Detroit Country Day Middle School Students Partner with Local Artists to Create Unique Metal Art Installation

Long after their days at Detroit Country Day Middle School, the recent class of students will have left their mark at the school through a creative and collaborative metal art installation. The artwork is the result of a partnership with visiting professional artists Linda Rodney-Shinkle and Ted Shinkle, an internationally recognized mother and son team who have shared their unique talents and expertise throughout the year.

More than 180 students worked alongside the artists to design the three-story Metalagram, a unique mixed-media piece of art in which photographs are brought to life on creatively enhanced portions of metal. The Shinkles pioneered the artistic process behind the Metalagram, which includes techniques such as engraving, etching and distressing sections of metal.

“One of the most prominent features of a Detroit Country Day School education is a focus on the arts,” said Sarah Kitchen, DCDS Middle School art teacher. “By hosting renowned local artists, our students have enjoyed a depth of practical experience in the fine arts, learned numerous advanced techniques, and created a lasting and beautiful piece of art that will be a showpiece at the school for years to come. The opportunity to create a piece of art that will be on display permanently is unique and has contributed to a very special experience for our students.”

The DCDS Metalagram extends from the skylight over the Middle School’s main stairwell and is visible on all three floors before fading into a portion of the first floor lobby with a custom cut mirror designed to reflect the art and light. The installation is 30 feet long with five hanging metal strands composed of more than 140 laser cut aluminum panels in a variety of sizes, each of which is a piece of original student art. The final installation has been treated and protected with a durable waterproof and UV protected finish, according to the Shinkles’ patent-pending process.

Detroit Country Day School offers students from preschool through high school an exemplary education rooted in academic rigor and a commitment to the full development of each student’s potential. The school is an independent, coeducational, non-denominational, college preparatory school nationally recognized for excellence in academics, athletics and the fine and performing arts. Founded in 1914 by F. Alden Shaw, Detroit Country Day School today enrolls more than 1,500 students on four campuses located in Beverly Hills and Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. For additional information, please visit www.dcds.edu.