Washington School Students Experience 'Art For the Sky'

This week, Washington School students were able to experience a unique program with artist-in-residence Daniel Dancer, who shared his program “Art for the Sky.”

On Monday, Dancer created what he calls a “giant living painting made of people.”He created the outline of a wildcat (Washington School’s mascot) on the school’s field, using black and tan mulch (donated by Bartell Farm and Garden Supply and the Garwood Home Depot). Students in different grades were assigned a particular color to wear (either black or tan), and filled in the outline of the drawing, using their bodies. The result was a unique piece of artwork, and an experience that the Washington School community won’t soon forget.

The project was photographed and filmed by a volunteer group of Washington School parents, including Lee Feinberg, the father of a fifth-grader, who along with Daniel Dancer, photographed the event and live artwork from a 70-foot crane, donated by United Crane in Elizabeth.  From atop the crane, Dancer told the students how beautiful the artwork looked, and had the school observe a minute of silence. Following the moment of silence, on the count of three, the children all shouted “one with the sky!”

Tuesday morning, Washington students and faculty were able to see the results of Monday’s work in a school-wide assembly where they viewed the film with video and still photos of Monday’s art creation. Dancer cites working with the kids and making the film that commemorates the process as among his favorite pieces of his artist-in-residence program.

Through his work with the kids, Daniel Dancer (who refers to himself as an "artivist") teaches about the relationship between people and the environment, global warming, and what kids need to do moving forward to protect the earth.

This was Dancer’s first experience working with a school in New Jersey; he has created “Art for the Sky” in 27 states. 

Dancer hopes to get across what he calls the “6 teachings” through his time with the students:

1-Intention – each sky art creation begins with an intention to make the world a better place for the creature we embody on the field.

2-Sky sight, by which Dancer means the ability to take a broader view of things.

3-Collaboration – taking the opportunity to succeed together as one.

4-Interconnection, or the realization that we are all a part of something immense and beautiful, whether it be this artwork, their school, or something as large as the world we live in.

5-Gratitude, for the experience of “being” the art and then releasing it, to gratitude for their daily lives.

6-Impermanence, an understanding that nothing lasts forever.

Art for the Sky was made possible by funds raised by the Washington School PTO, and by donations from local businesses, including the Thrift Shop of Westfield.