WELCOME TO BATS!   
Bringing Art, Art History and Museum experiences to
Lake Tahoe Elementary School Children

Welcome Penny Fairfield!
Joy Rogers, Director, passes the leadership role to Penny Fairfield

After many years of growing the Bringing Arts To Schools program, Joy Rogers, Director from 2008 - 2011, is passing on director leadership to Penny Fairfield, as Interim Director, who has the same passion and love for the arts in schools, as Joy does.

As an enthusiastic BATS volunteer, Penny has brought exciting art projects to the classroom and energy to the program. We welcome Penny as she takes the reigns of this ever-growing and much-needed program in our community. The program will remain as it has, but with Penny's new leadership vision.

We want to thank Joy Rogers with highest honor and gratitude for her many years of leadership and program development. Joy's vision and leadership skills grew this program to new heights and developed a true link between the schools and community through many programs such as:

Lake Tahoe Community College Haldan Gallery Field Trip Tours, where students receive a real cultural experience in the arts through visual tours, lectures, and related hands-on projects.

El Dorado County Library Art Shows, where students displayed their art for the community to view, throughout the academic year.

Courthouse Permanent Collections: One of Joy's greatest achievements includes working with the local Courthouse, where BATS now has three major permanent art projects on display: Silk Hangings, Mexican Folk Art Metal Art, and an Abstract Collage.

Because of Joy's vision and tireless energy, the BATS program has grown into a true community and educational program, serving more than 1800 children each year.

Additionally, Joy will be the first to say that all of her accomplishments were possible because of the more than 100 volunteers who serve as art teachers at the five schools in South Lake Tahoe. We thank all of our volunteers for their continuous support and hard work!

Thank you Joy Rogers!

On behalf of Joy Rogers and the BATS volunteers, we welcome Penny Fairfield as BATS new Interim Director.

Courthouse Newest Installation
Some of the children's Mexican folk metal art is permanently displayed at our local Courthouse. Look for it on the walls as you ascend the staircase to the second floor.
Also, be sure to view a very large Abstract Collage created by our BATS children which has been added to the permanent collection at the Courthouse.

Spring 2011 was filled with creative classes, and we captured some in photos. Check out our May 2011 Art Show too! Click here to view photos.

Abstract Collage
El Dorado County Courhouse • Permanent Collection

Mexican Folk Art—Metal Art
El Dorado County Courhouse • Permanent Collection

May 29, 2011
Lynne Brosch, BATS Assistant Director, wrote a very nice BATS article covering our latest Art Show, in which Becky Bell just posted on her Tahoe Arts and Mountain Culture website. To read this fantastic article Click here. Thank you, Lynne!

MAY 26 at 5:30pm! Don't miss the Annual Art Show at each of the Elementary Schools! This year is sure to be exciting!

Mural Project at Bijou!
Liv Seeman taught MURAL MAKING for the theme of FUN & FITNESS with Jenny Dickinson's 3rd grade class! These photos show all the fun these kids had--the weather couldn't have been better!

Getting Started!

The Paint Cart:

Details and Focus!

It only blew away once! Whew!

Finished "Fun & Fitness" Mural
Ski • Hike • Soccer • Run • Rollerblade • Kayak• Swim

Spring Events 2011

In addition to our extensive 2-D art programs and projects, we offer children 3-D and this spring has been one of the best yet! We want to thank Mollie Mason, Ann Thennes and Lynne Brosch for their creative efforts and outstanding teaching!

Lynne Brosch just brought this new project to BATS. She offered this project to a fourth grade class at Bijou. We hope to offer more of these classes in the future. Thank you Lynne!

Here are some fabulous photos from Ann Thennes' class at Bijou this spring! Fun times!

Mollie Mason brought a lot of excitement to Magnet School's Anne Aaron 1st & 2nd grade class this spring!

March 2011

The Mountain News, March 2011 issue, published our article about the BATS program. Thank you Taylor Flynn for featuring our article. This article gives a good overview of our program and what we have accomplished. Pick up an issue today!

PORTRAITS galore!
Liv Seeman, one of our very creative art volunteer instructors taught a class in portraiture to Jenny Dickinson's 3rd Grade class at Bijou. I can see Tahoe is going to be honored with many portrait artists with these kinds of classes! Enjoy the photos and creativity. Thank you, Liv!

Here are a few photos... Click to see more.

Visiting Artists Program
This new program has caught on so well that we have more than 27 classes scheduled for the spring semester! Students have the opportunity to learn about local artists and their techniques, then create an art project in their style. We send a warm thank you to all of the artists who are participating in this valuable program! This following article features one of our talented artists, Natalie Johnson....

Mexican Folk Art Using Tin! Taught by Natalie Johnson
Thank you Natalie for introducing Tahoe's Kids to Mexican Tin Art traditions that date back to the 16th century. These are beautiful and the children loved creating them. Enjoy the photos!

Here is Natalie teaching a student this exciting new art form in Ms. Acebal's grade 3 immersion class at Bijou.

Here are some photos from Natalie Johnson's metal class. The children loved learning about this

February 26, 2011

Students in Kit Night's art class were having healthy, artsy fun with their fruit bowl and smoothie collages! This is just one of the many special classes we offer featuring local professional artists.

NEW!!! BATS now offers greeting cards of students art! See images below of smoothies and fruit bowls that are now available. All proceeds help support the BATS program. We appreciate your continued support!

GREETING CARDS

These images below are now available as Greeting Cards. If you are interested in purchasing a set of cards, please contact Penny Shrawder at pennyart@earthlink.net today!

All proceeds help support the BATS program.

February 2011

Already, the BATS program has been in full gear! We are framing posters of photography from the Haldan Gallery visits and art projects last year. These will be hung at the schools and soon at Lake Tahoe Community College. Below are a few examples.

Click on posters to enlarge:

At the end of each school year, we have an art show at all five schools schools representing the work of our talented young artists! Here are a few photos from our past shows and photos of our staff.

Linda Mueller: E. Magnet School Lead Volunteer:

Dixie Murnane, Sue Stevenson, BATS Director Joy Rogers:

Penny Shrawder and Joy Rogers
Display of the quilt banner, now permanently displayed at the courthouse:

December Activity

BATS makes a difference because of our volunteers, here is Joy Rogers along with two of our volunteers who help make BATS the best Art Program in South Lake Tahoe! Meet Liv Seeman, BATS teacher, and Molly Mason LTCC Haldan Gallery Assistant and BATS teacher. Thank you for all your caring work!

Haldan Gallery Field Trip Photos!
The children love Haldan Gallery. So much so, that we have expanded it to a year-round program. Here are a few photos from the December 2 trip: Bijou School Fifth Grade. Enjoy! Thank you Alice Jones for taking these photos!

Sierra House School has been so creative this tfall. Here is the latest very cool project—a 3rd Grade class mural, with lots of kids and the photos of the students sprinkled throughout. Very clever. Enjoy! Kudos to our Sierra House Lead Volunteer Rachel Kallas for her creativity ;-).

Non-Objective Art in Mr. Henderson's class

Project idea and creation by our talented volunteer teacher, Bonnie Turnbull. Thank you, Bonnie!

A very cool Non-Objective Art project in Mr. Henderson's class. A few of these have been chosen for our BATS greetnig cards.

December Newsletter Article
BATS Endeavors Take Wing
by Penny Shrawder

You don't have to look far to find the BATS kids and their art in this town! Joy Rogers, Director, is ready to hang children's art in the El Dorado County Library. Imagine the thrill those children experience seeing their work in a public exhibit!

Haldan Gallery Field Trips
The BATS program is expanding its Haldan Gallery field trips. Joy has received so many requests for the Haldan Gallery Field Trips, that we are offering them during the fall and winter now. In the past few years we offered these field trips in the spring only to nearly 700 children each year. In October and November this year alone, we have six trips scheduled and will give tours and activities to 350 children. Wouldn't it be great to grow this to the point that all 1800 children in South Lake Tahoe are able to visit the Haldan Gallery? If you would like to help volunteer or with a donation to this BATS program, please contact Joy Rogers.

The BATS program pays for the buses that take the children to the Haldan Gallery and then back to school. We also furnish art projects and supplies, along with the help from Phyllis Shafer, Director of the Lake Tahoe Community College Art Department.

Bijou School Mural
Excitement is growing at Bijou Elementary School as their mural is almost complete! We thank Matt Kauffmann, the committee chair of Sphere of Influence, who made this project happen. Our next step is to have the children of Bijou dip their hands in paint and stamp them on the mural. We know the children will love having a long-lasting impression of their handprints on the walls of Bijou.

Volunteer Classes
Keep a watch out for more volunteer training classes, held by Gina Stowell. These classes are fun and you can create an art piece to take home with you. If you are interested in participating in a BATS volunteer workshop, please contact Joy Rogers.

Thank yous
Every year we receive Thank-You notes from children who participate in our art program. Here is a sampling of letters. It makes our program all worthwhile! Enjoy! Just click on any of the letters to go the Thank You page:

Volunteer Class is a Blast!  
Gina Stowell taught the first Volunteer Art class this week and the volunteers had a great time. Gina taught many different art techniques and included tips on how to teach an art class. Whether you are new, or are curious about teaching art, or a current teacher who would like fresh ideas, please join us in an upcoming class, please call Joy Rogers at
530-573-1657 today for current schedule! These classes are FREE!

Bijou School Mural Project, headed by the youth and student artist group, Sphere of Influence, lead by the director, Matt Kauffman, is a huge success! These images below show the first stage of the project. The next step is to have the children of Bijou school paint on the mural and incorporate their handprints. Supplies for this project were donated by our BATS program. Stop by and see the progress!

CHALK 4 PEACE Event at Bijou School on September 26, 2010
Bijou School participated in the second annual CHALK4PEACE event. This is a nationwide event. BATS supplied chalk for those creative children who shared a Peace message. We will post photos soon! Carrie Gult was the organizer for this event. Click to see the photo
gallery! Click to read about the organization.

FACEBOOK Page
As you notice, we have created a BATS Facebook page where we will post happenings, offer discussion topics, be there for questions and comments. If you are on Facebook, join our group and stay connected! If you aren't a Facebook member, now's a great time to join!

October 2010 News from the Director

To All Volunteers: Training Classes scheduled!
The volunteer training classes are now scheduled for
October 11, 12, 25, 26.
Our instructor will also offer classes in November
if there is interest in them. This is a great opportunity
to learn about new art projects with hands-on activities,
and how to teach a class.
Call Joy Rogers today to sign up! 530-573-1657.

New Volunteers have joined the exciting BATS program and we want to welcome them!

Assistant Director Lynne Brosch is our new Assistant Director. As BATS continues to grow, more projects are created and help is very much needed and appreciated. Welcome Lynne!

Lead Volunteer for St. Theresa's
Becky Alcon is now the Lead Volunteer for St. Theresa's and we are very excited to have her join our team! Thank you Becky!

Leav Volunteers for E. Magnet School
Linda Mueller and Amber Salmon
Linda and Amber were very involved last year helping Carina McConaughey, who was the Lead Volunteer at that time. Both Linda and Amber are pros and we are so happy to have them take the leadership role this year!

Lead Volunteer for Tahoe Valley
Alison Green is new to the BATS program and has jumped right in to help as a Lead Volunteer. She stepped into the school and immediately got supplies inventoried and projects going. Tahoe Valley is very fortunate to have Alison heading the arts program!

Lead Volunteer for Sierra House
While Rachel Kallas is not a new volunteer, she certainly deserves special recognition as has been the Lead Volunteer for quite a few years now at Sierra House and is always so reliable and creative! We so appreciate your help!

September 2010 News from the Director
It has been a very fast summer, and along with the school buses seen around town, we have already noticed that our weathe

r is cooling quite a bit, and it is time for Bringing Art to Schools. We just replenished all of the schools with fun art supplies and ideas for another exciting BATS art year.

Haldan Gallery Field Trips
We are expanding our program this year to include more field trips to the Lake Tahoe Community College Haldan Gallery. Every few months Haldan Gallery offers new exhibits, and in the past, we have kept our field trips limited to May and June. These field trips are so popular that we decided to offer them throughout the school year. Now we will be able to offer real gallery experiences to even more children; and for many of them, this will be their only experience with an art gallery/museum. The field trips include busing to and from the Haldan Gallery, a talk and discussion about the exhibit, and an associated art project for the children. See our website for photos from our previous trips.

BATS has many volunteer opportunities, so if you would like to help in some way, please call Director, Joy Rogers, today 530-573-1657. All of our supplies and the buses program are paid for by BATS, if you would like to donate to our growing program, please contact Joy Rogers.

In Memory of Dixie Murnane
Now for a very special honoring and remembrance of Dixie Murnane, who often volunteered for BATS, always with enthusiasm and encouragement. She is loved by us all and we really miss her. Here is a photo of her teaching with Kit Night in May 2010. Dixie, you were the dearest to us all.

June 2010 News from the Director

Click to read our June BATS Article: BATS Tales: End of the Year "Guano"
And see a few more photos!

Photos from the very successful 2010 LTCC Haldan Art Gallery Field Trips
As you may have read, BATS is affording the opportunity for 700 school children to visit the LTCC Haldan Gallery this year. Additionally, Phyllis Shafer, Director Art Department at LTCC, is supporting the purchase of supplies and personnel help for the art project, which is part of the children's experience at the Gallery. Thank you, Phyllis! Here are the first of the photos to come in from the Gallery tour!

And the Children really enjoyed making Sun Prints!

Photos from the LTUSD Open House May 27, including BATS Art Show!
The Student Art Show at each of the schools was a big success! Lots of art and lots of parents at the shows. Here are a few photos from Bijou Elementary School. Enjoy!

May 2010 News from the Director

Annual Haldan Gallery Field Trips: May 10 through June 17
May 2010 begins our annual field trips to the Haldan Gallery, Lake Tahoe Community College. There is a fantastic show up this year, and I have arranged field trips and art projects for more than 700 elementary students this year with the help of Phyllis Shafer, Director, Art Department, and our grantors, who make this monitarily possible. This is the first year we are fully booked.

Additionally, we were fortunate enough to receive a grant to purchase cameras for our students to use during these field trips. If you haven't seen the newest Haldan show, stop by. We will post photos soon!

LTUSD Open House May 27, including BATS Art Show!
Whether you have children attending the elementary schools, or not, you will want to stop by at least one of the elementary schools this year for their end-of-the-year Open House, scheduled May 27, 4pm - 7pm. Artwork from the 600 BATS art classes, during this past academic year, will be showing in the multipurpose rooms at each of the schools. Thanks to all of our grantors, as of last year, we now have official art grids on which to professionally display all the artwork.

Art Quilt to Show at the El Dorado Library
Below is a photo of a quilt from a fabric painting class I taught in Mrs. Carter's Kindergarten class. With white fabric, fabric markers and an art subject matter of Shapes, these children really expressed themselves well.

This quilt is a great example of the exciting talent that our students have and how much they love their art classes. This quilt will be on display at the El Dorado Library over the next few weeks, where field trips have been scheduled to explore the library and see their art.

We will present this quilt as a gift to Mrs. Carter, as she will retire next year. She has always been such a big supporter of the BATS program. Thank you, Mrs. Carter!

New and Prospective Volunteers
We have information on our program and what is involved as a volunteer. Click for our program description.

Go to our Program page for more information on our program. Thank you for your interest in giving children the gift of art and expression!

We bring art to the schools in South Lake Tahoe!

The BATS Program is an art appreciation and art history program, offered to all 1800 students in the five Lake Tahoe Unified School District Elementary Schools, K - 5th grade levels.

This important visual arts program presents a unique opportunity for elementary students to become more informed about classic works of art, their meanings, and the styles and movements that inspired them.

As required by California’s State Standards for Arts Education, the BATS Program teaches artistic perception, creative expression, the historical and cultural context of the arts and the ability to make judgments about art that will develop the critical thinking skills needed in a high-tech economy.

If you would like to volunteer, click for details

If you would like to donate to our program, please contact:
Tahoe Art League: 530-544-2313

The BATS program is under the auspices of the
Tahoe Art League
Please click to visit their site:
TALart.org
to find out more about
Tahoe's best art and artists'
resources, classes, shows
and events.

Click to view Haldan
Gallery Field Trip Photos
from 2009

Donations

Our program relies on
grants and donations.
If you would like to donate
to our program, please contact Tahoe Art League
Penny Fairfield
530-544-2313

Thank you!

How would you
define "Art"?

Here is a thought-
provoking description:

What is Art?