The Dallas LOVE Project 2:14 PM

A BIG project is brewing!
Many of the arts organizations in Dallas are partnering together to form
The Dallas LOVE Project. A summit meeting of arts and education leaders was held at the offices of 29 Pieces on March 2. More details to come!


Karen Blessen, Co-Founder/President of 29 Pieces

Steven Bourn, DART

Karen Blessen leads the discussion

Willie Baronet, Artist and SMU Professor,contributing to the Love Project discussion.
Willie is a participating artist in MasterPEACE and has volunteered his time as a photographer for 29 Pieces

Diane O'Connor, Librarian, Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women's Leadership School

Will Richey and Alejandro Perez from Journeyman Inc perform for the group.

Happy 2013!
Thank you for your support in 2012.  29 Pieces’ successful programs operate at the potent intersection of art, social and emotional learning and spirit.  We ask you to continue to support our work which uses art to teach strategies for peace to children (MasterPEACE) and to adults (Creative Connections). 

What Works? 12:35 PM

“All of the 29 Pieces MasterPEACE lessons should be required 

for Dallas ISD schools.”

Maria Teresa G. Pedroche, Head of Community Engagement & Connections
Dallas Museum of Art

“29 Pieces’ MasterPEACE lessons support our work in 

social and emotional learning at Salesmanship Club’s Jonsson School

and they will do the same for any school.”
Sandy Nobles, Director of Education

Salesmanship Club Youth and Family Centers (SCYFC) of Dallas, TX

Salesmanship Club Youth & Family Center Professionals Make Collaborative Peace Artwork 3:23 PM

Karen Blessen and Vicki Millican recently trained about 40 professionals at the Salesmanship Club Youth and Family Center.  They conducted a team building and staff development session using the MasterPEACE Commitment lesson.

The small tabs around the edges of the artwork indicate each artist’s individual commitment to peace.

“The MasterPEACE lessons supports our work in social and emotional learning at Salesmanship Club’s Jonsson School, and they will do the same for any school.”

Sandy Nobles, Director of Education

Salesmanship Club Youth and Family Centers (SCYFC) of Dallas, TX

MasterPEACE student artwork

This week of "thankful" reflection brings to mind all those supporters, donors, and friends who have helped us grow the MasterPEACE program and made it such a wonderful success.  You have stood beside us in collaboration and support.  

Our fall training was well attended by teachers from across the Metroplex and now they are teaching their first MasterPEACE lesson to their own students! 

We are so THANKful for your GIVING...your time, treasure and talents...to 29 Pieces and MasterPEACE! Thank you for taking a stand for PEACE for and with our students.  May this holiday week bring peace and thanksgiving to you all!

MasterPEACE Teacher Training 5:17 PM

Teachers from Irma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School, Uplift Charter Schools, L.L. Hotchkiss Elementary and the Maya Angelou High School for Pregnant and Parenting Teens attended last Saturday’s training session.

The entire month of October has been full of MasterPEACE training sessions. Teachers, counselors and staff from ten different schools/organizations were represented in the training.   A 235-page full-color online instructional manual has been produced that teachers are using to bring the 14 art-based lessons on peace and nonviolence to many new classrooms.

MasterPEACE: Young Artists Making a Kinder World has achieved great success in the past year, its fourth in Dallas classrooms. In these four years our staff and volunteer corps of 30 artists and instructors taught the program to over 3,000 children in 16 schools.  This Pilot program to train teachers to conduct the art-based lessons themselves will bring MasterPEACE to thousands more children.

MasterPEACE Facebook Group has been created to encourage sharing of ideas, experiences and student artwork as the teachers/counselors start to conduct the MasterPEACE lessons.

 

MasterPEACE Teacher Training 1:24 PM

MasterPEACE Teacher Training during the month of October! 

We have teachers from several schools and institutions represented, such as Maya Angelou School for Pregnant and Parenting Teens, 

Baylor College of Dentistry, and Multiple Career Magnet School. 

29 Pieces is now accredited by the Texas Education Agency to give staff development credits to teachers who train in MasterPEACE with us.