Saturday, May 19, 2018

Press Democrat Article

Thank you to the Press Democrat for the lovely Sunday (& Mother's Day) front page feature in the Town's Section highlighting opening night of our photo literacy exhibit at the Petaluma Regional Library.  See article and photos here or read below.  Article written by towns correspondent Diane Reber Hart.  






Students in Bianca Hendrick’s bilingual second-grade class at Loma Vista Immersion Academy in Petaluma don’t yet have two digits in their age, yet they have important lessons to share.

The 7- and 8-year-old students have big dreams and treasured family traditions, some deeply rooted in faraway places like Taiwan, Columbia, El Salvador, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

A monthlong photo-literacy exhibit at Petaluma Regional Library offers insights and celebrates what makes each student special. “I Am From,” or “Yo Soy De” in Spanish, features poems about each student on 8-inch-by-12-inch reflective metal prints with a digital photograph of each youngster.

About half are written in English, and half in Spanish. The 400-plus students at the Loma Vista dual immersion campus in the Old Adobe Union School District are developing bilingual English-Spanish skills, from transitional kindergarten to sixth grade.

The second-graders’ 21 poems offer glimpses into backgrounds, family traditions, favorite foods, outings, objects and activities that help tell the story about each child’s home life and aspirations.

“I learned a lot about their cultures and more about their families and what (students) view as important at this stage in their lives,” Hendrick said.

“It’s great to give them a voice, especially about themselves and their family and what they enjoy, and what they think of their community and where their ancestors came from.”

The exhibit is the culmination of months of studies about family, tradition and cultures. Parent volunteer Katie DelaVaughn of Petaluma, a teaching artist and photographer, proposed the idea to Hendrick as a way to celebrate each child’s distinctive narrative.

They were awarded a $572 grant from the Petaluma Arts Association, with a goal of bringing students’ home lives into the classroom, their school and the community.

Artist Elaine Larson, who was the Petaluma Arts Association president when the grant was made, was impressed by the freedom of expression the project provided students.

“They weren’t guided to do X, Y, Z and that was very important to us,” she said. “It’s a community recognition and it’s really great for their self-esteem, their creativity and to know what they can do.”

After a weeklong exhibit at the Loma Vista school library, the “Poetry and Portraits” display was installed last week in the children’s section at the Petaluma library, on view through May 31. An opening reception for families and supporters Wednesday featured student poetry readings and a potluck of world cuisine.

The project “is meant to showcase how beautiful they are,” DelaVaughn said. “It’s to celebrate their unique lives.”

DelaVaughn developed the project, called Pedagogy of Photography, and presented it while serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nicaragua from 2003-2006, and throughout New York City, where she pursued her master’s thesis on the “Benefits of Photography for Bilingual and Multicultural Students” at Teachers College, Columbia University.

She has trained teachers in implementing the project and has worked with hundreds of students. The experience with Loma Vista has added meaning, though. Her 8-year-old son, Wendell, is in Hendrick’s class.

Wendell’s poem shares family traditions of stargazing, bowling together, playing the fast-paced card game UNO, enjoying treats around the campfire and eating ravioli with sauce made from tomatoes grown in the family garden.

He writes about father-son nights to Golden State Warriors games, and dreams of “being an archaeologist in the morning, a Secret Agent in the day, a Warriors player at night and a scuba diver on the weekends.”

His classmates announce their dreams as well.

Eight-year-old Yazmari Ramirez of Cotati wants to become a preschool teacher; Cannon Fox Lewis Keller, 8, of Petaluma, hopes to work in special effects with the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Petaluma’s McKenna Spear, 8, wants to be a traveler, a desire fueled by trips to Costa Rica and Orlando, Florida.

Eight-year-old Marisol Magana, also of Petaluma, aspires to become a car designer and dog trainer.

The students, with help from their families, filled out a Mad Libs-style template as a springboard for their poems. By talking with their parents, and some with their grandparents, students uncovered interesting family histories.

Oliviah Delgado, 8, of Rohnert Park, is part of an international family. “My mom’s from America and my dad’s from Mexico,” she said. Oliviah found out she was born in Santa Rosa, and “I learned that my grandma and grandpa are from Palestine.”

Learning about students’ values, cultures and goals can help teachers develop student success in the classroom and the greater community.

“As educators, we want to tap into this resource,” DelaVaughn said.

“The metal was on purpose, to be symbolic as a reflective component of the project. The reason I chose metal was it’s like a mirror, it’s a reflection.”

She and Hendrick were happy to see many students mention their community in their poems, from playing at local parks, going to swim centers, participating in sports programs, and visiting the library and local eateries.

Those experiences, the educators said, provide a rich tapestry about the similarities in the students’ varied backgrounds.

Their photographs, which DelaVaughn took from spontaneous poses - a handstand, someone flashing peace signs, a girl dancing with long hair flying - capture an exuberant moment and a sense of pride in each child.

In her poem, written in Spanish, 7-year-old Ashley Vazquez of Rohnert Park shared something that could be from any culture: “That I am from my family that’s really nice and caring.”

Thursday, May 10, 2018

Petaluma Argus-Courier Article

Thank you to the Argus-Courier for featuring our art show on exhibit now at the Petaluma Regional Library. See here or below for article.



As of last weekend, visitors to the children’s section of the Petaluma Regional Library will be treated to a brand new art exhibit full of bright smiling faces, eye-catching colors, and vibrant energetic poses, all courtesy of Mrs. Hendrick’s second-grade class at Loma Vista Immersion Academy.

One photo shows a boy with his arms out like an airplane. Another features a girl waving a hand excitedly in the air. Some kids are grinning broadly with their arms in the air, while some are more subdued and defiant, their arms crossed, an expression of firm resistance on their faces. Several are dancing, or kicking up their legs, or playfully flexing a muscle, or dreamily gazing up into the sky.

Some are merely, you know, goofing around.

“Just looking at these pictures makes me smile,” says Katie DelaVaughn, who conceived of the project, titled “I Am From ... Yo Soy De ...” in which photos of the students are combined with bilingual poetry, inspired by those student’s lives. The exhibit went up over the weekend, and reception was held Wednesday, May 9.

Loma Vista Immersion Academy employs a form of “enrichment education” in which students are instructed in both English and Spanish. Letting the community know about the program was part of the reason DelaVaughn approached the Library to see if they would host an exhibition of the lively and exuberant art pieces.

“The idea,” says DelaVaughn, “was that we have such a unique program here, let’s find a way to share it with the community.”

According to DelaVaughn, the Petaluma Arts Association made the exhibit possible through an arts grant, announced last fall, funding the creation of a photo-literacy project in which the students would all participate. Since then DelaVaughn - a Loma Vista parent and a teaching artist at the school - has been hard at work coordinating the project, in which each student was photographed, the portraits were then reproduced on metal, and finally poems, written by the students in English and Spanish, were layered on top of the photo.

“There were different suggested topics for the poems, and one of was ‘favorite places in town,’?” says DelaVaughn. “So they wrote poems talking about everywhere from Shollenberger Park and the skate park and the bowling alley, to Lala’s Creamery and the Sweet Shop and Fourth and Sea. In other poems, they reflect on their lives and their cultures and their dreams.”

Though the art show will come down at the end of the month, DelaVaughn says she hope it have other homes in the community after that.

“One of the goals,” she says, “is to have this collection of pieces always be up, somewhere in town. We’ll see how it all plays out, but I do think that’s going to happen.”

(Email David at david.templeton@arguscourier.com)


Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Exhibit at Petaluma Regional Library and Loma Vista School Library

 Loma Vista Immersion Academy Bilingual Second Graders in Maestra Hendricks class share their unique home lives, their dreams and their cultures through colorful poetry and personal portraits.

Los estudiantes bilingües de segundo grado comparten sus vidas únicas, sus sueños y sus culturas atreves de poemas coloridas y retratos personales.
Yo Soy De... I am From... is on exhibit April 27th through May 5th at the Loma Vista School Library & May 7th-May 31st at the Petaluma Regional Library. The opening reception and poetry reading is May 9th at 6pm.
This Pedagogy of Photography (POP) photo literacy project was created, implemented & photographed by Teaching Artist Katie DelaVaughn & made possible through a Petaluma Arts Association Grant.

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Lenscratch


John Bridges, Embrace


LENSCRATCH, a daily journal/magazine that explores contemporary photography and considered one of the top 10 Photography related blogs you should be reading by Source Review, Wired.com and InSyle Magazine, featured the upcoming show that I am exhibiting a silver gelatin photograph in. See article written by Aline Smithson here or below.
 RayKo’s 7th AnnualPlastic Camera Show opens Wednesday, March 5th from 6-8pm and runs through April 29th, 2014. It’s one of my favorite toy camera events and I have been a participant over the years, attending the spirited and packed-to-the-gills openings that have connected me to wonderful image makers. And as Gallery Director Ann Jastrab states,”..this year won’t just have pictures from the usual suspects, stars of previous years like Thomas Alleman, Michelle Bates, and Sam Grant. It also won’t just have sublime landscapes, fiery trees, unique Polaroids, heartbreaking portraits, funny dogs, sexy horses, crazy cross-processing, flares of wild color, precious 2 ¼ inch square collodion plates and one taxidermied giant anteater. The exhibition will have stunning photographs from Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Iran, Japan, Mexico, The Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and, ohhnc, from many of these United States of ours, all the way from Maine to California, and Alaska AND Hawaii too!
And just when you thought film might be dead. Well apparently not, so rejoice and come down to RayKo on the night of March 5th to experience the magic with the rest of us fans of the latent image. Many of the artists will be in attendance, including this year’s featured artist is James Rohan.
Long live toy cameras….and film!

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Plastic Camera Show at Rayko Photo Gallery in San Francisco


Excited to announce I will be in this exhibit! Hope you can make the Plastic Camera Show at Rayko Photo Gallery in San Francisco and see my 120 film image taken with a plastic Holga and printed in silver taken in 2004 in the middle of Lake Nicaragua.  The opening reception is March 6th from 6-8pm. The show is from March 6th to April 29th.




Friday, January 31, 2014

Happy Year of the Horse! Sharing the February 2014 issue of the Sun Magazine that I am published in with my horse neighbors.  My photograph was taken in a snow storm in Manhattan, New York.



Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Artist Resume- Katie DelaVaughn

New Year! Updated Artist Resume. Happy 2014!

EDUCATION:

2008 MA Bilingual/Bicultural Education. Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY
Thesis: Benefits of Photography for Bilingual/Bicultural Students

2001 Graduate Certificate, Documentary Photography Salt Institute for Documentary Studies, Portland, ME

2000 BA Spanish, Sociology, Leadership, Nonprofit Management, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA

Continuing Education Classes at International Center for Photography, Cooper Union, School of Visual Arts, Adorama, B&H, VII, PDN and En Foco Seminars, New York, NY, Eddie Adams Workshop, Jefferson NY, Center for Photography at Woodstock, Woodstock, NY, Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester, MA, Center for Documentary Studies, Durham, NC, Photoville, Brooklyn NY 2007-2013

EXHIBITIONS:

2015
Painted Moon, Thrive Birth Center, Santa Rosa, CA
From the Womb to the World, Thrive Birth Center, Santa Rosa, CA
Women as Witness, Brooklyn, NY
Pedagogy of Photography Permanent Exhibit, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY

2014
Plastic Camera Show, Rayko Photo Gallery, San Francisco, CA
The Place Where We Live, Petaluma Arts Center, Petaluma, CA
Art Around Town at Petaluma Valley Hospital, Petaluma, CA
Inwood Pop Portraits and Poetry, New York Public Library, New York, NY
Pedagogy of Photography Permanent Exhibit, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY

2013
The Place Where We Live, Petaluma Arts Center, Petaluma, CA
Art Around Town at Petaluma Valley Hospital, Petaluma, CA
Unclothed, Juried by Mona Kuhn, Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins, CO
Inwood Pop Portraits and Poetry, New York Public Library, New York, NY
Pedagogy of Photography Permanent Exhibit, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY

2012
A Portrait of NYC, Photoville, Brooklyn NY
TOT ART, Eastern Shore Center, Fairhope, AL
A Tribute to Moms,  Shutterfly.com
Inwood POP Portraits and Poetry, New York Public Library, New York, NY
Pedagogy of Photography Permanent Exhibit, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY

2011
Dinner,  Juried by Harvey Stein,  Umbrella Arts Gallery, New York, NY
Inwood Pop Portraits and Poetry,  New York Public Library, New York, NY
Pedagogy of Photography Permanent Exhibit, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY

2010
Contemporarious, Eastern Shore Art Center, Fairhope, AL
Picture Hope: Doctors Without Borders Haiti Benefit Exhibit, Soulcatcher Studio, Santa Fe, NM
Pedagogy of Photography @ NYC Creative Week, New York, NY
Inwood Pop Portraits and Poetry, New York Public Library, New York, NY
Pedagogy of Photography Permanent Exhibit Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY

2009
Pedagogy of Photography Permanent Exhibit Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY
American Photography 25,Online Tribute Gallery (www.ai-ap.com) Juried by Kathy Ryan, The New York Times Magazine; Stacy Baker, More; Jen Bekman, Jen Bekman Projects Inc.; David Carthas, Blender; Gary Koepke, Modernista!; Robert Priest, Portfolio; and Fred Woodward, GQ
Caliente/Hot, Juried by José Torres-Tama, New Orleans Photo Alliance, New Orleans, LA
Forever Hold Your Peace, Juried by Sylvia Plachy, New Orleans Photo Alliance, New Orleans, LA
New York Photo Festival, Powerhouse Books, Brooklyn, NY
BED, Juried by Harvey Stein, Umbrella Arts Gallery, New York, NY
Phases of Existence, NYU Rosenburg Gallery, New York, NY
Inwood POP: Portraits and Poetry Community Exhibit, New York, NY*
Immigrant Jukebox Journey, Queens Museum of Art, Queens, NY

2008
artHARLEM H.O.A.S.T. (Harlem Open Artist Studio Tour), New York, NY
Peace Corps Photography Exhibition, Juried by Dr. Anthony Bannon (director of George Eastman House), Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins, CO
Soho Photo National Competition Exhibition, Juried by Charles Traub, Soho Photo Gallery, New York, NY
STAC’s 29th Annual Juried Photography Exhibition, Juried by Christopher James, Mill Pond House Gallery, St. James, NY
Circling the Globe Through Women’s Lives, Mill Pond House Gallery, St. James, NY
Educational Equity, Policy, and Transformation in the Americas, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY*

2007
Mano a Mano: Mexican Culture Without Borders, Promises and Hopes of the 21st Century. The ‘Government of Change’ and the Mexican Exodus to the United States 2000-2006, International Center in New York, NY
Facing the Educational Challenges of the Americas, The important link between art and education, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY*

2006
Celebraciones, Museo del Altagracia, Ometepe, Nicaragua*
Crossing The Line, CYO Retreat Center, Occidental, CA*

2003
Fractured Families, University of San Diego Peace and Justice Institute, San Diego, CA*
Fractured Families, World Beat Cultural Center, San Diego, CA*
Fractured Families, Linda Vista Multicultural Fair, San Diego, CA*
Fractured Families, Association for Borderland Studies Conference, Las Vegas, NV*
Freedom in America? War, Peace and Justice, University of San Diego Social Issues Conference, San Diego, CA *

2002
Cotton Harvest, Tower Theater, Fresno CA
Resilient Nicaragua, Tower Theater, Fresno, CA*
Resilient Nicaragua, University of San Diego Peace and Justice Institute, San Diego, CA*

2001
Secret Sorrow, Salt Institute for Documentary Studies Gallery, Portland, ME

2000
Tijuana Border, Casa del Migrantes, Tijuana, Mexico*
Tijuana Border, "Challenging Injustice with Peaceful Solutions", University of San Diego Social Issues Conference, San Diego, CA *
Tijuana Border, Borderland Studies Conference: Bi-national Links for Community Service Learning, Western Social Science Association, San Diego CA*

STUDENT EXHIBITIONS:


2009
Celebrando Quince Años con Si a La Vida, Casa José Maria, Altagracia, Nicaragua*
Interpreting Realities, Negotiating Perspectives, and Exploring Complexities, Columbia University, NY*
Global Youth Media and Arts Festival, New York University, New York, NY
Phases of Existence, The New York City Public Library (NYPL), Bronx, NY*
Dare to Dream Immigrant Heritage Week Art Festival, Caribbean Cultural Center, New York NY
Immigrant Jukebox Journey, Queens Museum of Art, Queens, NY
Inwood POP: Portraits and Poetry, Amistad Dual Language School and Inwood Community, New York, NY

2008
artHARLEM H.O.A.S.T. (Harlem Open Artist Studio Tour), New York, NY
Educational Equity, Policy, and Transformation in the Americas, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY*
Our Identities Exhibition, The New York City Public Library (NYPL), Bronx, NY*
Global Youth Media and Arts Exhibition, NYU Commons Gallery, New York, NY
Gurlz Roll Deep, Franklin D Whalen Campus, Bronx, NY*
Pedagogy of Photography with Youth in the Bronx, Milbank Chapel, New York NY*

2007
Nuestros Colores Community Installation, E 138th Street, South Bronx NY *
Shout out for Peace, E 139th Street, South Bronx NY*

2005
Fruits & Roots, Karawala Library, RAAS, Nicaragua*

2003
Searching Inside with Spanish, Creole, and Miskitu Teens, Saint Martín Community Center, Bluefields, Nicaragua*
3:23 Exploring 23 Cultures Within a 3 Mile Radius, San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego, CA

2002
El Jardin, Biola Pershing Elementary, Biola, CA*
Nuestras Visiónes, McCabe Junior High School, Mendota, CA*

2001
Spindleworks, Gallery Local 188, Portland, ME*

1999-2000
Mi Tijuana, Hogar Infantil La Gloria and University of San Diego, San Diego, CA *

Solo Exhibits*

COLLECTIONS:

La Vieja Iglesia Parroquial de Altagracia, Nicaragua
Si A La Vida, Managua, Nicaragua
Student Press Initiative, Morse Center for the Professional Education of Teachers, New York, NY
Center of Teacher Education, Peace Corps Fellows, Columbia University, New York, NY
Youth Noise, San Francisco, CA
World Savvy, New York, NY
Bronx River Alliance, New York, NY
SBCSICA, South Bronx, NY
Karawala Library, Karawala, Nicaragua
Catholic Charities, Fresno, CA
International Rescue Committee, San Diego, CA
Transborder Institute, San Diego, CA
Casa del Migrante, Tijuana, Mexico

GRANTS/ AWARDS/ RECOGNITION: 


2014
February Sun Magazine publication

2013
PetaPixel Feature

2012
Cover photograph on the November issue of the Sun Magazine

2011
Awarded a Brooklyn Arts Council Community Grant for a personal and collaborative community photography project

2010
Cover photographs on the February and July issues of the Sun Magazine

2009
New York Times Lens Blog features my photograph from the BED exhibit
American Photography 25, Juried by Kathy Ryan, The New York Times Magazine; Stacy Baker, More; Jen Bekman, Jen Bekman Projects Inc.; David Carthas, Blender; Gary Koepke, Modernista!; Robert Priest, Portfolio; and Fred Woodward, GQ
Community Service Learning Mentorship/Professional Development Grant
World Savvy Global Youth Media and Arts Educator

2008
Eddie Adams Workshop Barnstorm XXI Student Photographer
Two Honorable Mentions at STAC’s 29th Annual Juried Photography Exhibition, Juried by Christopher James, Mill Pond House Gallery, St. James, NY
World Savvy Global Youth Media and Arts Educator
Resources for Classrooms Grant (to fund “Our Identities” photography exhibit at NYPL)

2007
Center for Environmental Research and Conservation Fellowship- Teacher Training in the Dominican Republic

2006-2007
Elliot and Roslyn Jaffe Service Learning Grants (awarded three times for Pedagogy of Photography projects)

2005
San Diego Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Association Grant (for community health, education, art campaign)

2004
Lea Libros Grant (to fund books for Pedagogy of Photography library project in Nicaragua)

2002-2003
Transborder Institute Photography Grant (to photograph Fractured Families in Mexico)
Central Valley Photo Contest, Grand Prize

2000
Associated Students Academic Research Grant (to photograph Resilient Nicaragua in Nicaragua)
Community Diversity Grant (exhibit photographs of the Tijuana Border)

PUBLICATIONS:


The New York Times Lens Blog
PetaPixel
The Sun Magazine
Manhattan Times
World Savvy Collaborators Guide
The New Yorker (Episcopal)
Portland Phoenix
Riverdale Press
Migrante Magazine
Great Valley Center
Peace Corps Fellows Times
Cover Photograph of Book: Triumphant Moments: Reflections on Peace Corps Fellows’ First Years of Teaching, Columbia University
University of San Diego Voices
University of San Diego Study Abroad Magazine
University of San Diego Asylum Magazine
InSite

BIOGRAPHY:


Peace Corps Fellows Times, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2009
Manhattan Times, July 3 2009
Fellows in Focus, Peace Corps Fellows Program, 2008
Impact, Combining Service with Art, Spring 2008
LiFE, Resources for Schools and Teachers, Office of School and Community Partnerships, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2007
University of San Diego Voices, “Every Picture Tells a Story, Vol. 5, Issue 2, pp. 4, December, 2001

PRESENTATIONS:


Artist Talk, Collaborative Photography, Petaluma Arts Center, 2013
Arts and Education for the Latino Community, Borough of Manhattan Community College, New York, NY 2010
Inwood POP: Portraits and Poetry, Amistad Dual Language School, New York, NY
Education Across the Americas Conference, Voices of Immigrant Youth: Using New Media and Technologies as tools for Self-Expression and Identity-Making, Columbia University, 2009
Annual National Service Learning Conference Growing Hope, Cultivating Change, Pedagogy of Photography: Linking Community Service, Nashville, TN, 2009
Center for Documentary Studies, Duke University, Literacy Through Photography Conference, Durham, NC, 2008
Rethinking Food, Health, and the Environment: Making Learning Connections, The Center for Ecoliteracy and Teachers College Columbia University Professional Development Institute, 2008
Educational Equity, Policy, and Transformation in the Americas Conference, Columbia University, 2008
The New York City Public Library (NYPL), Pedagogy of Photography (POP) Our Identities, 2008
Peace Corps Fellows Community Service Learning Workshop, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2007-2008