THE SPORE PROJECT
Florida Artist Doug Rhodehamel Cultivates Creativity
with Paper Bag Mushroom Day on October 20, 2006
Orlando, FL – Founded by Florida artist Doug Rhodehamel in July 2006, THE SPORE PROJECT is a national effort to promote the need for art in the classroom, using Doug’s famous paper bag mushrooms as a symbol of spreading creativity in schools. Educators, parents, art classes and clubs are encouraged to log onto
www.dougrhodehamel.com, where they can download a lesson plan and instructions on how to create paper bag mushrooms. On October 20th, 2006 everyone will plant all of the mushrooms they create. Participants are asked to count and take a digital photograph of their installations and send them in to Doug. The total count and the photos will be updated on the website. The goal is to get as many mushrooms planted across the country (and the world!) as possible. Additionally, a portion of all proceeds from merchandise sales will be donated to national and local nonprofit organizations working to raise awareness and funding for the arts in schools.
THE SPORE PROJECT will demonstrate the importance of teaching children self-expression, resourcefulness and creativity - how to look at one thing and see what it can be instead of merely what it is. “One of the best things about this project is its low cost. Many teachers have budgets so low they have to buy student art supplies out of their own paycheck. That's ridiculous. Art is essential: it promotes intelligence, creativity, is a great expressive outlet and inspires people towards new perspectives on life, which we all need, and need frequently. Art was such a vital part of my growing up and I'm still thankful for my arts teachers and all the positive impact they had on my life,†explained Rhodehamel.
Champions of Change (1999), a collection of seven major studies that examined the role of arts education on the academic, behavioral, and thinking lives of children, revealed that the arts: reach students in ways that they are not otherwise being reached; connect students to themselves and each other; transform the environment for learning; provide new challenges for those students already considered successful; connect learning experiences to the world of real work; require significant staff development; and support extended engagement in the artistic process. For more statistics on the impact of arts education, visit
www.artsusa.org/public_awareness/facts/.
MEDIA NOTE: For more information visit
www.dougrhodehamel.com, or to set up an interview, please contact Shannon Lacek at 407-383-6099,
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