Earlier this week I spent some time in a few art classes at the ‘Waldorf School of the Peninsula’ in Mountain View. The whole time I was there, I kept thinking how much I would have loved being a student at that school.

Lucy Wurtz, the Development Director of the school, led me around through some classes and talked to me about the artwork that was posted in the halls. Although Waldorf School isn’t specifically an art school and the academic curriculum is rather rigorous, there is a great deal of emphasis on the arts. The high school students study fine arts, practical arts, drama and music. I asked what kinds of “practical arts” the younger students learn and Lucy told me felting, crochet, knitting, and cross stitch.

I filmed some of the classes. In the first part of the little video I was in the “Architectural Design and Model Building” class. The students are using the traditional tools that an architect would use to create diagrams and plans for a new building. I like that it wasn’t being done using AutoCAD or some other quick draw software. They learn how to do it the real way, with engineering rulers, triangles, protractors and a compass. And they even learn how to freehand the proper lettering used on architectural drawings.

I also went into a weaving class. The students were learning to use a loom to make a scarf. The day I visited was the first day of ceramics for the freshmen. They were asked to recreate an organic shape out of clay. The instructor passed out different shapes and everyone went to work with nothing but a ball of clay and a small wooden carving tool. I peeked in on a water color painting class. A few students stood in front of easels and each worked on their “veil paintings.”   They layer many layers of very thin, watery paint to slowly build up the saturation level. The completed images that were hanging in the hallway were beautiful.

And, much to my surprise, my favorite class that I visited was the Eurythmy class. It looked similar to modern dance. The students are learning a sense of space through movement and they’re also learning to communicate sounds through movement. The room is spotless and carpeted and the students take their shoes off. The instructor guides them through each song as the piano plays in the corner of the room. I could have stayed and watched them all afternoon.

I noticed how well all of the students got along with each other and mentioned it to Lucy. She explained to me that many of them have known each other for years and that they feel like family to each other. It is such a nurturing environment and it was obvious that the students were having fun and laughing with each other, not at each other.

Waldorf  School of the Peninsula is having an enrollment open house on March 31^st. It’s for both students and parents. It’s from 10 am to 12:30 pm at their “new campus” here in Mountain View, 180 N. Rengstorff Ave. Waldorf is accredited by WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) and by AWSNA ( Association of Waldorf Schools of North America). I was so impressed with everything I saw and I left feeling like I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to see so many amazing places around town and then write about them. I love Mountain View.

Harriet is originally from Munich and moved to the Bay Area about 14 years ago. She’s been a painter her entire life and her artwork is in collections all over the world, from Germany, to Japan, Australia and the United States. Her newest series is called “Yellowstone.”

The Visual Arts Committee decided last year that the artists featured in the lobby may also sell their artwork if they would like to do so. There are prices on the artwork if it is for sale. A small percentage of the price goes to the Center. It’s really nice for the community to get to look at beautiful one-of-a-kind artwork and to know that they can purchase the items as well. The exhibit changes every 8 weeks. Artists from all over the United States submit their work for this show. The Visual Arts Committee spends a great deal of time studying the images and deciding who will be selected. We’re lucky to live in a community that cares this much about art.

The lobby is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 12 pm to 1 pm and one hour prior to every public performance. The artwork that is for sale may be purchased at the ticket box office Wednesday through Saturday, from noon to 6 pm. For information about upcoming theater productions, please visit the Events Calendar for the Center for the Performing Arts.

 Some of the more recent pieces of public art include the art glass window above the CVS drugstore at the intersection of California and Bryant Streets, and the fence to the Childcare Center on Escuela Avenue. If you go to the city website you can connect to a map of all the public art in Mountain View. Click on each number on the map and a photo will pop up of the art that is in that location on. This map was created as a community service project by several students in the Leadership Mountain View program a few years ago.

 The art in the photograph above is number 24 on the map and it’s called “Boy and Girl in the Calla Lilies.” It is between City Hall and the Center for the Performing Arts. It’s a favorite of many people who work and play downtown and it’s definitely one of the most colorful pieces that we have.

 It is the responsibility of the Visual Arts Committee to send out the “Call for Artists” and then to select the artwork that would be most appropriate for the city to purchase. Their selections are then presented to the members of City Council for the final selection. Last week City Council viewed two pieces that were selected by the Visual Arts Committee for the new Fire Station. City Council voted and the artist selected was Vadim Goretsky. His tall bronze Geese-in-Flight piece will be in front of Fire Station #5 at the intersection of Shoreline and Charleston. Here’s an article about the City Council meeting when the selection was made.

 The Visual Arts Committee also selects that art that hangs in the Center for the Performing Arts. The next round of artists will be selected in the spring and the “Call for Artists” will probably be sent out in February. The request for submissions goes out to everyone on the city’s Artist Registry.  If you are an artist, or know someone who is, and would like to have your name(s) added to the artist registry, please send an email to Michelle.Coral (at) mountainview.gov. Please include your name, contact information, website and media.

 Next time you’re downtown and have a few minutes to spare go inside the Center for the Performing Arts and look at the latest art to adorn the walls. If the Center is closed, but the Bean Scene is open, you are free to go through the coffee shop to get into the Center. Each artist’s work is on display for about 7 weeks and is viewed by thousands of people that go see performances at the center. All over town we have incredible public art to enjoy so take a minute to look at the map in this article and then walk or ride your bike by a few pieces that you might not have known about.

Mountain View Reads Together has selected The Mailbox by Audrey Shafer as the book for 2009. We heard that there will be numerous exciting events planned around this book including a speaking engagement with the author, who is a proud

On a similar note is the City of Mountain View October Arts Challenge. We’re so lucky to live in a community that promotes appreciation and involvement in the Arts. To get involved in the October Arts Challenge simply create some art, appreciate some art and tell others how the art affected you and your name will be entered in a drawing for some great prizes. For more information and for the entry form, go to the Mountain View Arts Challenge website. This is part of a month long celebration for National Arts and Humanities Month. So let’s all be extraordinarily creative for the next few months…