RAC grant recipient 2016
Excepts from the grant proposal:
What are the desired outcomes of the project, opportunity, or fulfillment of need? If applicable, describe any community benefits to this project or opportunity.
For the health and benefit of the city, this school has chosen to occupy a previously unused building and repurpose it. The building is full of staircases and they provide the greatest opportunity for improvement because they show the greatest area of neglect, and they are shared spaces. Classroom teachers are filling their rooms with light and life, but they must walk through dreary stairways to get from one spot to another.
St. Louis Language Immersion School has lost many families because of the move to this building and I believe that art in the school would make the building more desirable and would raise enrollment. I believe that this would balance the school body and allow for a strong enough school to support the needs of the at-risk inner city children. I believe that filling the shared spaces will also unify the school. The building contains 3 different schools of the St. Louis Language Immersion Schools; the French School, the Chinese School and the International School. I think that art will stimulate children in their imagination and help them to learn creatively, which will partner well with the Primary Years Program philosophy of learning by International Baccalaureate schools of which they are a part.
What is the time line?
I would like to finish all of the stairways by the opening of the school year next fall. I do think that there is a benefit to the student body to see art develop in real time, and therefore would like to see work begun during the school year where it can be, but some portions will require fume-laden adhesives that would be better done in an empty building and would need to be done on school holidays.
What are the desired outcomes of the project, opportunity, or fulfillment of need? If applicable, describe any community benefits to this project or opportunity.
For the health and benefit of the city, this school has chosen to occupy a previously unused building and repurpose it. The building is full of staircases and they provide the greatest opportunity for improvement because they show the greatest area of neglect, and they are shared spaces. Classroom teachers are filling their rooms with light and life, but they must walk through dreary stairways to get from one spot to another.
St. Louis Language Immersion School has lost many families because of the move to this building and I believe that art in the school would make the building more desirable and would raise enrollment. I believe that this would balance the school body and allow for a strong enough school to support the needs of the at-risk inner city children. I believe that filling the shared spaces will also unify the school. The building contains 3 different schools of the St. Louis Language Immersion Schools; the French School, the Chinese School and the International School. I think that art will stimulate children in their imagination and help them to learn creatively, which will partner well with the Primary Years Program philosophy of learning by International Baccalaureate schools of which they are a part.
What is the time line?
I would like to finish all of the stairways by the opening of the school year next fall. I do think that there is a benefit to the student body to see art develop in real time, and therefore would like to see work begun during the school year where it can be, but some portions will require fume-laden adhesives that would be better done in an empty building and would need to be done on school holidays.
This artwork is made possible by grant support from the Regional Arts Commission (RAC). RAC is at the forefront of efforts to transform St. Louis into a more vibrant, creative and economically thriving community by elevating the vitality, value and visibility of the arts."
Winner of 2015 Mannequins on the Loop "Words into Dreams"
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St. Louis artists S. Jewell S. McGhee and Nikki Leeper won first place with their collaborated piece, "Words Into Dreams" for the 7th annual outdoor art installation Mannequins on the Loop. Mannequins on the Loop matches artists and designers with the speciality boutiques and restaurants that make up the fabulous Delmar Loop in University City, MO.
S. Jewell S. McGhee and Nikki Leeper were paired with the bookstore Subterranean Books and used the pages of books to adorn their Marie Antoinette style court dress, and to bring to life 7 individual story books. Recycling has always been a focus of Mannequins on the Loop, and every art piece must be made of reused and repurposed materials, as well as being able to withstand the elements for 3 weeks outside during St. Louis's stormy season. "Words Into Dreams" featured a "take-a-book leave-a-book" library focusing on the "reuse" aspect of the "reduce, reuse, recycle" triumvirate. At the closing ceremony on June 7, 2015 McGhee and Leeper with Subterranean Books were awarded first place, and second place was a tie between "Sandlewood" by Cameron Tesson representing Sunshine Daydream and "Maiden on a Mission" by Divinemoira Studio representing Mission Taco. |
Winner of 2014 Mannequins on the Loop
"Local artist S. Jewell S. McGhee, partnering with Three Kings Pub won fist place in the 6th annual "Mannequins on the Loop" art installation and competition sponsored by Figure 8 Designs LLC and run by University City resident Audrey Jones.
The event also donated money to Craft Alliance a non-profit arts center also located on Delmar and celebrating it's 50th year.
The artwork was titled 'Kings' Consort' weaving elements of King Henry the 8th, Elvis, and King Kong (the 3 Kings on the mural above the bar) and featuring recycled and repurposed materials. The most notable feature of the mannequin was the cape modeled after Elvis' eagle cape made out of bottlecaps from the 40+ bottles available from the pub."
The event also donated money to Craft Alliance a non-profit arts center also located on Delmar and celebrating it's 50th year.
The artwork was titled 'Kings' Consort' weaving elements of King Henry the 8th, Elvis, and King Kong (the 3 Kings on the mural above the bar) and featuring recycled and repurposed materials. The most notable feature of the mannequin was the cape modeled after Elvis' eagle cape made out of bottlecaps from the 40+ bottles available from the pub."
The artists for the 2014 Mannequins on the Loop
