califauna
Hello, my name is Chris McCormick, founder of Califauna. I was born and raised in the Los Angeles area. My mother is an artist and teacher and is responsible for my love of art and nature. Growing up nearby in Downey California we always had art class in school. During the summer my mom had art classes in our home for the neighborhood kids. It was in college while working on a speech about the National Endowment for the Arts that I began to understand the importance of art education in our schools. Leaving college without graduating has always been a regret of mine and I would like to go back and finish a degree if time allows, but at this point in my life I feel it is more important to work to bring art education back into the classroom, to stress the importance of creative expression, to give back some of the inspiration that has been given to me.
It is my hope that through Califauna I can share my love of art and nature and our beautiful state and all the animals that live here. As well as what we can do to ensure their survival for generations to come.
One can cite numerous studies and quotes from notable people but the fact remains that arts education nurtures inventiveness and aids in the development of self-esteem, self-discipline and self motivation. Art education gives us an understanding of local, national and global issues, by integrating art education with other subject’s students are given the opportunity to represent what they have learned with greater comprehension of material covered.
With Califauna I seek to integrate arts education with Eco Awareness for the youth of today in hopes that they will take with them a better understanding of the need to care for our environment, from their own backyards, to our local beaches, mountains and deserts. Our youth and our environment are in need of our help, are you ready to step up to the plate?
Chris McCormick
the importance of art education
Richard Dreyfuss gave the following speech in his acceptance of an award for Mr. Holland's Opus. It is a wonderful plea on the importance of arts education in this country.
"Perhaps we've all misunderstood the reason we learn music, and all the arts, in the first place...It is that for hundreds of years it has been known that teaching the arts, along with history and math and biology, helps to create the well rounded mind that western civilization, and America, have been grounded on. America's greatest achievements - in science, in business, in popular culture, would simply not be attainable without an education that encourages achievement in all fields. It is from that creativity and imagination that the solutions to our political and social problems will come. We need that well rounded mind now. Without it, we simply make more difficult the problems we face."
Richard Dreyfuss Actor, at the 38th Annual Grammy Awards
mission
The goal of Califauna is to bring art education and ecological awareness to California students, elementary through high school; community groups and senior centers. Califauna will provide vital information about maintaining California’s beaches, deserts, and forests; native animals and the effects of urban sprawl and global warming on our surroundings, through the arts.
programs
All programs will be based on an animal found in California. Lesson plans will feature information about the animals and their habitats. The affects of our ever expanding development and global warming will be explored as well as what we as individuals can do to help, all through exploration of the arts. The hope is that everyone will benefit both artist/teacher and student.
