E D U C A T I O N
Briscoe is S.M.A.R.T Art Partnership
STORY
In 2008 S.M.A.R.T. was approached by Briscoe Elementary teacher, Sarah Christal. She asked if we would be willing to teach an art class to the students. They did not have art in their school at the time - zero. We said we would, but that they had to come over to the S.M.A.R.T. campus to engage an authentic artistic experience. We began with one class and today S.M.A.R.T. now serves all grade levels pre-k through 5th. The Briscoe S.M.A.R.T. relationship is unprecedented and powerful. It is the only public school in the State of Texas where children leave their campus during the school day to take art.
In 2017 Briscoe was certified as an International Baccalaureate World School focused on world music and fine arts.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Briscoe S.M.A.R.T. art partnership is the only one of it's kind in the San Antonio Independent School District. S.M.A.R.T.S.'s TEKS and IB aligned art programming directly supports Briscoe Elementary's IB World School curriculum. Through STEAM based art education S.M.A.R.T. introduces students to multiple art forms using a 4 step process.
MISSION
To support the IB goals of Briscoe Elementary and create a foundation for creative expression through our 4 step art education curriculum: Tours, Studio classes, Presentation and Exhibition.
NEWS
2022 Fifth Grade end of year field trip!
This year S.M.A.R.T. took our Briscoe Elementary 5th grade classes on an end of year urban art field trip. A first for us and them! We all had SO much fun that this will be an annual end of year event. With a quick bus ride to downtown we engaged with Centro's public art experience, headed over to Hopscotch for an immersive mural experience and ended with a behind the scenes tour of the
Tobin Performing Arts Center! Thank you to artist Rudy M. Herrera, Centro, Hopscotch and the Tobin for your support! See you next year!
PROGRAMMING
Pre-K - 5th Grade
S.M.A.R.T. teaches every grade level once a week for 4 weeks from Sept- May. Each class leaves their campus
and crosses the street to learn in our professional art studio setting.
Full curriculum link coming soon!
Pre-K
Tours
Withe our pre-K babies we introduce ourselves, take a tour, start dropping art terms on them and add a quick studio day.
Kinder
Clay
In kinder we explore our sense of touch and motorskills by creating with clay.
1st Grade
Abstract Painting
For this 4 week series, students learn the art of emotional painting. They attend lecture, 2 weeks of studio time, presentation day and studio visit with professional abstract painter
Sandy Whitby.
2nd Grade
Urban. Suburban. Rural
Studying the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, students construct and design a large scale San Antonio.
3rd Grade
Art is Neuroscience
Studying optical Illusion art and artist Bridget Riley, students engage the senses and take a deep dive into the brain and neuroscience with our partners from UTSA Dept of Neurology.
4th Grade
Assemblage
Studying artist Louise Nevelson, students connect the final installation to the theme of culture and representation.
5th Grade
Contemporary Art
Conceptually S.M.A.R.T. invites the students to engage with their senses, resulting in a collaborative mural based on the topic of LOVE.
ARTIST TALKS
Artist talks with 4th and 5th grade provide critical access and opportunity to engage with professional artists. Our students LOVE this time. Q & A always proves to be vibrant, mind opening and full of story telling on both sides!
ABOUT beMOCA
Inspired by KSMoCA in Portland, Oregon, beMOCA is a contemporary art museum located inside of Briscoe Elementary School (PreK-5th) in San Antonio, Texas. Founded January 2020, the Museum is an innovative collaboration that allows elementary students to partner with graduate art students and professional artists as they discuss, create and display contemporary art. Students learn through experience about museum practice and careers in the arts by participating as beMOCA’s artists, curators, and writers. beMOCA reenvisions the relationships between public schools, museums and universities and creates new perspectives and opportunities by overlapping resources and ideas across the San Antonio art community.
PROJECT GOAL
Our goal is to utilize the language of contemporary art and museum practice to inspire students to explore their artistic voice and make community connections. We want our students to understand the power of the artistic process from inception to its final destination in the museum. We seek to demonstrate the depth and richness of student experience when there is cross collaboration among institutions and community.
beMOCA STUDIO
beMOCA studio launched January 14, 2020. This is where the students experiment, write, fail, succeed, brainstorm, discuss and create. It is their laboratory.
P A R T N E R S
