The Art of Peace: Telling Our Stories

Educator: Dr. Sequoya Wharton, Studio Art

Cultural Partner: Lisa Petker-Mintz, Artist

School: Brentwood High School, Grades 10-12

District: Brentwood UFSD

https://data.nysed.gov/profile.php?instid=800000037066

Summary

The PEACE Project gave my Studio Art students a meaningful space to reflect on who they are and what peace means to them. Through a mix of grid drawing, abstraction, and personal storytelling, students explored their identities and expressed their voices visually. Working alongside artist Lisa Petker Mintz, they made connections between their individual journeys and larger community and global issues. This project reminded students that their stories matter—and that art can be a powerful way to share those stories with the world.

Rationale

Many students struggle to see their own stories as meaningful. By creating artwork that incorporates their names and personal growth journeys, this project encourages them to see their experiences as valuable and worthy of expression.

What learning goals/standards did this meet?

Arts:

Create name projects to tell meaningful stories about world events and personal experiences.
Explore abstraction and font expression in art as a method to develop creative thinking and new perspectives.

CCCR:

Utilize visual art to explore academic pathways and professional opportunities.
Learn how art and storytelling connect to real-world professions and activism.

CR-S:

Creating a welcoming and affirming environment

Help students feel their voices matter and their unique perspectives contribute to change.
Connect art to community issues and global themes of peace.

Outcomes

Students’ learning has expanded as a result of this project because now they…

KNOW…
How to use symbolism, abstraction, and mixed media techniques—such as grid drawing—to express complex personal and social ideas through visual art.

UNDERSTAND…
That their voices and lived experiences matter, and that art can serve as a powerful tool for storytelling, identity, and social change within both local and global contexts.

ARE ABLE TO (DO)…
Design and present original artwork that integrates technical skill with meaningful narratives, collaborate with peers and professionals, and connect personal creativity to real-world themes of peace and cultural identity.