Welcome to the Learning To See Outreach Gallery
Learning To See Outreach is an in-school, cross-curricular art program taught by professional Teaching Artists.
Each student artwork is inspired by a Focus on the Masters Documented Artist.
Find out more about Learning To See HERE.
Through a generous grant from the California Arts Council, we were able to bring LTS into 13 AVID classrooms in Ventura and Oxnard during the 2019-2020 school year. Each of those lessons were inspired by the 3 artists at right whose indigenous roots inspire their artwork today.
Due to the shutdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, our scheduled exhibit, reception and Family Day at the Museum of Ventura County had to be canceled. We hope you enjoy our new online gallery to permanently share on this website!
Porfirio Gutierrez is a Zapotec weaver from Oaxaca, Mexico, whose family has been weaving for generations. Porfirio’s rich heritage inspired students as they learned about symbolism, plants and natural dyes and weaving on a loom.
Learn more about Porfirio HERE.
Christine Morla is a first generation Filipino-American who uses the paper weaving that she learned from her father in her own artwork. Students learned basic weaving techniques and color relationships inspired by Christines’ work.
Learn more about Christine Morla HERE.
BiJian Fan learned paper folding and cutting art from his grandmother while growing up in Communist China and has elevated it into a true art form. This inspired our students to explore the infinite possibilites of a piece of paper.
Learn more about BiJian HERE.
***Look for an exhibit of Porfirio Gutierrez‘ weavings along with another FOTM Documented Artist, weaver Michael Rohde, at the Museum of Ventura County in 2021!
Click on an image below to see artwork created by students from Anacapa Middle School, Cabrillo
Middle School, DeAnza Academy of Technology and the Arts and Rio del Valle Middle School.
Paper Weaving Collaboration
Inspired by mixed media artist Christine Morla
Botanical Drawings
Inspired by Karen Kitchel
Symbols
Inspired by Zapotec weaver Porfirio Gutierrez
Traditional Weaving
Inspired by Zapotec weaver Porfirio Gutierrez
Paper Sculpture
Inspired by sculptor BiJian Fan
Learning To See Outreach inspires students in elementary & middle school classrooms
in Ojai, Ventura, Santa Paula, Oxnard and more!
Cruisin' Cars
Inspired by Frank Romero
Pierpont Elementary
Artwork inspired by Karen Kitchel, Hiroko Yoshimoto, Albert Stewart & Michael Rohde
Funding
Our standard 8-week in-the-classroom residency is $550 (including instructor and supplies).
You can “Adopt A Classroom” for $550.00. Click HERE to Donate
Four week and single lessons are also available. Our lessons are cross-curricular and support the California content standards. Many of them can be tailored and grouped to work with a particular unit of study, i.e. zoology, social studies, history, language arts, sciences, etc. They are adaptable to a wide range of grade levels from elementary through secondary grades and beyond, including community groups and programs. Programs are supported in a variety of ways, including school and PTA funds, grants, or personal donations from an individual or group of parents/grandparents.
Our program is taught by professional artists who have extensive educational experience. We feel that this criterion helps to guide the student with a deeper understanding of the art making process.
For more information, or to arrange a residency in your neighborhood, call 805.653.2501 or email Education@FocusontheMasters.com.