Chinese Language School of Connecticut Offers Expanded Art and Culture Programs

Students Participate in Chinese Art and Culture Programs
-- Redding-based Artist Introduces Children to Chinese-Themed Mixed-Media Art --

“VP Art & Culture Katy Chen Myers is an energetic, true professional, dedicated to exploring Chinese history and culture with students via art, and we are all so lucky to have her,” noted CLSC Principal, Daisy Chen Laone.

Riverside, CT, July 1, 2010 – The Chinese Language School of Connecticut (www.ChineseLanguageSchool.org), the fully-accredited, non-profit, Riverside, CT-based provider of Chinese language programs to students, schools and corporations, is pleased to announce expansion of their Art and Culture programs for academic year 2010 - 2011.

During the Art and Culture section of CLSC’s classes this year, VP Art & Culture Katy Chen Myers, of Redding, CT, developed and ran segments whereby students studied traditions and celebrations focused on Chinese folktales and festivals such as the Moon festival. Handcrafted lanterns have been designed by CLSC students for an art shows in Westport and Greenwich this fall and winter.

Ms. Myers explained, Children love to cook, and eat, and are usually very interested in what others’ meals are like, as well. In our segment “The Chinese Diet” we studied agricultural traditions of northern and southern China, culminating with a look at traditional Chinese foods, and the banquet foods of the Qing Dynasty.

China has a tradition of travelling performers creating shadow puppet theaters during the Ming Dynasty, and up to the modern era. Our younger students were able to design their own shadow puppets as they learned about these Chinese entertainment traditions. We created our own, authentic traveling Chinese Shadow Puppet theater, probably the only one in the tri-state area, and students assisted in recent puppet performances.”

Ms. Myers continued, “One of our goals is to introduce Chinese as a second language to students while allowing them to explore Chinese culture via art in age appropriate ways. Our older students’ main focus centered on answering the question: Who am I? by creating a mixed-media project which involved students telling their own story by creating a biography in Chinese characters, and by creating self portraits using the graphic novel “American Born Chinese by Gene Yang as their inspiration.

Another project for this upcoming school year is the Chinese Cherry & plum blossom quilt which will also be readied for exhibit in upcoming shows.

One of the highlights of this past year was that in addition to showcasing work at various children’s venues, art created by CLSC students was accepted into a professional artist exhibit at Weston Art’s Center in Weston CT. The seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, a series of four paintings by students from CLSC levels 3-8, was displayed alongside works by professional illustrators, photographers and print makers from all over the US.

We are currently working with various venues to plan more exhibits as professionals, in New Canaan, Ridgefield and New York City for the 2010-2011 academic year. The main theme for CLSC’s art and culture segments next year will be the Silk Road. Many exciting projects are currently being planned for all levels with the goal being exhibition in various schools and libraries in Fairfield County.

I’m so pleased to be able to share my passion for art, and Chinese culture, with students of all ages, via CLSC’s programs. ”

For information on CLSC’s weekend or weekday language classes, summer programs, private tutoring, corporate services, or any of their other programs, please visit www.ChineseLanguageSchool.org or email them at info@ChineseLanguageSchool.org.

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