Upper School Art Teacher Joins Global Art Dialogue

     Upper School art teacher Anne Kmieck recently returned from a trip to China, where she participated in the International Art Dialogue in Chinese Gardens with 16 other American and Chinese artists.  The 14- day trip included 6 days at the Chinese gardens, where artists participated in formal and informal dialogues and created works to be exhibited at the Amemura Art  Museum in Suzhou.  The experience exposed American artists to the rich traditions of Chinese art, life, and culture and enriched the Chinese artists through exposure to the more cutting edge, progressive art forms developing in America.

     The trip was almost entirely underwritten by the owner of the museum, with airfare funded through Hawken’s professional development funds.  To express her gratitude to Hawken for supporting her professional growth, Anne presented a book highlighting the artists and their art to Hawken’s library, which she inscribes,  “Many thanks to the Hawken community for supporting my participation in this rich cultural and educational experience.  My hope is that I bring to Hawken the spirit of the ancient gardens of Suzhou, China, where the making of art, music, and poetry flourished and is still made evident in the hearts and minds of the citizens of Suzhou today.”  Anne also hopes to incorporate much of what she experienced through partnerships with the Cleveland Botanical Gardens and the Cleveland Museum of Art and to bring global perspectives into the classroom.

     Stay tuned for a forthcoming posting of Anne’s rich and detailed blog, complete with beautiful photographs, to learn more about her fascinating experience in Suzhou.