Brunswick Acres Art Program Makes Global Connections

Before the digital age when a student in a school art class finished a drawing or painting they were proud of, the piece often found its way onto a refrigerator to be displayed for immediate family. However, thanks to the Internet, student art can now be shared with family and friends across the globe, which has led to a new honor for the art program at Brunswick Acres Elementary School.

The web site Artsonia, which is an online art museum for students, recently honored Brunswick Acres for demonstrating an outstanding commitment to Arts Education. The Artsonia website for Brunswick Acres is ranked number six in the state and number 49 in the nation. 

"Participating in Artsonia increases a student’s pride and self esteem," said art teacher Suzanne Tiedemann. "Many students put forth extra effort because they know it may be posted for all their friends and family to appreciate, and they look forward to receiving compliments from their fans."

The site allows each student to create their own online gallery, where family members can join their fan clubs and receive email updates each time a new piece has been added to the site. 

"Parents and family members take a much more active role in their child’s art education by viewing the artwork online, joining the child’s fan club, and leaving supportive comments in the artist guestbook," Tiedemann said. "Many students have relatives who live in other states or countries. Receiving online compliments from these family members and friends is priceless in the development of the child’s artistic confidence."

For the students, the positive interaction with their fan clubs helps them find their niche at an early age.

"I like that I can feel talented at something and don't feel less than kids who are better at other subjects than I am," said fifth-grader Mariaelis Vazquez. "It makes me feel good about myself. I like art because I can draw my feelings."

Other Artsonia all-stars at Brunswick Acres said the chance to share their work with far off relatives helps their family feel more connected. Fourth-grader Lola Bakhadyrova said the site has allowed her grandparents in Australia the chance to stay up to date on her development as an artist.

"It's a place I can show off my creativity in one of my favorite subjects, and people can show they appreciate what I do best" Lola said. "I don't have to only show off my work in person. My grandparents in Australia found out about Artsonia and joined my fan club. Then my grandfather got his friends to join. I even got a comment on one of my paintings written in German."

The Brunswick Acres gallery had over a quarter of a million visitors so far, with the school awards based on both technology integration and community involvement.

"This provides a very tangible statistic to share with the local community about the richness of the Brunswick Acres art program," Tiedemann said.

The benefit of the program also helps prepare students for the digital age.

"The technical literacy of viewing artwork online, tracking artists own statistics online, leaving other comments for friends, joining fan clubs, and more, provides a 21st Century technology and learning experience for students," Tiedemann said. "It allows them to share their work on a global scale with an authentic audience.  This will be many students' first experience with posting their artwork and written statements, and communicating with others online.  Artsonia affords teachers the opportunity to teach students about the importance of having an appropriate online identity."

In addition, parents can purchase everything from t-shirts to coffee mugs with their children's artwork printed on it. Lola said her mother drinks tea out of a mug with her art on it every morning.

"After student artwork is published online, parents and families may purchase keepsakes from the museum with the child’s artwork imprinted on it, and 15 percent of the revenue is commissioned back to the school art program," Tiedemann said. "In the past, this money has been used to purchase more art materials and has helped to add more technology to the art room."

The wider recognition for the Brunswick Acres art program has led to more connections that could aid students in the future. Tiedemann said she was contacted by four different app developers after her students' work was posted on Artsonia and Twitter. 

"These contacts make it possible for us to have real life connections with people who are inventors and creators of digital art tools," she said. "It helps connect students to something early on that they may choose as a career down the line."

Brunswick Acres was also recently featured in the August/September issue of the national School Arts Magazine after Tiedemann posted a link to her student’s QR Code gallery on Twitter. 

After seeing Brunswick Acres student artwork on Artsonia, former president of the National Art Education Association Bonnie Rushlow contacted Tiedemann requesting permission to feature her first-graders' artwork in an elementary and middle school art text book that will be published by Pearson Prentice Hall in January 2013. 

The changing face of education in the digital age has allowed both teachers and students to make connections around the world to improve the state of education, Tiedemann said.

"I often share links to my student’s Artsonia galleries with other art teachers on Twitter and on other social networking websites," she noted. "Many of us art teachers are inspired by the work that is posted by peers.  We share and acquire lessons, and because of this, our learning and professional development happens on an ongoing basis."

For the kids the added recognition is a bonus, because ultimately it's the simple joy of creating something unique to call their own that drives them to keep adding to their gallery.

"Art makes me feel better about myself and work harder," Mariaelis said. "To know I can do something good if I work hard means that I can do so much more."

Click here to view the Brunswick Acres Artsonia gallery.