Artist-in-the-Schools

As Artist-in-Schools, with a grant from the California Arts Council, Francesca taught play-making in the classroom at the San Francisco Montessori School. Teachers (K-8) chose the subjects for the plays in coordination with studies in history and science.

At Washington School and Longfellow School in Berkeley, with grants from the California Arts Council, she developed a multi-cultural arts curriculum to bring art-making into the classroom. Francesca held workshops for the teachers in play-making, story-telling, and art techniques. She developed an outreach program to keep parents notified of the classroom activities and suggest follow-through projects to do at home. She invited community members to demonstrate traditional art skills. The students shared their artwork in magazines, exhibits, and performances. Each school celebrated a yearly multi-cultural arts festival.

Special projects for these residencies included:

• “ZineZone,” a cartoon magazine made by under-achieving readers;
• “California Pictorial Histories,” a student art exhibit at Studio One Gallery;
• the “LeConte School Aquarium,” a student installation in the school library;
• the “Emerson Art Garden,” a parent and child ceramic installation;
• and “Gameboards Exhibit” for teenagers at the South Berkeley Library.

Main image above: Student with Dioramas

Image above: Costume-making Workshop