Arts for Learning Announces Mural Installation by Christi Ziebarth at Coulston Elementary
Media Contacts:
Rhonda Quellhorst
Coulston Elementary School
317- 398-3185
[email protected]
Jessica Dunson
Arts for Learning
317-925-4043 ext. 120
[email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday July 13, 2020
In partnership with Coulston Elementary, Arts for Learning announces the installation of the mural “Story Stream”, a Fresh StART project by Warsaw-based visual artist Christi Ziebarth.
Fresh StART is a program by Arts for Learning aimed to enhance a school’s sense of pride and strengthen its connection to the surrounding community by improving an underused location with public art inspired by students. Arts for Learning’s mission is to empower children to achieve their creative and intellectual potential through arts in education programs; Fresh StART achieves this by enriching the standard school curriculum and supporting the wider educational agenda. This project engages strategic partnerships with local organizations to assist with outreach efforts and encourage wider community participation in this project.
The project at Coulston Elementary in Shelbyville, IN is the 11th Fresh StART installation since its inception in 2015. Through this project, we have engaged schools in Marion, Jennings, Boone, Henry, Starke, and Shelby counties. The participating artists include Meredith Brickell, Brent Aldrich, Quincy Owens, Kimberly McNeelan, and Artur Silva, all based in Indianapolis with the addition of Bobby K Owens from Columbus, Alfred Taylor from Shelbyville, and Christi Ziebarth from Warsaw. Funding for Fresh StART projects comes from community foundations and national organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts and Art4Moore. This project at Coulston Elementary was funded by Blue River Community Foundation.
Fresh StART is unique in it’s engagement of students and the community through ideation and voting phases. During the ideation phase, students respond to prompts around a theme either by creating an artwork or writing poetry. This phase is led by Arts for Learning teaching artists in a workshop setting, and the students’ artworks become the inspiration for the installation artist. In the voting phase, the school community including people from neighboring businesses and institutions, vote on their favorite design. The winning design is revealed during a whole school assembly.
Christi Ziebarth, one of four artists vetted for the project at Coulston Elementary and began the work in November 2019. Ziebarth was on track to install in April 2020 until the COVID-19 pandemic. With the school reopening on August 5th, the final mural will be installed in mid-July to welcome students, teachers, and parents back to school.
*Update: the installation will now take place in Mid to Late August.
About the Artist: Christi Ziebarth received B.A. degrees in Graphic Design and K-12 Art Education, lives in rural Kosciusko County, Indiana with her husband, Dr. Tim Ziebarth, Administrative Dean of Grace College. Her large-scale commercial works can be seen in private collections and commercial space including (selected works) with the Manahan Orthopedic Capital Center, Dane A. Miller Science Center (Winona Lake, IN), Kosciusko-Parkview YMCA, Grace College S.P.O.E. Offices, Joe’s Kid’s Children’s Therapy Center (Warsaw, Indiana), Anthony Wayne Center (Ft. Wayne, Indiana), Interphase Interiors (Grand Rapids, Michigan), Wire N’ Steam, ChurchCoach Ministries Concerts (San Diego, California), Sweetwater Music (Ft. Wayne, IN) and multiple area school campuses.
She has four creative children, one baby grandson on the West Coast, and two dogs. Free time includes lake-life, walking in the woods, and golf-cart rides around the country block. Her motto seeks to give back and empower a young generation of artists and creative minds.
About Coulston Elementary: Coulston Elementary School serves K-5th grade students and is in Shelbyville, IN. It is one of the three elementary schools in the Shelbyville Central Schools district. The school was constructed in 1956, but was enlarged and upgraded in 1971, 1983, 1985, and in 2000. Presently there are four sections of Kindergarten, four sections of first grade, five sections of second grade, three sections of third grade, four sections of fourth grade, and three sections of fifth grade.
About Arts for Learning: Arts for Learning is the oldest and largest provider of professional arts education programs for children in the state. Part of a network of more than 30 affiliates, Arts for Learning is fully certified by the national Young Audiences Arts for Learning office. We fulfill our mission through performances, workshops, and residencies conducted by professional teaching artists in-school, after school, and out of school. We enhance this activity with an array of professional development opportunities designed to help teachers and teaching artists work together to effectively integrate the arts into a variety of educational environments.
About Blue River Community Foundation: Blue River Community Foundation is a community foundation created to provide responsible stewardship of gifts donated for charitable purposes, serve and assist charitable endeavors in Shelby County, and promote leadership to address community issues. Learn more about Blue River Community Foundation at https://www.blueriverfoundation.com/.
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