any questions regarding Artists-In-Schools or would like to schedule a residency for your classroom, please call 412-322-1773 Ext. 302
Artists-In-Schools Residency Options
Ceramics
Ceremonial Clay Masks
Content Area Connections: World Cultures
Description: Students use slab construction techniques and underglazes to create ceremonial African masks while investigating their symbolism and function.
Raku Day
May include a 3-hour trip to MCG
Content Area Connections: Science (chemistry)
Description: Students create ceramic tea cups and teapots that reflect on the Japanese Tea Ceremony tradition. They will come to Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild to glaze and raku fire their pieces. Japanese for “happy accident,” raku is an ancient tradition of pottery that creates dramatic and exciting results.
Coil-building
Possible Content Area Connections: Math (volume)
Description: Students will use coil-building techniques to create vessels of different types and sizes, and varying the firing process can customize the piece.
Portrait Tiles
Content Area Connections: History, Literature (putting yourself into a context)
Description: Students create self-portraits using mirrors and acetates and then transfer their portraits to tiles using additive and subtractive processes to create texture and 3-dimesionality.
Design Arts
Book-making
Content Area Connections: Any subject
Description: Students create a hand-made books that may include folding, sewn binding, hand-made papers and many other variations depending on students age.
Fabric Portraits
Content Area Connections: History, Literature (setting), Science (chemistry)
Description: Students create self-portraits using acetates and mirrors and then transfer their portraits to fabric using Seta-Color dyes.
Monoprints
Content Area Connections: Math (pattern, fractions), History, Communications
Description: Students learn this basic printmaking technique by creating their own monoprint. Explore patterns, wholes and parts, proportion, investigate historical figures and facts to develop an image, or use visual imagery to create a narrative.
Digital Arts
Organic Portraits
Content Area Connections: Writing, Biology
Description: Students create digital self-portraits by combining photographs of themselves and plants; writing may also be added. Students will learn basic Photoshop skills.
Digital Postcards
Content Area Connections: History (environment, time period), Science (ecosystems)
Description: Students create their own postcards by digitally placing themselves in a different environment using Photoshop.
Mini Video Production
Content Area Connections: Writing
Description: Students create a video about themselves using in-camera editing techniques. Process requires students to storyboard and script the video prior to shooting.
Web Design
Content Area Connections: Any subject
Description: Students use a web-template to create an academic content-based web presentation of a particular area of study.
Photography
City Montage
Content Area Connections: Math (area), Social Studies (Pittsburgh neighborhoods)
Description: In the style of David Hockney, students photograph a scene by dividing or breaking it into smaller images and then reassemble the images using collage techniques.
Photogram Portraits
Content Area Connections: Science (chemistry)
Description: Students create self portraits using acetate and mirrors. These portraits are then used to create photograms in the darkroom, using the basic black and white photography printing process. If your school does not have a darkroom then students will use cyanotype paper to print their photograms.
Organic Slides
Content Area Connections: Science (leaf veination), Math (scale)
Description: Students will create unique organic photographic compositions using tiny leaves, petals and stems in slides. These slides can be printed in the darkroom onto photographic paper or in a slide printer on professional polaroid film.
Portrait Studio
Content Area Connections: Science (chemistry), Physics (optics)
Description: Students use a 4x5 large format camera to create unique images of themselves and their classmates using the Polaroid transfer process.
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