Over a three day period Mr. Wright  took his  Creative Writing and ELA II classes to the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art to view artwork and meet with the artist Lonnie Holley. Holley’s works  are part of permanent collections at The Smithsonian and the American Folk Museum in NYC as well as others.  The Halsey describes Holley and his art in the following manner:

Lonnie Holley incorporates natural and man-made objects, already imbued with cultural and artistic associations, into narrative sculptures that commemorate places, people, and events. These objects “speak” to Holley, unleashing his creative imagination. Holley believes that art and life are in constant need of renewal so he transforms objects that have been discarded or appear worn and gives them new life.

 Everything Lonnie Holley creates is spontaneous and improvisational. Editing and repurposing are an integral part of his creative method. He presents concepts poetically, utilizing memory and storytelling to catalyze thought. The power of Holley’s work derives from the multiple associations brought forth by new juxtapositions and innovative combinations of familiar objects. These collisions excite the faculties of memory and meaning in the viewer. His works offer a trace of one artist’s raw and honest attempt to turn a thought into a thing.

The purpose of the trip for the Creative Writing class was to explore the creative process and write ekphrastic poems based on Lonnie Holley’s artwork.

The goal for the ELA II students was to learn about how Lonnie Holley draws from his personal experiences, historical events, and understanding of archetypes to create his works of art.  Later in the year the ELA II students will use what they learned on this trip to help them construct their own assemblage pieces and then write literary artist statements about the work they create.

The highlight of the trip was when students collaborated with Lonnie Holly to create an assemblage piece in the Halsey Gallery.  These collaborative pieces are now installed in Mr. Wright’s  classroom.