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An apprenticeship experience with artist Richard Haynes, Jr.
and the children, families, teachers and college students at the
Child Study and Development Center
University of New Hampshire
Summer 2008

Project Beginnings

Guided by our Diversity Mission, the Child Study and Development Center at UNH embarked on developing a community mural that would bring together our focus on art and our commitment to engaging in a dialogue about diversity. Our journey began four years earlier when our Diversity, Equity and Bias Taskforce was formed to reflect on how we could incorporate a commitment to diversity into all that we do with children, families and students.

Our mural was inspired by another project in which the Residential Life Department at the University of New Hampshire invited NH artist, Richard Haynes Jr. (www.haynesimages.com) to work collaboratively with undergraduate students. Responding to the question, “What does diversity mean to your generation?” Richard guided the students as they created individual renderings and a wall-size mural now on display in Divine Residence Hall. When CSDC learned about the mural the response was: “We can do this with our children and families! We talk about differences, similarities, families, biases, fairness, skin tones, every day with our children.” The mural would be a dynamic way for our community to explore diversity through Richard’s artistic vision of color mixing, shape, design, and image. In inviting Richard to join our journey, we were also interested in children gaining insight into Richard’s passion for art and for the artist to witness the capabilities of young children.

With funding from the CSDC “Color Our World” Auction and a Teaching Tolerance grant from the Southern Poverty Law Center in Alabama, we began by inviting our parents to a series of diversity dialogues to learn about the mural project and to think about how we can bring children into the process in meaningful ways.

Our objectives for the project:

• To engage our community in thinking about diversity and it’s meaning.
• To create a mural that represents the CSDC community’s ideas about diversity, with a focus on the children’s meaning making.
• To create a mural that will provoke dialogue regarding diversity by the CSDC community, UNH students, and visitors.
• To develop a deeper understanding of an artist’s process and create a meaningful connection with the artist.

The Artist Apprenticeship

After several meetings with Richard, we conceptualized the process as an apprenticeship in which CSDC children and adults would experience each step in his approach to art. In five sessions over the course of a month, Richard came into the classrooms and shared his elaborate artistic process with the preschoolers and kindergarteners. He began by telling stories about his childhood and his sources of inspiration as an artist. Richard’s love, passion, and dedication to this adventure were apparent in his daily interactions with the children. We shared photographs of his family and the children discussed what they had learned from Richard and what he was learning about them.

The first step in the apprenticeship was engaging the children and teachers in exploring the complexity of color using Richard’s preferred medium of caran d’ache crayons. We were asked to look closely at the power of light and dark and explored complimentary and contrasting colors. As teachers we were amazed by how the children focused intently, often for an hour or more, to complete small studies using color wheels and an array of crayons. Next, the children used what they had learned about color to complete a simple drawing created by Richard. Richard guided the children closely, encouraging their efforts and sharing his expertise. Throughout the experience he showed a deep respect for the children’s desire to learn from him. As the children focused on the art studies, infants and toddlers visited to take in the atmosphere. Children continued the process by using tracing and vellum paper to apply the color renderings onto the line drawings.

As the process continued, Richard was intrigued by the children’s honest observations about human diversity and their questions about his art. The words that now surround our mural entered into the conversation as the children and Richard discussed the qualities of one’s heart. Inspired by the children’s sense of closeness and love, Richard asked the children and adults to help him capture a photographic image of this closeness that could become the basis for the final mural. With an image selected and adapted to represent an inclusive community, the children began work on individual renderings using fine markers, vellum and crayon over the course of several days.

Next, Richard shifted our focus to the final mural. The selected image was enlarged using an overhead projector to fit the 8 foot square wood canvas. Children and UNH students worked with Richard on this detailed process as children observed closely. Having observed the children experiment with coloring individual images, Richard invited the teachers to develop and agree on a color combination for the mural. Finally, teachers, parents, students, and children came together in the summer light and heat over the course of three days to paint the final mural. While the children’s role was less central in this final step, as adults we experienced a deep sense of community as we realized a piece of art inspired by the magic of young children.

Reflections on “Looking in, Looking Out”

The mural is a testament to the focus, inspiration, and openness of young children. It also stands as a metaphorical window into our community and as a reminder of the changing faces of New Hampshire. Just as we invite children and adults to look inside to discover who they are, we also seek opportunities to connect with the community around us. The mural's impact will endure, initiating conversations about diversity among visitors, UNH students and the community for years to come. What are your thoughts?

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The UNH Child Study and Development Center was honored recently when kindergarten teacher Sara West received one of only three NH Excellence in Child Care Awards for 2007 from Governor John Lynch in a ceremony in Concord across from the State House. The Excellence in Child Care Awards are organized each year by Early Learning NH, a state-wide advocacy network, to recognize outstanding commitment to the children and families of the state.

In her acceptance speech in Concord in front of the State Commissioners for Education, Health and Human Services, and Employment Security, Sara noted the importance of a more complex image of early childhood educators: “The image should be one of observer, provocateur, active listener, documenter, nurturer, and reflective practitioner – we are dynamic and intelligent professionals.”

The center closed early so that the entire CSDC staff could travel to Concord to celebrate the accomplishment. CSDC Executive Director, Dr. John Nimmo noted that “Sara is known for her deep commitment to and respect for young children and families. She is a caring soul who constantly amazes me when I observe her problem-solving with children. Not only do children flock to Sara, but she is also praised by UNH students who have been mentored with such thoughtful care and challenge.”

West, who has been a part of the CSDC professional community for over a decade, graduated from UNH in 1993 with a B.S. in Family Studies (Young Child) and then again in 2003 with a M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education/Special Needs with teacher certification. She recently received her Highly Qualified Teaching Status in 2007 and is credentialed in NH as a Trainer/Mentor/Faculty.

04/09