In
the Palm of the Hand-
A project by Valerie LeBlanc and the Barnhill Memorial School, Saint John, New-Brunswick, Canada
A project by Valerie LeBlanc and the Barnhill Memorial School, Saint John, New-Brunswick, Canada
Day 1, February 7, 2000
I met with each class and introduced myself. I brought along a demonstrational videotape of how I sandcarve glass in my studio at Shemogue, New Brunswick, samples of work, and I talked about my art career and my varied job/work experience. ( I have lived and worked in many parts of Canada as a labourer, heavy equipment operator, video technician, camera operator, journalist, and at many more positions.)
The glass project was introduced. We discussed personal interests and the idea of planning for future careers.
Day 2, February 8, 2000
We further discussed career objectives and personal goals. The students received handouts of 'palms'marked with fortune lines. I brought forward the idea that some people believe that the future is written in the palm of the hand. I emphasized the fact that each person has to decide what they would like to do in life as a career. We talked about other interests that sometime develop into careers or important leisure activities.
Topics raised and developed:
- the power of positive thinking, fixing an idea in your mind and working to make it happen
- deciding what you want
- finding out how to make it happen
- setting out to accomplish the goal: each person has the power to excel
- the role of courage, the importance of loyalty, when necessary: overcoming peer pressure
Each student did a drawing of her/his palm. Everyone started to work on a list of 10 career choices/interests. I also asked the students to draw one favourite image, or something from their imagination on that day. My idea was to transfer as many of the drawings as I could onto the glass.
Stepanie
Payne: Grade 3
Artist Talk: I showed slide of artworks that I have completed and talked about my artistic development. I talked about education and learning as a life process. (My own formal education has been spread over several years and locations.)
Day 4, February 10, 2000
Final day of stage one of the Palm of the Hand
History of Glass
- handouts and a brief lecture history of glass through the ages
- the uses in ancient times, the loss of knowledge during the dark ages, the rivalries surrounding the re-inroduction of glassmaking during the Rennaissance.
- discussion of modern applications for glass, advantages of continued use
Students were asked to finish the list of 10 career choices / interests and to hand them in. I left the school for Shemogue to work on transferring the palm drawings onto the glass.
Creating the Glass:
Glass Size: 52 inches wide by 52.5 inches high by one half inch thick
Cutting
the rubber stencil
Valerie
LeBlanc in the blasting room
Cutting: 53 hours
Blasting: 13.5 hours
Woodworking: 6 hours
Installation: 4.5 hours
In beginning to work on the glass, my priority was to ensure that each palm drawing was included. It became immediately clear that there would be little room for the career lists or the additional drawings. Life-size palm drawings of all 116 participating students were transferred onto the glass. The process took many painstaking hours of placing , transferring, cutting the stencil and finally sandblasting the glass. This work was accomplished by myself and my husband, Daniel Dugas, who generously shared the task of cutting and double checking that all of students palm drawings had been included. We both enjoyed seeing the variety of styles and detailing which is visible in each unique palm drawing.
In the end there was room on the glass to place only a few career and personal interests. There were many varied and interesting goals and it was very difficult to which ones to include. What you see on the glass tries to hint at variety and at some of the more fanciful and unique choices. The small butterfly of Melissa Polley was squeezed into the design because it took so little room and it gives a lighter tone to the whole picture. The happy face and the word "Happy!" carry my wishes for all of the people who stop to read the glass.
Day 5, March 13, 2000
On the Sunday before day 5, Daniel and I drove from Shemogue to Saint John through a blizzard! Two young men from Economy Glass also made the trip to carry the glass safely to Barnhill School. Mr. Capson and Mr. Driscoll met us at the door and stood by to assist. Daniel had prepared the wooden frame in Shemogue and he went to work to apply finishing touches. Finally, it was Mr. Capson who assisted in lifting the glass into place.
On Monday, I met with each class to return their drawings and lists. We summed up the things that we had talked about during the project and then we walked to the school entrance to look at the glass. Each student used the original drawing as a guide to find her/his drawing on the glass. I read the reactions as proud and happy to have participated in the project, and to see their own drawings transcribed onto the glass.
I thanked everyone at that time for their enthusiasm and participation. I thank you all again:
The Students and Teachers of grades 3, 4, 5, 6; Mr.Bruce Capson, Principal; Mr. Mark Driscoll, Vice Principal; Mrs. Dale Stevenson, Secretary, all of the Barnhill School teachers who made me feel welcome in the staff room and hallways; all of the students who pointed and led the way in the hallways; all of the students who carried equipment and and my books.
I also thank:
The Barnhill Memorial School Parent Advisory Committee.
The Arts Development Branch of the New Brunswick Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Culture for including me in the Artist in Schools Pilot Project and making it possible.
Arts Development Officer Nancy Brannen, for visiting the school during the project, for her advice, and for processing paperwork as quickly as possible.
Thank you Daniel for performing your tasks well and for all of your extra support during the planning and carrying out of "The Palm of the Hand."
