ALLIANCE

Balch Springs

UNBOUNDBalch Springs

www.balchspringsartsalliance.org

Est. 2011Vol. 1 No. 1

March 2011Bridging the Gap in Community & Creativity

Mayor’s CornerDr. Carrie Gordon, Mayor

WHERE-AS, Youth Art Month has been obser ved nationally

and in foreign coun-tries since 1961 and has gained wide accep-tance; andWHEREAS, Youth Art Month is a time for childhood to de-velop interests, skills, and aptitudes that will last a lifetime; andWHEREAS, through meaningful art activi-ties, children develop initiative, self-expres-sion, creative ability, self-evaluation, disci-pline, and a heightened appreciation of their environment; andWHEREAS, the im-portance of art in edu-cationand in recreation is widely recognized; andNOW, THEREFORE,I, Carrie F. Gordon, Mayor of the City of Balch Springs, do here-by proclaim this the month of March 2011 as:

“YOUTH ART MONTH”

in the City of Balch Springs, and urge all citizens to become in-terested in and give full aupport to quality school art programs for

By Sebrina Parker

In 1961 the Art and Creative Materials Institute (ACMI), a non-profit association of art and craft materials manufacturers, in coop-eration with the National Art Education Association (NAEA) founded Youth Art Month (YAM). 50 years later, this annual observance is still commemorated every March.YAM is a monumental event that strives to emphasize the importance of art education in a child’s life and encour-age support of quality art programs in schools and the community. Every year the Council for Art Education (CFAE) - which was found-ed in 1984 to administer and encourage funding for the Youth Art Month program – organizes YAM activities on a national level. This in-

cludes working with many U.S. Senators, members of Congress, and state legisla-tors to speak out on behalf of art education.In Texas, the Texas Art Ed-ucation Association (TAEA) has created a special initia-tive for promoting Youth Art Month in school dis-tricts across the State. They have even worked to create a special exhibit at the Capi-tol in Austin. Part of their

endeavors is to spotlight art education through governor and mayoral proclamations. Therefore on February 28 2011, Mayor Carrie Gordon of Balch Springs, TX signed the mayoral proclamation found on the cover of this issue of UNBOUND and presented it to the Balch Springs Arts Alliance at that night’s City Council meeting.

CONT. p.2

In This Issue01: Mayor’s Corner; Art Shapes the World02: Editors’ Letters03: Make It; Family Literacy Corner04 & 05: Events06: Artist Showcase; Green Tip

Art Shapes the WorldCelebrate 50 Years of National Youth Art Month

‘dream up a widget’? Don’t we all hope that our ‘audience’ buys into it?We are both Artist and Audience / Buyer and Seller. Wikipedia includes that: “Art is created when an artist creates a beauti-ful object, or produces a stimulating experience that is considered by his audience to have artistic merit.” Now – not every piece of art is designed for audience apprecia-tion. Sometimes we cre-ate ‘art’ simply to express ourselves. Other times we create ‘art’ to survive. We want to sell it. We want a large audience. So we test it. If it fails the audience test, we go back to the ‘draw-ing board’, make adjust-ments and put it out on the shelf again. Entrepreneur

BecomesARTIST

Sandra Wood has a Bachelor Degree in Vocal Performance and Music Education from Midwestern State University. She has over twenty years of experience as an instruc-tor, performer, church music director, creative writer and grant writer. She designed and directed Art For Kids’ Sake, which toured from 1994-98 to over 5,000 youth per year. She is currently president of the Balch Springs Arts Alliance and serves as volunteer staff for the Balch Springs Chamber of Commerce.

Editor’s NoteBy Sebrina Parker

Art permeates every facet of our community and lives. Art itself is defined as “the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as paint-ing or sculpture, produc-ing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.” We can think of this as the end product. Here at the Balch Springs Arts Alliance we are focusing on that third word their in our name: Arts. It is interesting to note the re-vised definition adding that “s” gives.Arts: “subjects of study pri-marily concerned with the processes and products of human creativity and social life, such as languages, lit-erature, and history.”

Art permeates our lives. Wikipedia says “Art is the process that leads to a product, which is then examined and analyzed by experts in the field or simply enjoyed by those who appreciate the arts”. We’re all experts and we judge works of art daily.I go to Pioneer Donuts for a great cup of cof-fee. I go to Bell’s Better Burgers for an old-fash-ioned hamburger. I hunt through several stores to find clothes designed for the short diva in me. I enjoy a day where all the products work ‘just right’…my car runs well, traffic is smooth, Inter-net’s fast, my cell has a great signal, my comput-er software responds, the city is filled with ‘smiles and great customer service’ and shopping or standing in line at the bank (store, etc) is an en-joyable experience. All of these products and services are ‘works of art’ designed to appeal to the audience – that’s me. That’s also you.Don’t we all appreciate a well-fashioned ‘widget’? (replace widget with whatever you’re shopping for) Don’t we use an art-ful thought process to

So there you have it, while we love to see the end result of these studies, the Arts Al-liance’s primary focus is the creative process that affects our daily lives. The goal of this newsletter is to take a step back from the mundane and routine and really show the beauty inside the lives of each Balch Springs resident. We all have a touch of cre-ativity inside us, whether we notice it or not. As we dig a little deeper and unbind the limits on that creativity we will create a better commu-nity with a lasting impact on future generations.In this first issue of Un-bound, you will find creative outlets to explore in your own life as well as how some of your neighbors have al-ready unleashed their own creativity. Each month we plan to grow in the topics we cover and provide artful insight not only in this print publication but also in our larger online edition that can be found at www.balch-springsartsalliance.org/un-bound.If you have an idea, story, experience, or project you would like to share never hesitate to contact us at un-bound@balchspringsartsal-liance.org.

(Definitions taken from the New Oxford American Dictionary)

The Art-Business ConnectionBy Sandra Wood

This was one step in promot-ing the appreciation and sup-port of youth art in our com-munity especially during this Youth Art Month season.In order to further com-memorate this exciting month in our community, the Balch Springs Arts Alliance in conjunction with the Balch Springs Chamber of Com-merce has arranged a free

Youth Art MonthCONT. from Cover

Spring Break Expo & Art Slam at the Double D Ranch on March 17, 2011 from 4-8pm. This event will feature over 75 vendors and an Art Slam that will showcase art-ists -youth through adult - in a juried art display as well as a youth exhibit commemorat-ing this 50th Anniversary of National Youth Art Month. Local youth are encouraged to submit artwork for the ex-hibit which will be judged by a panel of professional visual artists. Winning entries from

youth will be on exhibit at the event.Another highlight of the event will be the “You’ve Got Talent” contest, age 10 and up. There is a small entry fee and prizes will be awarded to the top three acts. These can be singers, actors, comedians, musi-cians, poets, etc. For more information on how you can participate in commemorating Youth Art Month, visit www.balch-springsartsalliance.org.

02 Balch Springs Unbound | March 2011

Balch Springs Unbound | March 2011 03

Photo by Gabrielle Blair

Make It:Anthropologie Inspired Initial MugsInstructions found in Unbound online edition.www.balchspringsartsalliance.org/unbound

Family Literacy CornerMarch Pick: The Chocolate War by Robert CormierWhat parents should know before diving in:This book is suggested for readers aged 14 and older. It contains graphically de-scribed fight scenes, minor sexual discussions, and fre-quent use of moderate to occasionally extreme pro-fanity.

Why you should read it:The Chocolate War is an ex-cellent conversation starter on some of life’s hardest questions especially those revolving around moral is-sues. The book forces read-ers to face the reality of evil and how to confront it.

Questions for Discussion:1. The first sentence of this book is “They murdered him.” In what ways does this small sentence apply to the book as a whole? Who is murdered, metaphorically, in the book? By whom?2. There are no main female characters in this book, part-ly because Trinity is a boys’

school. Yet the Trinity boys often discuss girls. Jerry wishes he could talk to the girl near the bus stop. Janza watches girls as they walk by, and Archie won’t let anyone touch him except certain girls. What function(s) do you think girls play in the novel? 3. Why do you think Archie is repulsed by human sweat? What do you think this says about Archie as a person? 4. Archie’s greatest strength is in exploiting other peo-ple’s weaknesses. Why do you think Archie does this? Why do you think he needs to manipulate every situa-tion? 5. Discuss the significance of the title. Why is it a choc-olate “war”? 6. Why do you think Jerry decides not to sell the choc-olates even after his assign-ment is over? Have you ever dared to “disturb the uni-verse”? What happened? 7. How do you feel about how Brother Leon treated Bailey? At the end of the class Brother Leon says

that the students had al-lowed him to turn the class into Nazi Germany. Do you think this is a true state-ment?

About the AuthorRobert Cormier is a Marga-ret A. Edwards Award win-ner, and his books repeated-ly appear on the best books lists of the American Li-brary Association, The New York Times, and School Li-brary Journal.

This information was brought to you by Common Sense Media and Random House Children’s Books Reader’s Guide.

33 Ideas to Celebrate Youth Art Month1. Participate in the Juried Art Show or You’ve Got Talent show at the Spring Break Expo & Art Slam2. Submit a piece in our Youth Art Display at the Spring Break Expo & Art Slam3. Create fliers with youth art work to send to principals.4. Pass out prints of youth work in the community.5. Have an art day on your street.6. Create a calendar of youth art work.7. Make clay whistles and whistle for art.8. March for art- have a pa-rade of art work.

9. Dress as your favorite art-ist.10. Create large kaleido-scopes then laminate them and hang in your windows.11. Have an evening in Paris at home.12. Create art gifts for school board members and superintendent.13. Make an artist cake.14. Create a traveling art journal.15. Create a spring collage.16. Create a pillow case.17. Draw Blue Bell like cows and do in black and white.18. Have a parent’s night for art.19. Create cards and have a card exchange.20. Do sidewalk chalk art.21. Create oil pastel resists.22. Sell ceramic shoe pins.23. Make torn paper col-lages.24. Fold origami mobiles.25. Make every teacher in your school a room sign.26. Texture your world.27. Show your diversity-have art work reflect various cultures.28. Make banners and hang them in business.29. Make cut paper portraits.30. Get YAM put on your school marquee.31. Create posters from stu-dent art work.32. Ask a local business to support YAM by program-ming receipt printers to in-clude a simple statement, such as “March is Youth Art Month…Support Art in Texas Schools” or by displaying student art for the public to enjoy. Place a sign in the business indi-cating that it’s Youth Art Month. 33. Auction art work to help fund the Balch S p r i n g s Arts Alliance.

lunchlet’s do

in Balch SpringsLunch in the City with the Balch Springs Chamber of Commerce

04 Balch Springs Unbound | March 2011

community events2011march01 Painting Class 10am-3pm @ Hobby Lobby |2302 N. Galloway Mesquite, TXAdult Wii 2-3pm @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXYouth Wii 4-5pm @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXBelly Dancing Beginners Class 6:30pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TXYouth Advisory Council Meeting 7-8pm @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TX02 Preschool Story Time & Craft 10:40am @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXBelly Dancing Intermediate Class 6:30pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TX03 Classes de Ingles 11am-Noon @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXYoung Entrepreneur Meeting 5-6pm @ Balch Springs Arts Alliance | 4000 Pioneer Rd Ste 201A, Balch Springs, TXBelly Dancing Advanced Class 6:30pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TXPlanning & Zoning Meeting 7pm @ City HallTeen Summit 7-8pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TX04 Texas Freestyle Karate 6-9pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TX05 Waterfall in the Smokey Mountains Painting Class 9:30am-12:30pm @ Poteet HS | 3300 Poteet Dr. Mesquite, TXTexas Freestyle Karate 10am-Noon @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TXWilton Cake Decorating Basics 10am-Noon @ Hobby Lobby |2302 N. Galloway Mesquite, TXWilton Flowers & Cake Design 12:30-2:30pm @ Hobby Lobby |2302 N. Galloway Mesquite, TXWilton Gumpaste & Fondant 3-5pm @ Hobby Lobby |2302 N. Galloway Mesquite, TX07 Painting Class 10am-3pm @ Hobby Lobby |2302 N. Galloway Mesquite, TXTiempos de la Historias 4-4:30pm @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXTexas Freestyle Karate 6-9pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TX08 Painting Class 10am-3pm @ Hobby Lobby |2302 N. Galloway Mesquite, TXAdult Wii 2-3pm @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXYouth Wii 4-5pm @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXBelly Dancing Beginners Class 6:30pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TXEconomic Development 4A Meeting 5:30pm @ Civic Center | 12400 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TX09 Preschool Story Time & Craft 10:40am @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXBelly Dancing Intermediate Class 6:30pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TXEconomic Development 4B Meeting 6pm @ City Hall10 Classes de Ingles 11am-Noon @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXYoung Entrepreneur Meeting 5-6pm @ Balch Springs Arts Alliance | 4000 Pioneer Rd Ste 201A, Balch Springs, TXBelly Dancing Advanced Class 6:30pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TXQueen Bees & Wannabees 6:30-8:30pm @ Poteet HS | 3300 Poteet Dr. Mesquite, TXTeen Summit 7-8pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TX11 Texas Freestyle Karate 6-9pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TX12 Texas Freestyle Karate 10am-Noon @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TX14 Painting Class 10am-3pm @ Hobby Lobby |2302 N. Galloway Mesquite, TXTiempos de la Historias 4-4:30pm @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXTexas Freestyle Karate 6-9pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TXCity Council Meeting 7pm @ City Hall 15 Adult Wii 2-3pm @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXYouth Wii 4-5pm @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TX

Belly Dancing Beginners Class 6:30pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TX16 Preschool Story Time & Craft 10:40am @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXBelly Dancing Intermediate Class 6:30pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TX17 Well Child Clinic & Immunizations 8am-3:30pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TXClasses de Ingles 11am-Noon @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXSpring Break Expo & Art Slam 4-8pm @ Double D Ranch | 12809 Eastgate Dr, Balch Springs, TXLibrary Board Meeting 6pm @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXPlanning & Zoning Meeting 7pm @ City HallTeen Summit 7-8pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TX18 Texas Freestyle Karate 6-9pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TX19 Texas Freestyle Karate 10am-Noon @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TXSWF Wrestling 5pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TX21 Tiempos de la Historias 4-4:30pm @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXTexas Freestyle Karate 6-9pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TXLet’s Have a Ball... Cake Ball That Is! 6:30-8pm @ Mesquite Academy | 2704 Motley Dr. Mesquite, TX22 Adult Wii 2-3pm @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXYouth Wii 4-5pm @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXBelly Dancing Beginners Class 6:30pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TXEstate Planning 6:30-8:30pm @ Professional Development Center | 2600 Motley Dr. Mesquite, TX23 Preschool Story Time & Craft 10:40am @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXBelly Dancing Intermediate Class 6:30pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TX24 Classes de Ingles 11am-Noon @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXYoung Entrepreneur Meeting 5-6pm @ Balch Springs Arts Alliance | 4000 Pioneer Rd Ste 201A, Balch Springs, TXParks & Recreation Meeting 6pm @ Civic Center | 12400 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXBelly Dancing Advanced Class 6:30pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TXRetirement Planning 6:30-9:30pm @ Professional Development Center | 2600 Motley Dr. Mesquite, TX25 Texas Freestyle Karate 6-9pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TX26 Texas Freestyle Karate 10am-Noon @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TX28 Tiempos de la Historias 4-4:30pm @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXTexas Freestyle Karate 6-9pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TXCity Council Meeting 7pm @ City Hall 29 Adult Wii 2-3pm @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXYouth Wii 4-5pm @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXBelly Dancing Beginners Class 6:30pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TXAutism Awareness 6:30-8:30pm @ Poteet HS | 3300 Poteet Dr. Mesquite, TX30 Preschool Story Time & Craft 10:40am @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXBelly Dancing Intermediate Class 6:30pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TX31 Classes de Ingles 11am-Noon @ Library/Learning Center |12450 Elam Rd, Balch Springs, TXYoung Entrepreneur Meeting 5-6pm @ Balch Springs Arts Alliance | 4000 Pioneer Rd Ste 201A, Balch Springs, TXCPR - Child & Adults (Heartsavers) 6-9:30pm @ Vanston Middle School Library | 3230 Karla, Mesquite, TXBelly Dancing Advanced Class 6:30pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TXBoard of Adjustments Meeting 6:30pm @City HallRetirement Planning 6:30-9:30pm @ Professional Development Center | 2600 Motley Dr. Mesquite, TXTeen Summit 7-8pm @ Recreation Center | 4372 Shepherd, Balch Springs, TX

Balch Springs Unbound | March 2011 05

If you have any questions about one of these event please contact us at972.557.1555 or unbound@balchspringsartsalliance.org

06 Balch Springs Unbound | March 2011

Artist ShowcaseCurated by Ellie Chavez

Credits:Editor-in-ChiefSebrina Parker Schultz

Business EditorSandra Wood

ContributorsAs Credited

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lunchlet’s do

in Balch SpringsLunch in the City with the Balch Springs Chamber of Commerce

Daena Michelle Cedillo is a 14yo local photographer in the DFW Metroplex, using a Sony 300DSLR to shoot her work. Her other hobbies outside of pho-tography consist of computer programming, draw-ing/sketching, reading, writing, and music (playing instruments, singing, composing, etc.). Her online portfolio is www.wix.com/maywisdomguidephoto./mwg. Michelle is also currently working on a sepa-rate project with two other artists that can be found at www.theblackcurtainblog.blogspot.com which she encourages you to check out.

Arts can Improve Education and Economic DevelopmentNotes from Malcolm White, executive director of the Mississippi Arts Commission“When you start with a per-forming arts center, then you add a hotel and restau-rants, suddenly there’s all these amenities that have to be added. So, you have all these people coming into town and the locals are coming into town and you have all these celebrations...“In community develop-ment we promote the cre-ative economy, the develop-ment of art-based economy, of lifting up your artisans and your craftsmen and

your arts councils and your operas and symphonies and your theater groups. That really adds fabric to your community. It creates qual-ity of life...“We want to offer the return of arts to the core curricu-lum as part of a solution to our problem of losing kids in the schools. Art captures a lot of people who often fall through the cracks.”

For more on this topic visit www.balchspringsartsalliance.org/un-bound

GREEN TIP OF THE MONTH SAVING RESOURCES, WORKING SMARTER

green.harvard.edu/green-tip

THE TRUTH ABOUT WASHING IN COLD WATER:

- it helps your clothes last longer (hot wears them out)- it uses 1/10th the energy needed to run a hot wash!

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HOWEVER, LAUNDRY IS NOT ONE OF THEM!

SOME THINGS ARE BETTER HOT

Going Green in Balch Springs