The Making (& Protecting) of Mountain Gorillas
Category: Art of Conservation (AoC) | Date: Oct 18 2009 | By: Julie
To love, protect, and feel compassion for a mountain gorilla is to really see a mountain gorilla - in all its shapes and forms. Our students have always been told that they should protect mountain gorillas - their immediate neighbors in Volcanoes National Park. Being told is one thing, but to understand and develop feelings of compassion is another. Art of Conservation’s approach toward inspiring young people to really care for each other, animals, and the entire natural world is through dialogue, exploration, and art.
Please view our video from two class sessions of creating papier mache mountain gorillas.
Take The Time To Care, Video.
AoC student Job proudly displays mountain gorillas he and his classmates made. Photo by Molly Feltner.
Tags: art, children, education, endangered species, mountain gorillas, rwanda
Evolution: A Safari Through Time, Day 2 AND Thank You Stockshot Studios
Category: Art of Conservation (AoC) | Date: Sep 27 2009 | By: Julie
Thank you Stockshot Studios for your generous donation of $210.00 on the 23rd of September. The team at AoC and I appreciate your support. Big hugs and love to you!
Last time on Evolution…
At the base of the Virunga Volcanoes, we prepare our timeline. Then students begin their safari 4.5 billion years ago with the formation of Planet Earth.
Video Day 2.
Tags: art, children, conservation education, dinosaurs, evolution, great apes, rwanda
From Rwanda, Lion Week Day 4
Category: Art of Conservation (AoC) | Date: Sep 18 2009 | By: Julie
Watch this video….need I say more?
Video Day 4.
Tags: art, Baraza, education, Pride of Kenya, protect animals, rwanda, Stop Poisoning Wildlife
From Rwanda, Lion Week Day 3
Category: Art of Conservation (AoC) | Date: Sep 17 2009 | By: Julie
In addition to making lion masks for Lion Week, the children are learning how to draw lions.
In each class the children pass around photographs and drawings of lions to understand the anatomy of lions. Then AoC art teacher, Eric, demonstrates how to draw a properly proportioned male lion. After copying Eric’s model from the chalkboard, the kids get a chance to draw their own lion to illustrate the message to stop poisoning wildlife and protect lions.
Check out some of the kids work from the week so far below.
Photo 1.
Illustrations 1.
Photo 2.
Illustrations 2.
Photo 3.
Illustrations 3.
Photo 4.
Illustrations 4.
Photo 5.
Please see Wildlife Direct’s Protect Lions campaign at Baraza, Born Free, Stop Wildlife Poisoning, and Lion Guardians.
Photos courtesy of Molly Feltner 2009.
Tags: art, Baraza, education, Pride of Kenya, protect animals, rwanda, Stop Poisoning Wildlife
From Rwanda, Lion Week Day 2
Category: Art of Conservation (AoC) | Date: Sep 16 2009 | By: Julie
Paula and Alice, thanks for your comments from the Day 1 blog! Believe me, we were all laughing when we got back to the office and started downloading the video clips and photos, too. Thanks for letting us join you in your lion campaign. The beautiful fiberglass lions you are placing around Nairobi must surely be raising funds and awareness from around the world. Go Paula, Alice, and LIONS!
Day 2 of Lion Week and a whole new group of kids ready to learn about lions and lend support to people working hard to protect lions in Kenya and elsewhere.
We made our masks and now we want to send a message to the rest of the world…Stop Wildlife Poisoning!
Video from Day 2.
Above, student drawing efforts of an anatomically correct male lion. Do you sense a bit of a mountain gorilla in some of the pictures?
Please see Wildlife Direct’s Baraza, Born Free, Stop Wildlife Poisoning, and Lion Guardians to learn more about what they are doing to protect lions.
Tags: art, Baraza, education, Pride of Kenya, protect animals, rwanda, Stop Poisoning Wildlife
From Rwanda, Lion Week Day 1
Category: Art of Conservation (AoC) | Date: Sep 15 2009 | By: Julie
Art for Gorillas is roaring for help to protect lions.
Kids in Rwanda are making lion masks to send to children in Kenya where poisoning wildlife is a serious problem. Please see Wildlife Direct’s Baraza, Born Free, Stop Wildlife Poisoning, and Lion Guardians.
We are hoping to educate ourselves and young Africans about lions so that they value and protect them.
Please take a look at our class today - a very exciting class indeed!
Day 1 video.
We begin with a discussion about lions and the threats they face - equating this keystone species to that of the endangered mountain gorilla which our students are familiar with - and visuals for students to see an animal they do not know too much about. Photo by Molly Feltner.
Students begin adding color and cut outs to their own lion masks. Photo by Molly Feltner.
With masks made and only slightly worn out from dancing around the classroom, we take a break for a group photo in the school yard. Photo by Molly Feltner.
For more about photographer and friend Molly Feltner, please click here.
Tags: art, Baraza, education, Pride of Kenya, protect animals, rwanda, Stop Poisoning Wildlife
The Virungas, Not Just for Gorillas
Category: Art of Conservation (AoC) | Date: Sep 10 2009 | By: Julie
Volcanoes National Park in the Northern Province of Rwanda holds many treasures - the most famous being the endangered mountain gorilla - but there’s no reason not to cheer for and educate ourselves about the golden monkeys who inhabit the montane forests of the Virungas as well!
Please enjoy the fabulous pictures created by our students during our lessons Animals Living in the Volcanoes National Park.
Picture #1, Golden Monkey (Cercopithecus mitis kandti)
Picture #2.
Picture #3.
Picture #4.
Picture #5.
I had the opportunity recently to visit golden monkeys with volunteer Danielle and photographer Michael Young. Michael took this photo of me.
Tags: art, children, conservation education, golden monkey, rwanda
Celebrating The Year of the Gorilla in Pictures, Part 1
Category: Art of Conservation (AoC) | Date: Aug 31 2009 | By: Julie
Hello friends! I just returned from a much needed 20-day break and oh how nice the respite was. Since January until the day I left, I think I took perhaps two days off to simply do nothing - so catching up with family and friends in the US for a few weeks was rejuvenating.
Now, back in Rwanda, I am pleased to be at work, with the team, with the kids at school, and with my dogs!
Eric, Innocent, and Fahad carried on brilliantly with AoC classes while I was away. Let’s get going by showing you some of the delightful drawings from exercises with the theme of Animals Living in Volcanoes National Park. We start out with none other than the MOUNTAIN GORILLA.
Draw a mountain gorilla anatomically correct!
Once you’ve finished the study, use any of the materials available, such as watercolors and oil crayons.
Students ranging from 10 to 14 years of age are fully engaged in the exercises.
Since working with the Rwandan kids for the past few years, I am completely assured that they thrive on hands-on, interactive, and creative learning exercises.
More soon.
Tags: art, children, conservation, education, mountain gorillas, rwanda, The Year of the Gorilla
Using Art to Inspire Creativity and Teach Life Lessons
Category: Art of Conservation (AoC) | Date: Jun 30 2009 | By: Julie
Today’s lesson combines foundational art skills followed with more creative expression. Below is a sample of some of the work done by our students during Eric’s lesson in drawing the male and female human figure.
Eric explains to the kids step by step how to draw the human figure in proportion.
A student reaches for additional colored pencils.
Female human figure sample drawings.
Male human figure sample drawings.
Students’ worksheet.
Before class ended, we used the day’s drawing lesson as a way to segway to a discussion about the importance of valuing and protecting one’s own body. Unfortunately, there is a high prevalence of child molestation in Rwanda and so AoC thought it would be valuable to discuss this issue with the students. I do believe we must empower kids by making sure they understand that sexual abuse is wrong and that it is ok to come to authority figures for help. Fortunately, Rwandan kids and parents are now encouraged by the government to report any sexual misconduct committed by elders, teachers, or others.
Tags: art, children, conservation education, rwanda
More Art Lessons, a Dentist Comes To Town, and Thank You Nicole
Category: Art of Conservation (AoC) | Date: Jun 10 2009 | By: Julie
Thank you Nicole for the June 7th donation. We appreciate your interest and financial support. Please keep tuning in.
Today, children are studying how to draw the male and female human head in front and side view. AoC teacher, Eric, demonstrates how to draw properly proportioned faces and the kids put forth a great deal of concentration to make their own drawings accurate.
Following Eric’s directions and demonstrations on the chalkboard, our
students focus on drawing the human head in proper proportions.
Pencils and then later conte crayons are today’s medium.
Richard Reckmeyer, DDS, is visiting Rwanda from the U.S. in hopes of establishing an oral health training program to teach locals how to perform basic teeth cleanings and extractions. His program is modeled on similar successful initiatives in Kenya and Tanzania. He is interested in AoC’s lessons about basic oral health care and wanted to see how many children were following through with AoC’s recommendations for teeth cleaning. (Please click here for AoC’s post on Keeping our Teeth Healthy) Photo by Molly Feltner.
Students enjoy Richard’s kind and engaging attitude even when the doctor asks the tough questions such as, “How many times did you brush your teeth yesterday?”
Richard puts on his best silverback imitation during practice of Mu Birunga. Photo by Molly Feltner.
Tags: art, conservation, gorillas, kids, public health
-
-
100% of your donation, minus a small bank fee, will go to your intended purpose.
Donations made here are safe.
-
Donations Received
- Sep 28th Peter B. USD110.00
- Sep 23rd Stockshot S. USD210.00
- Sep 8th Mary G. USD165.00
- Aug 27th Bart H. USD500.00
- Jun 7th Nicole D. USD40.00
- May 5th Susan L. USD93.50
- Apr 5th Susan L. USD93.50
- Jan 18th Ludovic L. USD55.00
- Nov 17th Douglas B. USD275.00
- Nov 5th Mary G. USD165.00
- Nov 4th Mell F. USD120.00
- Oct 27th D M. USD220.00
- Oct 25th Sara G. USD165.00
- Oct 23rd Mary G. USD100.00
- Aug 7th Joan G. USD500.00
- Jul 5th Virginia C. USD200.00
- May 9th Theresa S. USD50.00
- May 1st Theresa S. USD30.00
- Apr 17th Theresa S. USD25.00
- Mar 31st Theresa S. USD25.00