Fox Lane Poets & Artists Collaborate on Interdisciplinary Project

Last month, Fox Lane High School artists and poets came together to celebrate the culmination of a cross-curricular project with an event that was one-part open mic, one-part art gallery. Students in David Albano’s Creative Writing class and Amy Salerno’s Drawing class paired up to interpret each other’s art in a collaboration that was unlike anything students had done before.

“One of my goals this year is to collaborate with colleagues and other departments outside of the visual arts,” Salerno said. “I have been encouraging my students to get involved with ‘Fire and Ice’ by submitting artwork to the literary magazine, and this seemed like a great way to bring artists and writers together.”

After discovering that she and Albano both taught ninth period, the two were thrilled to connect their classes. Students were paired at random, with each artist receiving an original poem from one of the writers, and each writer receiving an original drawing from an artist. Everything was kept anonymous until the gallery event, when artists and writers were able to meet each other and discuss their pieces.

Albano said that, at first, his students were very curious.

“One of the students asked, ‘Is the artist going to see my poem?’ I said, ‘Yes, they will see it and read it and they are waiting in expectation for it,’” Albano said. “This information settled in the room and I could feel the expectation and motivation rise. Writers need a tangible audience.”

Salerno described her students as “nervous, but in a quiet way,” when they learned about the project.

“I think initially they didn't quite know what to make of it,” she said. “They couldn't exactly envision it. But they seemed to like finding meaning in the poems they were illustrating. I think they were impressed by the depth and quality of the poetry, and I think they liked doing something outside of the norm.”

Writers began working on the project by reading a series of ekphrasis poems, which are poems that describe a work of art. Students then took notes and made observations about their drawings. They did a round of revisions on their own and then participated in a writing workshop.

In her Drawing class, Salerno was excited to watch her artists’ process unfold.

“It was exciting for me to see the students become more and more connected to their illustrations and finding meaning in the poetry they were illustrating,” she said. “Students were very supportive of one another's work. I think it was helpful that Mr. Albano and I partnered up sharing our own poetry and drawing for the other to interpret and express.”

Students were, understandably, a little nervous about sharing their interpretations leading up to the event.

“This was not a very hard assignment, but I was worried the poet maybe wouldn't like my work,” said artist Katherine Cristiano.

Once students exchanged work, however, they were amazed at the ways their peers reinterpreted their pieces.

“It was really cool to see how my poet took my still life drawing and made something new and different,” said Theodore Friedman. “It was really surprising and interesting to see the parts of the drawing that were interpreted in ways I wouldn't expect. I think it's important for artists of different mediums to work together on projects like this. It's always going to result in some really great and interesting art.”

Salerno and Albano seemed to enjoy the project as much as the students and agree on the importance and value of community and collaboration.

“I hope this is the beginning of many collaborative, interdisciplinary experiences,” Salerno said. “What I hear and see on a daily basis is a need to connect — from students, faculty, staff and families.”

Albano noted that the collaboration was also a great way to create an audience for students’ art.

“For the students, knowing there was a person waiting for their drawing or their poem created a tangible reason to make something of quality,” he said.