Students work creatively with glass, learn and grow through art

If you missed the opening for Brazee Street Studios’ fifth annual Kids Exhibition, 513 Penguins, you’ll have a second chance to view students’ work at a reception taking place July 10 at C-LINK Gallery.
 
Students from 13 local schools worked to create more than 500 glass penguins — an activity made possible by the staff at Brazee along with 13 teachers who learned the project and then taught it remotely at their respective schools. Bullseye Glass Co. donated all of the glass.
 
According to Chelsea Borgman, C-LINK gallery coordinator and communications specialist, one of Brazee’s core missions is to help children not only express themselves through art but also appreciate the art-making experience.
 
“The annual children's exhibition is not only about the end result — it’s just as much, if not more, about the process,” Borgman says. “Children get to experiment with a material they may not otherwise have an opportunity to use, see how the glass transforms through the firing process, then have their work on display, realizing their connectedness to the smaller community of the classroom and the larger community of Cincinnati.”
 
The process also teaches students trust, Borgman says, as glass is oftentimes viewed as dangerous.
 
“When we trust the children to handle the glass safely, it helps them to trust themselves and take ownership over the responsibility to use this ‘dangerous’ material,” she says.
 
Perhaps most importantly, the program provides an opportunity for children to express their uniqueness without fear of judgment, as no two penguins are crafted the same.
 
“Each one has its own personality, which is a reflection of the choices made by the child during the creation process,” Borgman says. “We hope we have provided an opportunity for children to express themselves without the worry of finding the ‘wrong’ answer. There is no ‘wrong’ way to make their penguin, which I think can be quite liberating.”
 
Do Good: 

• Attend the second reception for 513 Penguins at 6-9 p.m. July 10 at Brazee's C-LINK Gallery in Oakley. Live penguins from Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden will be on site. Guests will also have the opportunity to create a penguin of their own.

• If you can't make the reception, show your appreciation for students' creations by viewing the exhibition, which is on display through Aug. 6. Gallery hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesdays; 12-8 p.m. Thursdays; and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays. 

• Check out Brazee's class offerings for students of all ages and abilities.