Laura Kattilakoski
Staff Writer
“It’s like a concert tour but with sketchbooks.”
Buy a sketchbook. Fill it out. Sit back as it tours the United States with the hundreds of other sketchbooks made from all over the world.
This year Coppell High School is taking the opportunity to participate in a new way to do art- The Sketchbook Project.
The Sketchbook Project is a nation-wide program where anyone, anywhere in the world can purchase a sketchbook, fill it out, and have a chance to show their work off. There are only two rules: The sketchbook must be used in some way and everything must fit within the dimensions of the sketchbook.
Participants pick a vague “theme” for their book, which can vary from “Things that changed other things” to “Happy thoughts” to “Nightmare”. The book is purchased for a fee of $25.
Tamera Westervelt, teacher of several prestigious art courses at Coppell High School and sponsor of the National Art Honor Society, heard of the online website. After a bit of investigation, she decided to introduce the concept at a National Art Honor Society meeting.
“I learned about it through a student,” Westervelt said. “I thought it would be a fun way for students to be artistic without a grade attached to it and for it not to be an assignment.”
Students had the opportunity to order the sketchbooks through the school organization. However, the project isn’t limited to art students. Anyone can purchase one of these sketchbooks.
The tour exhibits are interactive. Sketchbook owners can track their sketchbooks and see who reads them. The exhibit is compares itself to a library. The books can be checked out by a random viewer, and are then returned to the exhibit.
However, the sketchbooks are not returned. They are stored at the permanent collection at The Brooklyn Art Library for viewing.
The last day to sign up is on November 15, and must be returned by January 15, 2011. Tour destinations visit nine distinct locations all over the United States, including Austin, Texas, Brooklyn, New York and San Francisco, California.
