Spring Conference
2024
March 2 & 3
at
the Nicolaysen Museum
Casper, WY
Empowering Creativity Through Art
Schedule Overview
*Please go to Sessions Description page to see descriptions and required materials
Saturday, March 2
8:30-8:50
Registration , Coffee & Breakfast ”Bar Bar”
9-10:15
Keynote: Abi Paytoe Gbayee
10:30-11:15
- AlSi Raku discussion
- AlSi Foil Sagger discussion
- Gallery time & Make and Take with Stone Leaf Pottery
11:30-12:30
Lunch (provided)
12:45-3:15
- AlSi Raku Fire (limit of 12)
- AlSi Foil Sagger Fire (limit of 12)
- Stone Leaf Glaze Workshop
3:30-5:00
- Lisa McDonald Pyansky Eggs
- AlSi Wheel Throwing & Gallery time
6-8:00
Join us for dinner, discussions, and bonding at the office (self-pay)
Sunday, March 3
8:15-8:50
Check-in and breakfast
9-9:45
Awards Presentation
10-11:30
Keynote Workshop: Let’s Get Curious!
11:30-12:15
Lunch (left overs provided or bring your own)
Evaluations
12:20-1:20
- Innoation Station: An Artist Trading Card Workshop
- Amy McCormick: Using Design Challenges to Spark Creative Thinking & Generate Synergy
- Make and ‘take with Stone Leaf Pottery.
1:30-2:30
- Stone Leaf: Clay Faces Workshop
- Leadership in WYAEA (15-30 min)
- Gallery Time
2:30-3
Clean up and safe travels!
Saturday Session Descriptions
Keynote: Abi Paytoe Gbayee
Scaffolding for Creativity
9-10:15
Curiosity drives creativity. If we want to have students who are empowered by creativity, we need to help them develop their curiosity. In this keynote I am going to talk about practical ways you can work to help stuck students by scaffolding creativity for students. We will look at ways to help students gain agency in their ideas and artwork, as well as look at the importance of the ownership of ideas. Let's get creative about meeting students where they are at and empowering them as the artists they are.
AlSi Raku Discussion & Firing
Discussion: 10:30-11:15 & Firing: 12:45-3:15
In this workshop participants will experience the full Raku firing process. Pieces will be provided, and there will be three glazes to work with to finish the pieces. participants will have the option to load the pieces, as well as pull the hot pieces from the kiln and place them in the reduction cans. participants will have the option to be as hands on, or off in the workshop as they wish to be. Participants are welcome to bring one piece of their own that has been bisque fired and is no larger than 6"x6"x6". the best clay to use is anything designated as a Raku Clay, but any white stoneware with grog will work.
*Discussion session open to all conference participants.
**Firing Workshop limited to 12 participants
AlSi Foil Sagger Fire Discussion & Firing
Discussion: 10:30-11:15 & Firing: 12:45-3:15
In this workshop participants will learn about Saggar firing as a whole and where Foil Saggers fit in. This is one of the lowest temperature low alternative fire techniques. We will have discussion based on materials and firings. Each participant will be provided with a piece to decorate and fire. Each participant is also welcome to bring a piece of their own to fire. The piece can be no larger than 6"x6"x6", and must be made from a WHITE stoneware with grog.
NOTE: red clay bodies do not work with this technique unless coated with a white slip.
*Discussion session open to all conference participants.
**Firing Workshop limited to 12 participants
Make & Take with Stone Leaf Pottery
10:30-11:15
Did you know that you can use colored pencils on clay? Play around with putting finishing touches on pre-made birds using this cold finish technique.
Gallery Time
10:30-11:15 & 3:30-5:00
Take advantage of the location for this conference and check out the AMAZING artwork on display at the NIC!
Lunch
11:30-12:30
Lunch provided: build your own sandwiches, sides, drinks and desserts.
Stone Leaf Glaze Workshop
12:45-3:15
Create Two Fun Glaze Projects with Stone Leaf Pottery! We will be going back and forth between two different projects, including how to create a marble effect with glaze! Please bring one to two fan brushes, sizes 6 or 8.
Lisa McDonald Pyansky Eggs
3:30-5:00
Instructor Lisa McDonald has over 50 years of experience making and teaching the art of Ukrainian Easter Eggs- called pysanky. She will explain about Ukrainian Easter traditions and after 2-3 hours, beginners to pros will leave with a beautiful work of art created on a chicken egg. Dress for crafting with long hair tied back as we are working with candle flames and hot wax. All supplies will be provided.
*Limit of 25 participants.
AlSi Wheel Throwing
3:30-5:00
Do you want to learn how to throw on the wheel? Do just want to play with throwing on a wheel? Join AlSi wheel throwing workshop for a guided lesson or just free creative time on the wheel!
Dinner at The Office Bar & Grill
6:00-8:00
Join us for dinner, discussions and bonding at The Office Bar and Grill
(self-pay)
Sunday Session Descriptions
Breakfast
8:15-8:50
Join us for breakfast at the NIC before Awards and sessions begin. Get the chance to meet and chat with this year’s awardees.
Awards
9-9:45
Celebrate amazing Educators and students from all across the state! See the Awards page for more details
Keynote Workshop: Let’s Get Curious!
10-11:30
In this hands-on workshop we are going to become the students, we are going to dig into our curiosity and play with the concept ideation. Let's look at ideas, how to have them, how to have more of them, and what to do with them. Ideally you will walk out with an idea that you hadn't had before you walked in.
Lunch & Evaluations
11:30-12:15
Leftovers or bring your own lunch.
Take an evaluation paper or find the digital evaluation link. Please finish evaluation after your last session and turn it in to the check-in desk (or online) before you leave.
Also think about if you would like to nominate anyone that you know for an award for next year. Nominations forms are available at the check in desk.
Innovation Station: An Artist Trading Card Workshop
12:20-1:20
Participants are invited to create and exchange artist trading cards at the 2024 WYAEA Conference. Traded by groups worldwide, Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) are miniature artworks, no larger than 2.5" x 3.5". In this workshop led by UW Art Education students, a variety of approaches for creating ATCs will be presented – painted, drawn and printed marks, experimental surface designs and use of non-traditional materials. Participants are encouraged to make and swap an ATC, while reflecting on the conference and meeting fellow art educators in Wyoming.
Amy McCormick: Using Design Challenges to Spark Creative Thinking & Generate Synergy
12:20-1:20
Design challenges are an engaging way to introduce content, start the school year, and take students through a creative process. A design challenge can assist to create your classroom culture and can help foster the idea of failure as success, among other benefits. This session will talk about how to run a design challenge, what to do when the challenge is finished and extend the learning, as well as allow time for play and sharing ideas. Participants will leave with knowledge, artifacts, and prompts ready to lead a design challenge in their own classrooms.
Make & Take with Stone Leaf Pottery
12:20-1:20
Did you know that you can use colored pencils on clay? Play around with putting finishing touches on pre-made birds using this cold finish technique.
Stone Leaf: Making Facial Expressions with Clay
1:30-2:30
Make some clay faces with a focus on how to show expressions with Stone Leaf Pottery. Three different kinds of clay provided, including air dry clay (no kiln required!), low fire, and mid fire clays. If your school doesn’t have a kiln but you want to provide a three dimensional art experience, come check out Laguna’s amazing Mexo-White air dry clay!
Leadership in WYAEA
1:30-2:30 (15-30 min)
Want to know more about how to be more involved with WYAEA? We will talk about opportunities as small as helping with a single task at the conference, to as large as becoming an executive board member.
We would also love to hear from you about what you would like to see us do to support you as a member of WYAEA.
Gallery Time
1:30-2:30
Take advantage of the location for this conference and check out the AMAZING artwork on display at the NIC!
Keynote Presenter
Abi Paytoe Gbayee
Abi Paytoe Gbayee is an Assistant Professor at the University of Northern Colorado. Abi spent eighteen years in the classroom before moving up to higher education. She has a BA in art education, a MA in educational leadership, and a PhD in curriculum and instruction, all from the University of Wyoming.
Abi currently serves as the National Art Education Association Pacific Region Vice President Elect, is a part of the planning committee for TAB Colorado, and is a co-host of the TAB Storytellers podcast. She is also a content creator on a few social media platforms in her spare time. Abi is passionate about art education, art educators, and helping students discover themselves as artists.
Beyond the classroom and art education, Abi loves road tripping, paddle boarding, and spending time with her two amazing kids.
Sponsors
Thank you to all of our sponsors, presenters and supporters! We could not have done this without your support.
Evaluation
Use this link to fill out the digital version of the evaluation form after your last session
Or fill out the paper evaluation form and turn it in to the check-in desk before you leave
Share your photos and videos with us!