Celebrate the Moon in Art 2008

Hello everyone

Lets get stuck into 2008 with a bit of energy and drive, lets grab it, and shake the best out of it

You may remember the Celebration of 50 Years of Space in Art 2007. Several schools and other groups joined in the celebrations. They produced some fabulous rich colourful, beautiful drawings, paintings and 3D art to add to the party. The artworks were all exhibited at Gonzaga College on the evening of October 4th, enhancing the energetic anniversary talk by Dr John Mason.



The artworks then travelled down to Birr where they filled the entire length
of the speakers room in Dooley's Hotel. At Whirlpool the children's art mixed with adult astronomical art and beautiful photography from IFAS members from all parts of Ireland. The artworks were viewed by astronomers from both Ireland and
overseas for the three days of Whirlpool 2007. Further life was lived by the same children's art in Science Week in November.

Dublin City Library's were delighted to display the art in library's close as possible to the children's schools, so parents and friends could see it.
Remember Science Week is Nationwide and events are held in local librarys nationwide.

Now the teachers who got involved were delighted with the response of the children and the work produced. The children were so proud to have their work shown alongside grown up astronomical work. The schools were proud of their pupils, and each school had mini exhibitions when the work was returned to them in late November. There was a lot of learning attached to this entire excersise, so it is worth building on.

The Library's were very happy to have this work enhance their Science Week events. Whirlpool and Gonzaga were pleased and proud to welcome it also. Dunsink Observatory exhibited some of the work with pride..So a lot of positive spin offs from this first effort in celebrating exploration in art.

Now if your appetite is whetted, this is the theme for 2008, the same schools are keen to join in and I am hopeful that other groups will get involved this time. Celebrate the Moon 2008 is the idea, encourage children to look at the Moon, draw the moon in any media in any colour or texture, naked eye, in the night or day. In any phase, in any way at all, celebrate anything Moon, moon exploration, moon rockets, moons of other planets, moon missions past or future, serious, romantic, dramatic moons of all kinds welcome.

The idea is really aimed for International Year of Astronomy 2009. I wish to build up some momentum with 2007/2008 so that by 2009 we will have something really really special to showcase a Celebration of Astronomy via art in a very broad way.

So now if you are involved with schools, scouts, guides, brownies, active aged, clubs, et cetra have a think about it and start the notion soon so you can harvest some fine wonderful work later this year.

picasaweb.google.com/skysketcher/SpaceInArt

oh here is a reminder of some of the Art from 2007 !!!
Regards and Happy New Year

Deirdre Kelleghan
President
Irish Astronomical Society
Public Relations Officer IFAS
www.deirdrekelleghan.com/
Oscail do Shuile D'iontas na Cruinne
Open Your Eyes to the Wonder of the Universe