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Henderson & Rustin Students Learn the Art of Ebru
Students at Henderson and Rustin High Schools recently dabbled in the art of Ebru with the help of local artist, Betsy Lamb.
Thanks to a generous grant through the West Chester Area Education Foundation, art teachers Christy Mauer, Lisa Bryan, and Nicole Snider were able to bring Lamb to the schools to teach Studio 1 Art students about the beautiful art form.
Ebru, also known as Turkish Marbling, has been used for decades to create colorful patterns by sprinkling and brushing color pigments into a pan of oily water and then transforming the pattern to paper or fabric. Mrs. Lamb taught students how to create a simple pattern and how to manipulate the pattern with limitless intricacy.
Students exercised patience and creativity as they selected their colors, and then delicately raked and combed the paint into beautiful designs. Once the patterns were set, the students draped large pieces of paper through the oily water, transferring the unique patterns onto them.
"This art form is rare in that while it is easy to achieve beautiful results, it can also be pushed in complexity as the artist learns to manipulate the material in different ways, and as they consider their color choices," said Christy Mauer, art teacher at Henderson and Rustin High Schools.
According to Mauer, Ebru offers something for every student, regardless of their abilities.
"In our Studio 1 classes, we have a wide range of abilities. Teenage students may be self-critical, comparing their artwork harshly to students with greater drawing ability. With Ebru, students are exhilarated by their amazing results! They gain courage to try things that may seem difficult. Students who are limited in experience, confidence, or even in motor skill function, as some of our Life Skills students are, can experience a wide range of choice in color and design, and work almost entirely independently to confidently create a stunning work of art."
Mauer added that introducing a Turkish art tradition reinforces WCASD's commitment to multi-cultural art education.
"Our students have diverse cultural backgrounds and love to share the art traditions of their heritage."
According to Lamb's website, she has worked as an artisan and craftswoman for 20 years exploring many artistic mediums, from ceramics to stained glass to acrylic paints and has found a deep fascination in the art of marbling. For more information on Lamb's designs visit www.ebrurichsilkdesigns.com.
*WCASD Communications intern, Gracie Cleveland, contributed to this article.
Click here to view a video of Rustin students practicing the art of Ebru.
*Video edited by Gracie Cleveland.