Photo courtesy of Tara Fletcher

314 SOUTH PARK STREET, KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN 49007 | (269)349.7775 | WWW.KIARTS.ORG

GUIDED TOURS AT THE KIA

OUR MISSION
The Kalamazoo Institute of Arts is a nonprofit art museum and school. Since 1924, the Institute has offered
art classes, exhibitions, lectures, events, activities, and a permanent collection. The KIAs mission is to
cultivate the creation and appreciation of the visual arts in West Michigan.

WHAT TO EXPECT
Tours are FREE for schools groups and can be adapted based on grade levels. Through discussion-based
guided lessons, students will be encouraged to look closely at works of art and express their ideas about
them. This emphasis on analytical thinking provides vital support to art studies and other areas of school
curriculumsfrom observation, analysis, problem solving, vocabulary building, and writing skills. All lessons
support Common Core Standards.
During these guided visits museum docents lead interactive, themed-based lessons on works of art through
discussion, writing, drawing, and various other hands-on activities.

School tours are supported

by the following sponsors:

HAROLD AND
GRACE UPJOHN
FOUNDATION

2016 - 2017 EXHIBITIONS

SCALED UP: SCULPTURE BY MARCIA WOOD
October 1 - December 31, 2016
Among Kalamazoos most accomplished sculptors, Marcia Wood (1933-2000) sought an alternative to the
intimidating, out-scaled, minimalist sculpture that she saw dominating public plazas and parks in the
latter part of the 20th century. In large and small scale, her work distilled fundamental human
relationships and basic elements of nature into sculptural forms.

POETRY OF CONTENT: FIVE CONTEMPORARY REPRESENTATIONAL ARTISTS

November 5, 2016 - February 19, 2017
Work by five painters rebuts the idea that representational imagery has gone into hiding. According to
exhibition curator Jerome Witkin, artists Bill Murphy, Gillian Pederson-Krag, Joel Sheesley, Tim Lowly, and
Robert Birmelin continue to "hone to perfection a body of work that I feel will last beyond our time.

LUMINESCENCE: FROM SALVAGE TO SEASCAPE, SCULPTURE BY SAYAKA GANZ

November 19, 2016 - March 19, 2017
See a gallery transformed into a magical, "underwater" installation of colorful and glowing "fish, jellies,
and coral. Guided by sensitivity to the environment and human habits of discarding objects, Ganz
rescues and repurposes plastic utensils and household items as the material of her sculptural creations.

WEST MICHIGAN AREA SHOW 2017

March 4 - June 4, 2017
Each year, a renowned juror (artist, educator, or museum specialist) selects the works to be awarded
over $4,500 in prizes. Submission dates to be announced.

YOUNG ARTISTS OF KALAMAZOO COUNTY

March 25 - April 15, 2017
Art teachers in Kalamazoo County schools submit a selection of works produced by their students. In one
of our most popular shows each year, the KIA's galleries are filled with creative, colorful, and whimsical
art by young artists from kindergarten through eighth grades.

HIGH SCHOOL AREA SHOW AND 6TH DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION
April 29 - June 4, 2017
This annual juried exhibition celebrates the work of high school artists throughout southwest Michigan.
Students who qualify may concurrently enter the 6th District Congressional Art Competition, and the
winner will receive a trip to Washington DC to see his/her art on view in the U.S. Capitol.

GENERAL TOUR INFORMATION

SCHEDULING TOUR GROUPS
All docent-led tours must be scheduled at least 4 weeks in advance. Please select a tour theme, preferred
date/time (alternative dates are helpful), and any specific expectations or special needs the group may have.
We recommend group leaders schedule a walk-through prior to their visit.
Tours are available Tuesday through Friday, from 11am to 4pm. School and Home School tours with hands-on
projects are only available Tuesday through Thursday, from 10am to 12pm. All tours are 1 hour unless
otherwise specified or by request. Please keep in mind, the museum does not have lunchroom facilities. No
food or drink is allowed in the museum.

TOUR SIZE
The minimum group size is 10; maximum is 60. One adult is required for every 15 students (grades 2-12) and
every 10 students (grades preK-1). Teachers and chaperones are responsible for their groups behavior.

TRANSPORTATION
All groups must provide their own transportation to and from the museum. Parking is free. Qualifying
Kalamazoo County K-8 school groups may be eligible for bus stipends to help defray transportation costs.

ACCESSIBILITY
The KIA is committed to making its facilities and programs accessible to all visitors. Museum galleries and
entrances are wheelchair accessible. Restrooms are located in the lobby and are equipped with handicap
stalls. Touchable objects and modifications are available with advanced notice.

To schedule a tour,
please contact:
CANDIE WATERLOO
Assistant Curator of Youth &
Family Programs
Email: candiew@kiarts.org
Phone: (269)349-7775 x. 3161

EARLY LEARNER TOURS

ARTFUL EXPLORERS (Grades K-2)
These tours combine storytelling, guided looking, hands-on activities which boost creative exploration and
discovery. Your early learner is guaranteed to leave feeling inspired and informed!

Follow that Line - Inspired by the book, Lines that Wiggle, we will explore the galleries on the search for
lines. Our quest continues in the studio as we create our own one-of-a-kind sculptures.

Lets go on a Safari! - Beloved childrens author, Eric Carle, is our guide as we roam the galleries on the
hunt for animals and compare different cultural representations of them along the way. We will use what
we have learned to create our own unique animals through the art of collage.

Museum Moods - Our feelings are our guide as we look for works of art which convey certain moods and
discuss how artists illustrate emotion. In the studio, we will experiment with oil, pastel, and watercolor as
we create our own moody works of art.

Students who study art

are 4 times more likely
to be recognized for
academic achievement
and 3 times more likely
to be awarded for
school attendance.

(Grades 3-5)
Formerly known as the Artist Program, the NEW and IMPROVED ArtLab invites your students out of their
classrooms and into our galleries for an engaging, interactive experience. Led by trained museum docents,
ArtLab tours provide students with the opportunity to see art, build vocabulary through discussion, and
create original works of their own with a KIA studio artist. Students will make connections between
classroom learning and the Museum experience, exercise their creative and analytical skills, and increase
visual literacy using the language of art.
ArtLab visits take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10am-12pm or 12 pm2 pm.

I Can Do That - But can you really? Abstract art is often the most misunderstood of art forms. Delve
deeper into the complex themes, ideas, and gestures behind deceivingly simple works of art.

Art In the Round - Art is not just for walls and frames! Explore the objects and materials used to make the
most popular sculptural works in the KIAs Permanent Collection.

The Changing Landscape - As times have changed, so too has our mark on the land. Take a journey
through the ages as we travel from the idealized landscapes of yesterday to the gritty reality of today
tracing our imprint along the way.

PICTURING AMERICA (Grades 5-12)

Enhance your American History curriculums through an interactive and inquiry-based tour! Works of art are
effective tools to help students connect with our unique and rich history. Using visual arts to teach about
history encourages creative and critical thinking. Students are expected to ask questions, seek answers, and
establish connections.
Our collection of American Art dates from the eighteenth century to present and includes many artists
featured in the National Endowment for the Humanities Picturing America program, including Jacob
Lawrence, Louis Comfort Tiffany, and John Audubon. This unique program complements U.S. history
curriculums in the following ways:

Discuss themes relating to the early colonies and American Revolution.

Explore art from the Civil War and Reconstruction eras.

Engage with art from the Gilded Age to the Civil Rights Movement.

Low-income
students who are
highly engaged in the
arts are two times
more likely to earn a
Bachelors degree.

ART IS EDUCATIONAL!
LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR STUDENTS

Exercise critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Engage students in a multi-sensory experience.

Improve visual perception.

Build confidence in each students creative process.

Learn new vocabulary in a real-life setting and create narratives about works of art.

Interpret works of art from a range of historical periods.

Improve the process of inquiry: asking questions, collecting evidence, and constructing explanations.

Convey the importance of museums and other cultural institutions as places for lifelong learning.

RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS

1. BEFORE THE TOUR

2. DAY OF THE TOUR

Recruit chaperones

Wear name tags

Schedule transportation

Review museum manners

Create Name Tags

Pack lightly (no bags, food or drink in museum)

Discuss vocabulary words

Arrive early

Familiarize yourself with the

Arrive at the South Street entrance at least 5 minutes

before your scheduled tour time and have students organized into the proper number of tour groups. If you are
running late, contact the main desk (269)349-7775. As
groups may be scheduled back to back, a late arrival
could shorten your visit. Docents will wait no more than
20 minutes. After that time we reserve the right to cancel
or shorten your tour.

KIA prior to your visit

It can be helpful to know the museums layout,
including restrooms, classrooms, and exhibit
locations. Please call for an appointment.

3. AFTER THE TOUR

Talk about the tour with
your students and round
out the experience with
some post-visit activities

Evaluate your visit

We love your feedback! Please tell us about
your experience by completing the provided
Tour Evaluation form.

VALUE
COLOR
Used to create emotions, define
importance, and more.
PRIMARY COLORS - the only true
colors (red, yellow, and blue).

The lightness or darkness of color.

TINT - white added to a color to
make it lighter.
SHADE - black added to a color to
make it darker.

SECONDARY COLORS - two

primary colors mixed together
(green, orange, violet).

SPACE
An area or distance below,
around, and within a piece of
artwork. It creates the illusion of
distance or depth.

SHAPE
A flat (two-dimensional) area
defined by a line, edge, color,
or texture.
FORM - A three dimentional
object with height, width, and
depth.

TEXTURE
LINE
A mark between two points
that defines space, builds an
outline or pattern, and creates
movement or texture. Lines
can be squiggly, straight,
curved, and more.

The way something feels or looks.

Textures can be bumpy, smooth,
rough, soft, and more. Artists use
visual texture to make something
look like it feels a certain way.

ABSTRACT
Art that does not attempt to
show something real. An artist
takes an image or object and
changes the way is looks by
leaving out the details.

DOCENT
CURATOR
A person who cares for and is in
charge of the objects in a
museum.

A fancy word for tour guide. It is

derived from the Latin word,
docere, which means to teach.

COLLAGE
SCULPTURE

A work of art created by

arranging and gluing
different shapes or images
onto a flat surface.

A three-dimensional work of
art produced by carving,
modeling, molding, shaping,
etc. materials such as clay,
wood, plaster, metal.

COMPOSITION
PORTRAIT
A painting, drawing, or
photograph of a person that
usually only includes the persons
head and shoulders.

LANDSCAPE
A work of art that features
scenes of nature such as
meadows, hills, mountains,
lakes, gardens, rivers, etc.

The placement of forms, shapes,

colors, and value in a work of art.
Artists use composition to direct the
viewers eyes to the most important
part of a painting or picture.

CHAPERONES
Classes tour in small groups of 10-15 students. Each group is led by a trained, museum docent. As tours move
through the museum, chaperones will help keep the group together and ensure the students have a fun and
education experience.
Thank you in advance for being part of your groups guided tour at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts! Here are a
few suggestions for your visit:

Introduce yourself to your group and the museum docent.

Stay with your group during the tour and assist the teachers and docent as needed.

Please turn off all cell phones and other devices so you can be attentive to your group and enjoy the tour.

Be a good role model. Follow and help remind students of the KIAs Museum Manners.

KIA MUSEUM MANNERS

PROTECT. Help us protect the art by not touching the museum objects and keeping a safe distance.
Also remember, no food or drinks are allowed in the museum galleries.

RESPECT. Respect others by using quiet voices when talking about the art or asking questions.

EXPLORE. Stay together while exploring the gallery and walk, not run, from one work of art to the next.