Charles Helmers Elementary students will debut their school-wide art installation, a collection of wings based on artist Colette Miller’s famed Global Angels Wings Project on Thursday.

The wings, which were initially created as street art in Los Angeles, are human-sized public art, and become interactive when people take photos with, and thus become part of, the work. Miller has now painted the wings all over the world, and on Thursday the students at Charles Helmers will present their tribute to the artist’s project by displaying their own wings around the campus.

The project is part of Helmer’s art program, directed by Susan Blake, who provides hands-on art lessons to students throughout the school year. Blake has also worked with, and continues to lead, art programs at a number of SUSD schools. In 2013, she worked with the students at North Park to create a ‘Blue Dog’ series, prompting a visit from the artist himself, George Rodrigue, and last year she lead a ‘Yarn Storm’ at Emblem Academy. Blake also works with students at Tesoro and James Foster Elementary, and says she wishes she could do more, quote ‘I am blessed to work with the elementary aged students and hope to inspire them to continue expressing themselves through the arts’.

The program rotates among all 29 classrooms at Helmers, and Blake sees each class 8 times throughout the school year. The entire program is fully funded by Helmers PTA, and is an important addition to the school experience. PTA President Tré Conway says ‘when students get to experiment with different materials and mediums they dabble in art, science and creativity. These creations of self-expression help boost a child’s self confidence’.

For more information about artist and educator Susan Blake, please contact her at teachingartist.pta@gmail.com
For more information about the Global Angel Wings Project artist Colette Miller, please visit her website at www.colettemiller.com