This page contains the material submitted to the local paper - The Davis Enterprise - for Explorit Science Center's news column published in that paper on Fridays.

Article for: The Davis Enterprise
Date: July 29, 2005
Author: Jonathan Bell

NEW CLASS SERIES OFFERED AT EXPLORIT

Students attending Explorit's new fall classes will have the opportunity to participate in the creation of a permanent mosaic and ceramic free-form bench. The sculpture, to be prominently featured in Explorit's front yard, will allow students inspired by science to leave a legacy behind. Registration for classes has begun and space is limited.

Students may enroll in one of four classes, each centered around a theme. These include earth, air, outer space and water. 

Each class is open to 3rd through 7th graders, takes place on subsequent Saturdays or Sundays and consists of four sessions. Classes begin on September 10 and run through October 2. Registration for these unique classes includes a small materials fee. Call Explorit or visit www.explorit.org for more information.

While working with local artists Linda S. Fitz Gibbon and Lucy Ruth Wright Rivers as well as an Explorit educator students will explore one of these areas and create a portion of the mosaic inspired by the topic. Each student's creation will be attached to the larger sculpture and surrounded with a mosaic created from tile and other recycled ceramics.

Planning for the project began more than a year ago. Fitz Gibbon and Wright Rivers approached Explorit with the idea. Both artists are well established in their fields and have additional experience working as educators with children and adults. Explorit enthusiastically approved the project noting it helps further their mission "to involve people in science experiences that touch our lives."

The artists then applied for the annual City of Davis art contract competition. Again the project was approved providing Fitz Gibbon and Wright Rivers the support needed to continue. Esther Polito, cultural services manager for Davis, was in charge of the competition. She explains that the artists "came to me with their idea. They were pairing with a non-profit and creating something permanent so more people could benefit. Also, they wanted to involve kids in the project, making it a learning experience. It's a natural fit for this program."

It can be challenging to see the connection between science and art. The music of Johann Sebastian Bach is an excellent example of the relationship between the two. He used both the golden ratio and the Fibonacci sequence often. He was also able to improvise complex fugues, an extraordinary mathematical feat. 

Students will make a similar connection by creating art inspired by scientific phenomena. Additionally they will delve into the important scientific processes underlying the project. Both learning about ceramics, glazes, and kiln drying and participating in some hands-on scientific experiments and investigations will be important parts of the class.

Mosaic sculpture is an art form that has been practiced for more than 4,000 years. 

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Explorit Science Center is at 3141 Fifth St. in East Davis. The current exhibition "Construction Zone: Can You Build It?" runs through Sept. 11. Public hours are Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday from 2 to 4:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.explorit.org or call Explorit at (530) 756-0191.