Blog

Hello Everyone!

My name is Sadie Allen, and this year I have had the pleasure of being Morrison Art Studio’s programming coordinator! When I wasn’t sending out weekly newsletters, responding to emails, or planning events, I had the pleasure of working with you all and seeing how art has impacted our campus. The best part of my job has been meeting you all at events and on campus and hearing about how art has impacted your lives! Our students are so creative, kind, and innovative — it makes me proud to be a Tar Heel!

Fall 2021

At the start of the school year, we kicked off our fall semester with a notebook decorating event to inspire students to both be creative and make supplies for the new semester! Students were able to meet new people and make new friends all while creating their own notebook!

In collaboration with Healthy Heels, Morrison Art Studio also hosted a Sleep Jeopardy event where students learned about the intersection and importance of sleep and art. For Halloween, the studio hosted a pumpkin decorating event and movie showing. Students watched Coraline and created an array of scary and spooky pumpkins! In November, the studio hosted a “Paint Your Gratitude” event, where students had the opportunity to paint what they were grateful for this year. Students painting pictures of everything from matcha cakes to cats! To finish off the fall semester, Morrison Art Studio gave away coloring books and colored pencils to help students de-stress. This giveaway was a collaboration with Carolina Performing Arts and featured coloring books created by DesignsByDara.

Spring 2022

The studio started out our Spring semester with a virtual journaling and collaging event, aimed to help students relax and be mindful of their emotions. With this event, students were able to take magazine clippings and other ephemera to create beautiful artwork inspired by their emotions. They were also able to journal about their New Year’s Resolutions and reflect on the lessons they had learned in the previous year. In February, the studio hosted a tote-bag painting event for Valentine’s day! Students gathered to paint a tote bag to keep for themselves. Students were also able to socialize and enjoy snacks with each other!

In March, we celebrated the arrival of Spring with a recycled paper making workshop, led by our Morrison Art Studio Assistant Phượng Nguyễn! Students created their own handmade paper with fun additions including dried flowers and seeds. What a lovely way to welcome the arrival of Spring!

In April, Morrison Art Studio celebrated Arts Everywhere day by hosting a large outdoor tote bag painting event! Due to our previous success in February, we decided to host a larger event and moved it outside to enjoy the sunny weather. Students were able to bond with each other and create beautiful tote bags! To wrap up the semester, Morrison Art Studio collaborated with Edible Campus for a cyanotype making event for Earth Day. Students were able to take leaves, flowers, etc. from the garden and create stunning cyanotype prints using the power of the sun!

Throughout both semesters, students have been able to engage with their creative passions while connecting with others through the studio. It has been such a pleasure getting to know you all this year, and I can’t wait to see what you all make next year! 

I’ll talk to you all in August, and stay creative!

Best,

Sadie Allen