In case you weren’t aware of the latest accomplishment from our Maury artists (Trashion Fashion follow up post coming soon!), StudioMaury’s biggest fan, Elizabeth Nelson, has worked day and night to ensure a gallery show for our 4th grade Super Hero project at the beautiful HillCenter Galleries! Below is an article published by Elizabeth from this month’s Hill Rag describing our process from first fibers to opening reception! Pick up a copy and come out and support local arts at HillCenter Monday night from 6-7:30 pm. I know our superhero students would love to see as many Maury Cougars in the crowd as their fantastic fiber arts make their public debut on June 8!
Step aside, X-men, Batman and Wonder Woman. Take a break, Spiderman, Iron Man and Supergirl. A new generation of Super Heroes is taking center stage at HillCenter this month. The Heroes are the invention of fourth grade students at Maury ES where art teacher, Lauren Bomba, set out to stretch their understanding of textiles, fibers, craft media and contemporary art. The study culminated with the creation of their own personal super heroes made from socks and found materials. These “avatars” incorporate the students’ ideas about their own best qualities – what makes each of them “super”.
The students began by exploring the various properties of fibers, where they come from and how they are prepared for use. The goal was for students to understand the artistic process from start to finish and to gain an appreciation for the effort, dedication and time it takes to create a textile from scratch. Handcrafted objects reflect, in a deeply personal way, the spirit and intention of their creators adding value beyond functionality.
Hand Spinning raw wool to demonstrate how short fibers lock to create continuous yarn!
Ms. Duckett’s class collaborated to create what we think is the world’s longest piece of hand spun fiber!
Ann Barsi taught us how to deconstruct old thrift shop sweaters made from cashmere and merino wool (the expensive stuff in stores) as a way to re-purpose fiber! These students are “frogging” the wool (rip-it, rip-it, rip-it) to create cakes of yarn that will then be washed before being knit into new sweaters!
We lit numerous different plant, animal and synthetic fibers on fire as a means of exploring different fiber properties. Watch out for cotton, that stuff really ignites, unlike wool. 
Next we learned how hot water, soap, and agitation help fibers lock in place (like when you shrink your favorite wool sweater in the washing machine accidentally). We made more functional soap balls by felting the wool to create exfoliating bath treats through this process!
As one student put it, “This is the cleanest my hands have EVER been!” Ewww?
Sticking our fibers into tubs of colored Kool Aid let us see how well different fibers accept dye. Synthetic fibers reject the die but animal and plant fibers eat it right up! Check out these brilliant colors! Warning: If Kool Aid does this to fiber, imagine what it’s doing to your insides!
Students selected their colors and mixed them to create their desired secondary and tertiary color schemes.
After examining spinning, felting and dyeing, the fiber arts unit concluded with the study of knitter, print-maker, and performance artist, Mark Newport. Newport is best known for his life-size, hand-knit costumes representing both traditional super heroes and those of his own creation. His work challenges the idea that all superheroes must be strong, fast and covered in impenetrable metal in order to be heroes. He draws his own superhero strength from participating in a craft tradition passed down through generations of women in his family. Knitting his costumes makes Newport feel safe, brave, kind and ready to protect his family.
Maury students invented their super heroes by considering their own strengths like their love of animals, their compassion, their intelligence, their athletic ability – and turning these strengths into super powers –protecting endangered species, cheering up a friend, confusing bad guys with tricky math problems or lassoing them with a well-aimed hula hoop. They created symbols to express their powers and fabricated sock dolls reflecting these qualities.
| First Name | Superhero | Super Powers |
| Kevin | Smartletic | Athletic, loves the outdoors, smart |
| Bennet | Anything Anywhere | Good at soccer, loves YouTube and camping |
| Eddie | Magic | Likes sports and travel, sneaky |
| Aiden | The A+ | Creative, athletic, sneaky |
| Ian | The Ultimate Wiz | Computer whiz, creative, thinker, friend |
| Amari | Sportysmartfastguy | Sporty, fast, smart |
| Olivia | Double Derpy Squid | Likes squid and adventures, athletic |
| Chelsea | Skatemaster | Good skater, loves technology, likes to swim |
| Ethan | Mister Abilities | Good at math, athletic, helpful |
| Alex | The Fast Master | Cool, fast strong |
| Angelena | The Nerdy Angel | Loves math and reading, good BFF |
| Nassir | Shazzam | Fast, has animal powers & telepathy |
| Hazel | Cheese Skier | Risk taker, skier, likes smelly cheese |
| Jaden | Techno | Loves technology and water, loves to color |
| First | Superhero | Super Powers |
| Ian | Edog | Works out every day, likes to dig, smart |
| David | Dahhhhvid | Good at sports and art, funny |
| Ramel | Ramel Junior | Athletic, smart, fresh |
| Ma’kayla | Bluelishes | Smart, creative, good dancer |
| Benjamin | Smart Aleck | Smart, creative, persistent, a challenger, bookish |
| Jala | Super Pretty | Artistic, smart, pretty |
| Talan | Swagit | Great smile, kind, courageous, wide receiver |
| Roger | Swag King | Smart, strong, ladies man, creative, sporty |
| Jacob | Sporttech | Good at baseball and robotics |
| Finian | Fin | Has a red belt in Tae Kwon Do, loves monsters and the military |
| First | Superhero | Super Powers |
| Cooper | Clark Kent | Reader, curious, loves animals |
| Delonte | Super D. | Dances, raps, looks good |
| Malcolm | Red Cross | Imaginative, creative, resiliant |
| Christopher | The Multi-Tasker | Talent, respect, lobe/trust/caring |
| Daniel | Funny D | Funny, helpful, energetic |
| Benjamin | Mixer Man | Good at basebal and math, smart, curious |
| Bryce | 39 | Sporty, fast |
| Bo | B. Master | Baseball star, cooker, master-mind |
| Alex | Thunder Ball | Soccer star, smart, game master |
| Evan | Evan the Cheese Man | Likes cheese, from Italy, fast |
| Noah | A.C.T. | Athletic, Creative, Thoughtful |
| Vicente | Multi V | Athletic, smart, likes technology |
| Morgan | Momo the Super Crazy Laser Eyes | Laser eyes, super crazy, important jobs |
| Keith | Boy Beast | Atheletic, animal lover, cool |
| Mikalah | Cheerkalah | Helpful, good at dancing and cheering |
| Allison | Skally | Good at ice-skating, kind, fashionable |
| Malia | Maweewee | Book worm, bright/colorful, arm-hooper |
| Joniece | Hyper Dance | Helper, empathy, dancer |
| Ethan | The Cheese Burrito | Likes sports, video games, burritos |
The kids are taking the project very seriously; as Talan Manago puts it ”I get to add my own traits this time–not copy Super Man’s. I get to make stuff of my own, like designer stuff!… I even have my own logo already. “ For Niah Gamble, the reward is in acquiring a new skill, “I’m just now learning to sew for the very first time!”
The completed Super Heroes are on display in the ground floor gallery at HillCenter, 921 Pennsylvania Ave, SE throughout June. Ms. Bomba invites you to come visit and “take a moment to look closely at the detail, care and heart put into each Maury super hero.” She is convinced that encouraging her students in a deep understanding of their own power to effect change will make our world a better place for all.
Article published in the Hill Rag and written by Elizabeth Nelson
studiomaury 
What a super project! Imaginative, well-executed and fun! Thanks for giving the kids such a creative experience. Have a great time at the gallery opening.