Nature Provides Show Concept
By Anne Shenk,
Environmental Educator & Curricula Developer
UGA Public Service Faculty & Director of Education
State Botanical Garden of Georgia
The theme is this show, Nature Provides, is deep rooted in Kie’s work and philosophy both as an artist and educator. While teaching elementary-aged children, she developed a curriculum titled ‘Nature Provides’ which has been widely disseminated to teachers. With a grant from the Georgia Challenge program, a partnership between the Georgia Council for the Arts, the Georgia Department of Education and the Coca-Cola Foundation, Kie and I worked in collaboration on this ‘art and science’ project. Her 30 lesson curriculum complements the Garden Earth Naturalist curricula which I developed in partnership with Carol Hoffman, Odum School of Ecology, UGA, and implemented through my role as UGA Public Service Faculty & Director of Education, State Botanical Garden of Georgia.
Through Garden Earth Naturalists, children learn how Earth‘s ecosystems function and what they can do to safeguard and restore the life-giving, ecological services of Earth. Kie and I continue to discuss our shared ideas and we both feel a deep connection between art, nature and education. The integration of art and our natural environment provides students with an awareness of the interrelated qualities of life. As students create and learn through the art experience, they can also be learning about how the order that nature provides the life support for our planet.
The artwork Kie has created for this show depicts the eco-services or ‘gifts’ that nature provides. The collaboration of the years of work between Kie and myself are the seeds that germinated into the art pieces you witness in this body of work. I hope this art show evokes a sense of gratitude for all that nature truly does provide.
By Anne Shenk,
Environmental Educator & Curricula Developer
UGA Public Service Faculty & Director of Education
State Botanical Garden of Georgia
The theme is this show, Nature Provides, is deep rooted in Kie’s work and philosophy both as an artist and educator. While teaching elementary-aged children, she developed a curriculum titled ‘Nature Provides’ which has been widely disseminated to teachers. With a grant from the Georgia Challenge program, a partnership between the Georgia Council for the Arts, the Georgia Department of Education and the Coca-Cola Foundation, Kie and I worked in collaboration on this ‘art and science’ project. Her 30 lesson curriculum complements the Garden Earth Naturalist curricula which I developed in partnership with Carol Hoffman, Odum School of Ecology, UGA, and implemented through my role as UGA Public Service Faculty & Director of Education, State Botanical Garden of Georgia.
Through Garden Earth Naturalists, children learn how Earth‘s ecosystems function and what they can do to safeguard and restore the life-giving, ecological services of Earth. Kie and I continue to discuss our shared ideas and we both feel a deep connection between art, nature and education. The integration of art and our natural environment provides students with an awareness of the interrelated qualities of life. As students create and learn through the art experience, they can also be learning about how the order that nature provides the life support for our planet.
The artwork Kie has created for this show depicts the eco-services or ‘gifts’ that nature provides. The collaboration of the years of work between Kie and myself are the seeds that germinated into the art pieces you witness in this body of work. I hope this art show evokes a sense of gratitude for all that nature truly does provide.