Leigh Ann Richardson’s passion for art education runs deep. As the Art I teacher at The Colony High School, she used her LEF grant funded by Scheels to teach a new technique – fiber arts – while uniting art students across two campuses through a shared love for creativity.
About 60 of Richardson’s Art I students partnered with Jennifer Griffin’s fourth and fifth grade art students at Camey Elementary School to bring the elementary students’ illustrations to life. Richardson and Griffin share a long history - Richardson taught at Morningside Elementary for 24 years before coming to The Colony High School and knew Griffin throughout those years.
“It was a way for me to bring a little elementary to the high school setting,” Richardson said. “It was great to see her again and for some of my kids to revisit their old school and art teacher.”
Griffin’s students created drawings of monsters, then wrote about their creatures to help the high school artists create hand-sewn versions of the characters.
“With the generous grant through Scheels, I was able to purchase materials for students to re-create the felt monsters,” Richardson said. “I taught students how to make a pattern, thread a needle, sew a simple stitch, and sew together both sides of the fabric to create a padded creature.”
After sewing felt versions of the monsters, Art I students took a walking field trip to Camey Elementary School where each Art 1 student met the elementary student they created a felt monster for. TCHS artists gave the felt monsters to the CES students and spent some time chatting about the monsters and the creation process.
“This was an exciting project, and my Art 1 classes were ready to meet their elementary friend at Camey when the project was over,” Richardson said. “They looked forward to the outcome and were excited to know they were making something for another person. Their kindness and art will leave a lasting memory in my art career.”
The excitement of the Camey Elementary School artists was evident.
“The smiles on their faces were priceless,” Richardson said. “The [elementary] art students were so excited to see their art reproduced and to know a high school student made something for them to keep.”
Beyond making felt monsters and meeting younger artists, TCHS Art I student learned basic sewing skills they will benefit them in all of life.
“Not only did they learn how to create this project, but they were able to learn how to be able to mend a shirt or piece of fabric in the future,” Richardson said. “They learned a life lesson and will be able to help themselves in the future.”
Richardson enjoyed many facets of the project. Her Art I students learned valuable life skill and artists across two campuses partook in an original, highly collaborative project. Though this project ended, Richardson will use her remaining supplies to continue this collaboration with a new design in the upcoming school year.
“Thank you LEF and Scheels! We appreciate you,” Richardson said. “This was a fantastic project to combine two schools in one art project.”
