IPaintMyMind's Shared Walls Program From an Art Teacher's Perspective

Hey there!

I’m Roxy. I want to tell you about a fantastic opportunity that you can pass on to other CPS teachers and schools! 

I accepted an invitation to join the IPaintMyMind Board of Directors. IPaintMyMind is a Chicago-area arts nonprofit that I have been involved with for 4 years. I can’t wait to tell you about it. 

When I first reached out to IPaintMyMind, I taught at Austin College & Career Academy, and our art budget was so low. I wanted to fill the halls with something that would encourage my students and show them that their school was worthy of having an art gallery inside it! My students absolutely loved having art in our hallways and felt proud to know about the artist and the artwork came from. 

I’ve continued to work with them at Northwest Middle School, allowing me to work with local artists Dan Grezca and Grae Galindo.

As part of IPaintMyMind’s Shared Walls Program, each school receives:

• 12 to 20 framed pieces of art installed in the school as a “professional art gallery”
• The IPaintMyMind Art Guide, which includes an Engagement Plan which builds toward a Student Art Gallery
• Art Resources, Free Local Art Experiences, & Monthly Emails with bonuses
• An Artist Workshop exploring technique and a hands-on activity 

The program is FREE to any CPS school in Year 1, then schools can work with IPMM to fund the program in Years 2 and beyond. That way IPMM can continue to bring art and programs to new spaces citywide every year while building relationships like the one I’ve built with them over the years.

The Shared Walls Program by IPaintMyMind has done more than make our school beautiful, it has created a learning environment where we are respectful and engaged by the art in our school; a place that is not just a school but a cultural institution. 

I highly encourage you to apply for our Shared Walls Program for the 20/21 school year. The waitlist application is live now, so go ahead and check it out!

Here is the link to our info page for CPS schools, as well as the link to our Waitlist Application for schools to apply for 2020/2021 (which is also on that page).

Our full application goes live in February, but the best way for any school to ensure acceptance for next year is by filling out the Waitlist Application now.

Link List

1. IPaintMyMind - Info for CPS Schools: https://ipaintmymind.org/free-loaned-art/ 
2. Shared Walls by IPaintMyMind: Waitlist Application for 2020/2021: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1qEu6DjON4nW6wXNXWNGkVzbw6V9iesQ-beH5BCrVMkE

Simply put, IPMM is awesome. They support artists & give back to local communities, and it’s been a really special part of my job as an educator to be part of their effort to support artists, kids, and educators like you and me.

That’s me, Roxy! My class was learning more about Grae Galindo of Chicagoteria before making their own prints!

That’s me, Roxy! My class was learning more about Grae Galindo of Chicagoteria before making their own prints!

I’m honored to be part of the IPMM mission as a board member and look forward to helping connect more communities with the power of art through IPaintMyMind’s art services & programs. 

Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions regarding IPaintMyMind at [email protected], I’d be happy to help!

All the best, Roxy Piersanti

Art Teacher @ Northwest Middle School / IPaintMyMind Board Member

Check out more content like this on our blog! This article was originally published at https://ipaintmymind.org/art-teachers-perspective-working-with-ipaintmymind/.