The Gift of Inspiration!

No doubt about it, this is a busy time of year. Personally, many of us are preparing for the holidays, cooking and baking, decorating and shopping. I'm sure our teachers out there are experiencing the growing excitement from students and fellow teachers, anticipating holiday excitement and ... ahhh ... a few days off!
With this in mind, we planned for fewer calls for exhibits and art products, at least for a couple weeks. But, as has happened so many times with Traveling Exhibits, we underestimated the interest and demand. Calls continue to come in, in fact last week was a record for December. And so we ask, why? We know the value of each exhibit, we appreciate how important the experience can be. And now, we can say with absolute certainty, teachers, librarians, parent groups and art foundations see it, too.
The gift of inspiration...
There is no more valuable or lasting gift, than the gift of inspiration. Our exhibits featuring artists not only showcase the art, we show it big. This decision has been questioned occasionally, some feel the value of authentic size is greater. All I have to say is to look at our panel of van Gogh's Cafe-terrace at Night (Place du forum in Arles) in which you can SEE each brushstroke and glimse the genius that was van Gogh. Now that is inspiration.
We go on to present each artist, not as a biography, but as the story of a real person who lived and breathed and had the flaws that make us human. Escher was not a great math student? Hard to believe, but I know there are lots of kids out there that can relate. Hokusai was eccentric? That's an understatement, but how many of our students out there fall out of the small box called "normal?" Seeing how real, less than perfect individuals could create art that the world treasures, now that is inspiration.
Standing together, students and teachers, side by side and experiencing art, talking about it, even touching it,
now that is inspiration.
What started as a new product a few years ago at Teacher's Discovery has taken on a life of it's own, and we look forward to 2009 with the goal of inspiring more children and more adults. We will help you find more funding options and the opportunity to bring more exhibits to your school or library. We will be unveiling our new series of exhibits, another way to truly inspire all who view them. A sincere, heart-felt thank you to everyone who has helped host an exhibit, your number is growing and growing.
And, an invitation to all of you who have yet to host ...
the gift of inspiration, the year-round gift, is in your reach. Visit our site, give us a call, see why, even during the busy holiday season, our phone is ringing like crazy!

An Actual E-conversation

Teacher from New Jersey:
I received it (the exhibit) this morning! I'm too afraid to open the box because I want it so badly to meet all of my expectations!

Lisa (our Traveling Exhibits coordinator):
Open it! I promise you won't be disappointed.

Teacher:
I cannot tell you how wonderful the exhibit was and how it brought our walls to life! you were so right about everything!!!! The teachers embraced it and the children, even as young as they are, really understood the concept ...
This is such a wonderful concept and I wish you and your company nothing but success!
You'll be hearing from us in the spring. We're looking at Monet!

The moral of the story: sometimes, even if it seems too good to be true, it can be true! Check out all our beautiful exhibits. We promise, you won't be disappointed!

Google celebrates Magritte!

I love Google, who doesn't? But I especially love when they subtly change the famous Google icon to celebrate something. Today, Google celebrates Rene Magritte, the painter from Belgium who gave us some of the most interesting and mysterious paintings of the 20th century. Today, Rene Magritte would have been 110.
The 20th century gave us many memorable works of art, Picasso and Dali, Warhol and Pollock. But the work of Magritte stands alone in it's originality and dream-like quality.
Traveling Exhibits does not have a Magritte Exhibit (yet!) but we have a wonderful Prestel book called Now You See It-Now You Don't about Magritte. Hardcover, 28 pages, beautiful book. I like to think of this series from Prestel as simple, not simplistic. A wonderful overview and interesting story.
We also created a fun computer games to reinforce art history called 20th Century Art Challenge Game. Just $29.99, it will be available Dec. 12, pre-orders are welcome.
Has anyone noticed that the advertisement for the ABC television series called Eli Stone looked similar to...




credits:
Son Of Man, 1964, Collection of Harry Torcyzner, Mohegan Lake, New York
Google
ABC Television

Escher in Ohio!

Thank you to Linda in Ohio for sharing these wonderful photos! She rented the Escher Exhibit and her students, in fact the entire school, loved it!
A Traveling Exhibit is a fabulous centerpiece for any lesson. The Escher Exhibit is unique because of the wonderful opportunity to cross curriculum with math and art. Students and staff alike are fascinated when they can see the minute detail of these amazing drawings and prints. When students and staff can stand together and discover the intricacies, discuss and share about it--magic happens.
Bring the magic to your school-just give us a call!
(248)276-4913

Our Own Catrina

La Calavera de la Catrina was a 1913 zinc etching by Mexican printmaker Jose Guadalupe Posada. As you may know, it was the etchings of Posada that inspired Diego Rivera. In the Rivera Exhibit that features A Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Park, you can see Catrina front and center.
Our own Traveling Exhibits coordinator, Lisa, paid homage by creating this fabulous costume for our annual Halloween party.
She won first place in the costume contest (of course)!
As you celebrate Día de los Muertos, you may want to share this picture of Lisa-Catrina with your students!

We Have A Winner!

Traveling Exhibits sent three versions of our catalog out this fall, one to middle and high school art teachers, one to elementary schools, and one to libraries. Each catalog had its own quiz contest, each with a different drawing date. The first winner was drawn from our correct entries from middle and high school, and our winner is...

Arthur S. from Texas!

Arthur will be hosting a Salvador Dali Exhibit for free this month!

Thank you to everyone who entered. Based on the number of responses, we will definitely be sponsoring more contests!
Bookmark this page, as we will be announcing the other winners and giving you updates on the success of the Great American Button Exchange programs!

Bringing Inspiration to New Jersey!

Traveling will exhibits will make its debut conference appearance in New Jersey! Lisa, our coordinator, is in New Jersey this week for the AENJ Fall Conference. She is displaying two new exhibits, Escher and Degas, in the registration area (can't miss them, they are spectacular!) If you are going, stop by and see Lisa.
This picture is of Lisa and our newest team member, Roze. They are wearing our limited edition, signature, inspire. t-shirts! Inspiring students and adults alike is the foundation of what we do in Traveling Exhibits and is the goal of every product we make. Think about who inspires you, and how you inspire others. It is very powerful and not to be taken lightly. You can inspire big decisions, like careers, and big ideas, like acceptance and understanding. Keep an eye on this space, new products from project: inspire. are coming soon!

Fall Greetings!

If you have not received your 2008/2009 Traveling Exhibit catalog, it's on the way! We mailed catalogs to elementary, middle and high school art teachers and public libraries. If you aren't in one of these groups, click here to request yours! You will see 7 new exhibits this year! We polled our customers last year and were able to deliver some of the most requested topics. We bring you Degas, in all its splendor. When we received the exhibits from our printer, we were speechless. We had many request for a woman artist. We bring you Mary Cassatt, a cool independent lady who lived by her own rules. (Sorry to the many of you who requested Georgia O'Keeffe. We spent a great deal of time trying to persuade her foundation to let us honor her with an exhibits but they have a strict "no reproduction on fabric" rule.) We worked hard with the M.C. Escher Foundation to bring you the incomparable drawings that your whole class can admire together. We had many requests for a contemporary artist and we bring you Jackson Pollock, whose art/emotion connection is so powerful, it's hard to tear yourself away. (Again, sorry to all of you who voted Warhol, his foundation refused as well, although they were very nice about it!) As our world gets smaller, we bring you Hokusai and the magic of the intricate prints and paintings. Renaissance art is always a favorite and we are proud to bring you Michelangelo, simply breathtaking. And finally, there are other forms of art besides painting and sculpture so be bring you Antoni Gaudi, one of the most creative and innovative architects ever.
You'll also find several new products we've developed and are really proud of! A cool, fun set of careers in art posters that inspire. We put your windows to work with the exclusive artist quote cling sets. You can visit a "virtual museum" featuring Picasso, and hear from him as well! And we developed computer games to reinforce art history.
Bookmark this blog, we've got loads of ideas to share!
Inspire passion!

Art in Washington

While in Washington DC for the AEP Awards, I took the opportunity to visit the National Galleries of Art. I hadn't been there in years, certainly not since I started with Teacher's Discovery Traveling Exhibits.
As I said, it was 100 degrees in Washington that weekend and I was quite warm by the time I walked the several blocks to the West Gallery. The cool air in the magnificent building provided immediate relief. The feeling of entering this gallery provided a different feeling, more awestruck that I have ever felt entering a museum. I wasn't sure why, I have been to many wonderful museums. But then it dawned on me, this is what we do with Teacher's Discovery Traveling Exhibits, we bring this art to the classrooms, libraries and hearts of the students of the U.S.
Class field trips used to be quite common. Budget cuts and security concerns have made the trips far less common. For many schools and libraries, museums simply are not close enough. We are helping to bring art to you. Maybe not original art, like in the National Gallery, but such a good reproduction, you can see brushstrokes. The enormous size we provide contributes to the experience, so much different than a slide or a poster.
My feeling of awe is probably much like the experience you give your students and guests when you display an exhibit. Suddenly, the art is real, the talent is beyond comprehension and history is before your eyes.
I thought I knew why I have this job. Now I really know.

AEP Awards in Washington DC

It was was weekend of excitement, inspiration, and honor in Washington DC June 6. Teacher's Discovery Traveling Exhibits was a finalist for a Distinguished Achievement Award from the Association of Educational Publishers. The exhibit was Global Warming, which we are very proud of.
I departed for Washington on Friday morning, honored that we were finalists but really hoping we would win! I was especially excited because I love Washington. I love the city, the monuments and everything it represents. It was 100 degrees outside but once I checked in to the hotel, I headed out on foot for my favorite locations, the White House, the capitol, the Lincoln monument, and the rest.
What a wonderful day. That evening, I arrived at the JW Marriott for the AEP banquet. I met many nice people from our industry. I was humbled to be in the same categories as National Geographic Kids, The Weather Channel, Scholastic, the National Science Teachers Association and so many others. I met many people that face the same challenges as we do, how do we reach today's students? Looking around that evening, I have every confidence that our kid's educations are in good hands, at least with the tools and resources that are and will be available.
When awards were announced, we cheered for each other. I almost forgot why I was there when they announced Teacher's Discovery Traveling Exhibits as the winner in our category.
Couldn't think of a better way to wrap up the evening!
So, along with the many, many letters, calls and emails we receive from teachers and librarians across the country,
we now add the Distinguished Achievement Award to our collection. Your comments mean more, but the plaque is nice!

Harlem Renaissance

Isn't this wonderful?
I would like to share some comments from Cheryl S. in North Carolina. Cheryl arranged rental of our Harlem Renaissance Traveling Exhibit.
She expressed thanks for the beautiful exhibit and sent this photo of an event they had called "Walk Through Harlem." During this event, students took on the personalties of the figures of the Harlem Renaissance, presented original monologues and poems and guided family and community members through the exhibit. They also created a music video of the evening and posted it on YouTube.
Cheryl has also expressed interest in exhibits featuring other literature topics. What do you think?

exhibits@teachersdiscovery.com
I am incredibly proud that our Harlem Renaissance Exhibit was a backdrop for this fabulous event. We have been fortunate enough to provide the backdrop for many such events-
how about yours???

Cinco de Mayo!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!
More than a reason to eat Mexican food and enjoy a Mariachi band, Cinco de Mayo is observed in the United States and other locations around the world as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. There is a common misconception that the 5th of May is Mexico's Independence Day, but that is actually September 16. Cinco de Mayo commemorates a victory of Mexican forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Only regionally celebrated in Mexico, it is gaining popularity as the day to celebrate Mexican culture in the United States. Don't let the fact that is not a national holiday stop you, celebrate!!!
Check out a quick video at Teacher Tube.
So, how do we celebrate? We celebrate Diego Rivera, muralist of Mexico. Our most popular Traveling Exhibit, Diego Rivera was masterful at depicting the history of Mexico through murals so intricate, it's mind boggling. We are so fortunate that our local museum (The Detroit Institute of Arts) is home to a magnificent Rivera mural celebrating U.S. industry.
You can enjoy a mural right in your school or library. Beyond a museum, it's the best way for students to understand the magnificent murals of Diego Rivera!

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day!
Here at Teacher's Discovery, we celebrated by gathering all of our employees and we spent the afternoon cleaning up around our building. Ryan even climbed into the trees to pull out those offensive plastic grocery bags that cling to branches. We picked up trash, raked (my grandma used to say that raking in the spring was like "scratching the Earth's back"), and swept. It was made more enjoyable by loads of sunshine and laughs. Thanks to Pat, our operations manager who coordinated the effort and rewarded us all with a BBQ lunch!
There has been much publicity about "Earth Day," but we think every day should be Earth Day. Our Global Warming Traveling Exhibit takes a positive spin on the controversial issue by empowering viewers with ideas for easy lifestyle changes that benefit both the Earth, and your pocketbook!
Have you seen or done anything cool for Earth Day?

Global Warming AEP Finalist!

Big News!

Our Global Warming Exhibit is a finalist for a prestigious AEP Distinguished Achievement Award!

The official press release:
LOGAN TWP., NJ--APRIL 1, 2008--The Association of Educational Publishers (AEP), the nonprofit professional organization for educational publishers and content developers, is proud to announce the finalists for the 2008 AEP Awards. The program's Distinguished Achievement and Golden Lamp Awards recognize the year's most outstanding materials in the field of teaching and learning.

We are incredibly proud of our Global Warming Exhibit. We we set out to tackle this topic, we realized that Global Warming is a "hot button" in scientific and political circles. Instead of siding with any group or scientifically proving a theory, we decided that most people would agree that human activities have consequences. We may not agree what, or how severe, those consequences may be. But, we can lessen the consequences.
One of the arguments about discussing Global Warming in school is creating fear. Fear can impact in a positve or negative way, but why take the chance. We chose to focus our Global Warming Exhibit on positive changes that individuals can make to help the environment and even save money. Empowering with knowledge is our message.
The Global Warming Exhibit is filled with bright images and ideas. We have set up over 30 web pages with suggestions and links to find more information. In a classroom setting, you could assign each student an images and have them report to the class.
Challenge students to find information that supports and information that contradicts popular ideas. An example is biofuels. The demand for fuels made from corn is growing enormously. Why? Better for auto emissions. So, farmers plant more corn to keep up with demand. Now there is a shortage of wheat (have you noticed bread prices lately?). Every action, positive or negative has a reaction. Our students today will be the professionals tomorrow dealing with these problems.
And if none of that appeals to you, consider the savings in your pocket when replacing a regular light bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb saves you money every year. According to GE, you can save $36-$59 over the life of each bulb!
A step further? At www.lightbulbsamerica.com
you can arrange a fund raiser selling bulbs and making money while saving money. That fund raiser could even...
fund your Traveling Exhibit!
The AEP Award winners are announced in June, of course we'll keep you posted!

Funding Ideas

Traveling Exhibits is enjoying tremendous success. We are one of the most affordable options for school exhibits and work hard to keep it that way. Still, we recognize that school funding is limited. Many schools want to host several exhibits per year and many teachers have shared their creative funding ideas with us. We will share these ideas with you, and if you have more, let us know and we’ll pass them along.

Can there ever be enough school funding? (rhetorical, I know the answer...) But that doesn't mean that wonderful teaching opportunities are out of reach!

If your budget allow for the exhibits, excellent! If you need a little help, or you are like the increasing number of schools that are hanging a different exhibit every month, here are some ideas from teachers all over the country:
1. The principal's budget is an option since hanging an exhibit in a common area allows every student, staff member and visitor to view it. Our exhibits have excellent cross-curriculum appeal.
2. Sharing budgets between departments was a trend that started early on. We originally offered exhibits to foreign language teachers. It didn't take long to find out they were sharing with art teachers. Again, the cross-curriculum opportunities offer a way to share expenses and experiences!
3. PTO/PTA groups have shown great support in funding exhibits at elementary, middle and high school levels. Again, reaching every student mean shared experiences. Here is a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate cost effectiveness:
simply divide the number of student in your school into your rental price. Example:

$175÷500 students=35¢ per student for a full week!

Actually, keep that example handy for all funding ideas.
Remember, most programs sponsored by schools are very expensive and a student may get an hour out of it.
4. Outside school funding has really increased. Local art foundations have found this to be a very cost effective way to support art in school. A local art foundation in Connecticut sponsored the Diego Rivera Exhibit for 4 weeks, then moved it to 4 different schools for a week each. Talk about low cost, they reached more that 2000 students for less than 20 cents per student.
5. Local businesses are also willing to spend relatively little for a large impact. John from Harbor Beach, Michigan (we really love John!) has gotten exhibits sponsored by a local veterinarian, the Rotary club and other local businesses. John invites the public and has created quite a following of students and residents that flock to his changing exhibits!

6. We have recently been designated an approved product by Better Basics in Alabama. They realize the value of Traveling Exhibits and fund them for schools in their area. This is the first of many such approvals.

7. Darlene from Oklahoma let us know that she submitted a grant proposal the the grant committee gave them an award for the best proposal based on originality and the cross-curriculum value of Traveling Exhibits!

more funding ideas to come...check back often!

Feedback

Great feedback is coming in! I'd like to share a few more.
Vivian from Downey, CA has ordered several exhibits throughout the year. She said that everyone at the school LOVES the exhibits and they get many comments. They invited their Congresswoman, Lucille Roybal-Allard, an avid supporter of the arts, to view an exhibit. She was really impressed! Congresswoman Roybal-Allard sponsors a yearly student art competition. I'd like to see more school support like that from our other elected officials!
If you know someone who supports the arts, let us know. I'd love to share the story!
John from Harbor Beach, Michigan (his picture is on the bottom of the page) has also reserved several exhibits for the school year. His focus is introducing art to the younger students and enhancing foreign language instruction with art. John has come up with some interesting funding ideas, check out the Funding posts!
Sally from MA said their exhibit was wonderful and asked us to "keep them coming!"

Easter Island Exhibit

This year, Easter is March 23.
Does it feel early to you? According to Bill Nettles, a physics professor at Union University, a Christian liberal-arts university, in Jackson, Tenn,
for the years 1875 through 2124, there are only two occurrences of a March 23 Easter. The first one was in 1913, and this year will be the second one. The date for Easter is based on the lunar calendar. "You have to wait until the very first full moon after the equinox, and that could be a few weeks," he says. "This year, Easter happens to be the earliest it can be."

The holiday can be anytime from two days to 31 days after the first full moon of spring, Nettles says.

And this has to do with.....
The Easter Island Traveling Exhibit!

Most people recognize the giant heads carved from stone that stand sentry around the tiny, isolated island.
The name Easter Island was given by its first recorded European visitor, the Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen, who encountered the 8 mile long island on Easter Sunday, 1722. The island's official Spanish name, Isla de Pascua, is Spanish for "Easter Island."
The fact it was so small and isolated is interesting, but the truly fascinating story is of the Rapa Nui, the indigenous people that carved the stone heads, then proceeded to move them several miles and erect them. Oh, and, all they had to do this were tress, rocks and ropes. An incredible feat, but their fate was not that of greatness. The Easter Island Traveling Exhibit tells the story of the islanders, their demise, and asks, are we really so different today?
Together with World Studies teacher, Zach Abeel, we created a Powerpoint program with the whole story. It's a fascinating tale of ecological disaster. Perfect for upcoming Earth Day celebrations. In fact, it's important for every day!

Feedback

Happy St. Patrick's Day!
I'd like to share some of the feedback we have received.

Beth from Mexico, New York rented the Diego Rivera Exhibit and shared:
"The show was a success, both at high school and middle school. Members of the community viewed it and even some retired teachers from others districts came...it was a positive experience!"

Ynes from Mississippi wrote:
"I sent a media piece that was aired on WLOX in Mississippi. It showed the exhibit and how children learn from it. Take care and thanks for making education hands on the way it should be."
Ynes used our press release kit to invite local media coverage!

Shelley from South Carolina wrote:
"I met with my faculty yesterday and we want to organize our curriculum around the exhibits. The kids love the (murals), and hate when they have to be returned. I look forward to working with you."

I have many, many letters like this. I will continue to share comments and will be glad to share yours! Email us at TDblog@teachersdiscovery.com!

Welcome!

Welcome to the Traveling Exhibits "News, Updates, and Ideas" page! My name is Rebecca and I've been building our Traveling Exhibits division of Teacher's Discovery for the last year and a half. One of the best parts of my job is talking with teachers, librarians and parent volunteers about our exhibits. Sometimes, our phone calls can last over an hour! So many people have been incredibly generous, sharing ideas and suggesting new products. I want to return the favor, so I've created this page to spread the enthusiasm. I told my kids (very excitedly), "I have a blog!" Apparently this is not "cutting edge" anymore (they both rolled their eyes), but I am thrilled to use it.

I have a lot to catch up on so I'll be posting a ton at first. Using labels, I'll keep them grouped so you can refer to a variety of topics. I'll also be sharing feedback, so please send us yours! You will also find as many photos as I can get of exhibits at different schools and libraries. Again, send us yours!

Since this is a welcome, and perhaps some of you don't know who we are, let me tell you about us. Teacher's Discovery is a supplemental educational products producer and retailer. We reach our customers via catalog and internet. About two years ago, Skip (the president of the company) had the idea to reproduce a Diego Rivera mural at an enormous size. The first exhibit prototype has just been complete when I was invited to join the team. We now have 17 exhibits, each made up of three pieces. The largest panel is 7 feet by 17 feet! There are also a 4x4 foot panel as well as a 4x8 foot panel. They are reproduced on satin fabric, which we have been very picky about with our suppliers (which has made me a bit unpopular with them at times, but the results are worth it!). We include fiberglass support poles (something we dreamed up using a tent pole as inspiration) and clips that are designed for a drop ceiling. Most of our customers have a drop ceiling, but for those who don't, not a problem. There are pocket sewn in to the top and bottom of each panel and fishing line, string or chain can be easily inserted.

Very soon, the Diego Rivera Traveling Exhibit became so popular, we had to order additional copies. Then, we quickly got to work designing more exhibits. I'll talk about each exhibit extensively in future posts, but we cover artists as well as topics like Global Warming, the Civil War and Easter Island. And, we are busy creating more, so vote for an exhibit you'd like to see!

I look forward to sharing all the wonderful and creative suggestions that many of you have shared with me. I would love to hear from you, so post a reply or email us at TDblog@teachersdiscovery.com.