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Mac-Hi students learn the art of beading
Release Date:
05/05/2010 Art students at McLoughlin High School learned the intricacies of beading techniques from bead artist Jeanne Leffingwell during an Artist-in-Residence program in Blue Leitch’s art class last week.
Leffingwell spent the week teaching Mac-Hi art students how to make a beaded bracelet using a loom, lending her expertise and techniques to the students.
“Beading is an art form that is relaxing and can be done by all ages of people,” Leffingwell said. “Beading is used in all cultures and time periods. I’ve especially enjoyed working with the art teacher and kids at McLoughlin High School. The kids are very creative and energetic. It also feels great to be teaching them some life skills, like threading a needle or measuring a two-yard length of thread.”
Students will now continue their bead work using the knowledge and skills they acquired from Leffingwell as they work with Leitch to finish a more complicated beaded lid for an Altoids container.
Leffingwell also assisted with an after-school community workshop on beading.
“We had participants in our community workshop after school, from ages 6 to 60 who were successful in creating a beaded design,” Leitch said. “The Artist-in-Residence program is particularly valuable by exposing students to new art forms and to practicing artists.
Leffingwell is known nationally for her bead sculptures and the “Million Bead Project,” in which both Mac-Hi and Freewater Elementary students have participated. She has worked with students in Mexico and throughout the Northwest.
More information on Leffingwell’s work can be found online at www.jeanneleffingwell.com.
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