Haifa Bint-Kadi

I am a nationally exhibited Arab-American mosaic artist with long term experience in teaching and lecturing. My M.F.A. was obtained from Instituto d\'Arte per il Mosaico di Ravenna, Ravenna, Italy in 1993. I hold a B.A. in Film Studies from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. I am a roster artist at the Westchester Arts Council.
Most of my work has been centered around public art and mosaic murals. My most recent project is a Jewish Muslim Mosaic. The goal is to complete a mosaic that demonstrates our ability as Muslims and Jews to accomplish an artistic pursuit together, amidst difference, but in an environment of tolerance. Ultimately our objective is to create a model for peace, dialogue and mutual respect. I am currently working on a public art mosaic mural for the Peekskill Riverfront Green.
My most recent gallery show, \"Return,\" was at the Tribe Gallery in Manhatten. During the summer of 2004 I exhibited pique assiette for a public art project in \"Before + After: Imagining Public Art in Westchester.\"
My mosaic works are traditional in the sense that they combine form, color, function, order and durability, but juxtaposed is the reflective, unique quality of each individual tesserae against the assimilation of that tile into a whole image. There is an interdependence between what the tesserae define and what is implied by the mosaic as a whole. The medium never becomes subservient to the image, which is why mosaics are captivating on many levels. I explore the interactive quality of art by incorporating mirrors into most of my pieces. Observers literally become active by the incorporation of their reflections in the piece itself. My goal is to explore the notion of public art as interactive. I want to transcend the typical passive role of the observer by engaging them intimately with the art. I am interested in connections. What connects the artist to the vision and resulting piece, what connects or disconnects the viewer of the art and how are the artist and the viewers connected by the piece. Somehow the mosaic must bring all the interactions together not just in the image and tiles, but also between the piece, artist and viewer. This aspect is very crucial to my work in public art as well as personal design pieces.

Resume

HAIFA BINT-KADI
Teaching Artist

63 Main Street, Loft 3 914-423-1893
Yonkers, NY 10701 hbk@artandsoul-studio.com

Profile: 18 years experience implementing sustainable residencies which make meaningful & authentic connections between art and non-art subjects, which empower and build community and character through the arts, meeting and exceeding NYS Learning Standards and Blue Print for the Arts within public schools grades K-12.

Professional Experience

Hudson River Museum, Yonkers, NY 2002-Present
Teaching Artist
Incorporating NY Blueprint for the Arts in elementary/middle/high school visual arts residencies and conducting in-house family and school workshops based on exhibits and museum collections. Engage and introduce local teachers to museum resources through in-service workshops.

A partial list of recent residencies and workshops:
Narrative Houses: Family Workshop with Domino Sugar Employees emphasizing history of Hudson River, utilizing recycled and found materials gathered from the waterfront to create architectural structures based on Hudson River folklore.
The Hudson River School Painters: 8th Grade students collectively designed a mosaic that incorporated themes of The Hudson River School Painters to create a permanent mosaic for the entry of Riverside High School. 2009-2011.
Bringing Tiffany to Foxfire School 4th Grade: Students created a beautiful Tiffany-inspired glass mosaic in the school court yard to coincide with the students museum trip to view the Tiffany exhibit. Integrated Environmental Ed and utilized the school’s aquariums and watershed program to guide students in designing stained glass fish images.
Tiffany Exhibit: Through the Family Saturday Program, patrons created Tiffany inspired mini-stained glass windows on plexi.
The Harlem Renaissance Comes to Elm Street Safe House: High school students created 3-D, life-sized historically-based pop-art figures from the Harlem Renaissance inspired by the Red Grooms exhibit.
Early American Quilt-Makers: 3rd Grade students observed Dutch quilt patterns and created intricate paper-cut pieces which connected to form one quilt based on the Patterns and Design exhibit.

CityLore, Manhattan, NY 2003-Present
Teaching Artist
Inquiry-based residencies combining oral history and community study designed to integrate social studies curriculum and artistic expertise to foster students’ awareness of traditions and cultural history, empowering them to express their ideas while understanding the world around them.

A partial list of recent residencies and workshops:
Asia Through Ghost Stories and Narrative Figures: Integrated PS 217 MS social studies curriculum on Asia through ghost stories of Japan and China culminating in narrative puppets and dolls representing Asian values on ancestors mounted in alter-like structures, combined with mixed-media journals and family interviews.
Migration Journeys: Integrated PS 217 Latin America MS social studies curriculum through the Byzantine mosaic art form culminating in a mosaic mural depicting the migration journeys of plants and animals and the immigration journeys of people whose cultural contributions have enriched American life.
Immigration Journeys: Cultural Map of the World, Permanent mosaic installation at P.S. 11 in Woodside Queens. Conducted 5 month residency with 5th grade in collaboration with subject teachers and art teachers that integrated social studies, ELA and arts standards in research, journal writing, project documentation through photography and intense study of folklore, culture & mosaic studio techniques culminating in a 120 ft. permanent mosaic installation in school entrance. Students also created a performance, poetry workbook and an image catalog.
P.S. 29 Where Magic Happens, Permanent mosaic installation, Brooklyn, NY, working collaboratively with the art teacher, conducted week-long residency focusing on the history of Byzantine Mosaic in comparison to modern mosaic and connected to representative and abstract art. Students researched the history of the school and collaboratively created a traditional Byzantine mosaic sign installed at the school’s entrance.

ArtsWestchester, White Plains, NY 2003-Present
Roster Teaching Artist

A partial list of recent Project driven residencies for K-12 & professional development opportunities for teachers.
Huntertwasser Comes to Elm Street year-long community mural residency based on research of the 1800‘s Elm Street Pickle Factory and Haberdashery and early Dutch settlers culminating in a public park with reclaimed painted sculptures representing Yonkers reinterpreted by Huntertwasser’s colors and shapes. All ages and partially funded by WestHab Inc.
The Brazilian Rainforest: Mt. Kisco Elementary 6th Grade students learned Brazilian Rainforest curriculum and used painting, collage and mixed-media to create Niches.
What These Hands Have Done intergenerational residency focusing on elder’s early history and connecting youth to personal and community narratives culminating in personal Where I’m From poems and illustrated books.
Do It the Holmes School Way: Holmes Elementary School, Mt. Vernon, NY. Fabricated 200 sq. ft. mosaic depicting history of Mt. Vernon over school days and over the holiday break with students, teachers, parents. Truly a “Third Space” project.
The Life Cycle of the Sunflower: F. Lee Jackson School, Greenburg, NY. Integrated 1st grade science curriculum and collaborated with teachers to teach through the art of mosaic culminating in 4 permanent mosaic installations and progress journals.
Coming Together: Phelps Rehabilitation & Development, Ossining, NY Worked with special population of physically challenged adults to develop themes of trust and community through movement exercises, culminating in illustrated mixed-media journals.
The Built Environment & Character Ed: William Cottle School, Eastchester, NY. Integrating the 5th Grade Social Studies curriculum with movement and trust building exercises, students designed and developed a public art mural based on the theme of the built environment, while also learning to create an empowered and safe environment to create this ambitious mosaic installed on the outside brick face of the school.
Literacy Through the Arts Mosaic Project, Mohansic School, Yorktown Heights, NY Integrated ELA and Art Standards for 1st and 2nd grades creating a literacy cut-paper mural based on Jacob Lawrences work.
Mural Painting and Communities Across the World: Diego Rivera, Casimir Pulaski School, Yonkers, NY, Combined 5th Grade Social Studies Standards with large scale mural painting to create a permanent mosaic mural for the school’s cafeteria working with the entire 5th Grade.
Staff Development: French Hill School, Yorktown, NY, facilitated a series of workshops based on Augusto Boal’s movement exercises, consequently instructed a creativity workshop focusing on skills of working collaboratively, culminating in personal mixed-media journals.

BOCES of Putnam County, Putnam County, NY 2005-Present
Teaching Artist

In-School and After School Teaching Artist
Springhurst Elementary School, Dobbs Ferry, NY: 5-year residency. Teaching 1st grade Hudson River social studies and arts curriculum through the art of mosaic culminating in outdoor classroom benches, murals and global garden.
Colonial School, Pelham NY, 5 year residency culminating in an annual addition to the Outdoor Classroom Habitats mosaic.
Lakeland Copper Beech Middle School, Shrub Oak, NY: 5-year residency teaching Character Ed through Mosaic Murals that permanently adorn the school hallways. Currently have installed 8 mosaic murals.
Mohansic School District: Conduct annual credited in-service training for district teachers and 1st grade science curriculum on the Monarch butterfly through mosaic and built outdoor environment.
French Hill Country Day School, Mohansic NY, constructed outdoor classroom utilizing Lanape and Mohegan inspired mosaic pole sculptures incorporating the district’s Character Ed curriculum.

Beczak Environmental Education Center, Yonkers, NY 2001-Present
Teaching Artist
For many years I have volunteered to teach environmental art through the Second Saturday Family Weekend Art Program to enhance and widen community awareness of environmental issues and the history of New York along the Hudson River. Projects have included: Half Moon paper replicas, hand made books and paper, Lenape masks, art journals, artist trading cards, found-object collages.

Groundwork Yonkers, Yonkers, NY 2000-Present
Public Artist, Teaching Artist
Program development for Seniors, at-risk youth and residents living in distressed and disadvantaged conditions in and around Yonkers, NY
Cottage Place Municipal Housing, Yonkers, NY, Conduct community building art workshops that involve residents in planning, designing and transforming the built environment through public art.
Westchester Community Foundation Intergenerational History Project: Directed seniors and middle school students in year-long project to broaden understanding and to create mentor and support relationships through art-based projects.
September 11, Memorial Park, Yonkers, NY, designed and constructed park.
Currently under permanent contract to conduct intergenerational mural projects, summer-long intergenerational art workshop, design after school art programs for youth that may be at-risk or have a low threshold for social interaction, execute public art murals in Westchester County.

Duchesne Center for Social Justice , Manhattanville College, Purchase NY 2008-Present
Adjunct Professor
Assist and advise students participating in community service obligations. Conduct specialized public art program in which students volunteer to assist in building and beautifying community centers and public housing units.

Awards, Recognitions and Additional Experience:
2011 Awarded Greenie by City of Yonkers for using sustainability art practices.
2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 Conducted creativity workshops for teachers at State Conference Common Ground
2007-2010 Facilitator, The Dialogue Project
2009 Selected as a Master Teaching Artist by the N.E.A.’s Nations in Neighborhoods Federal Grant to work with a subject teacher for 5 years teaching Social Studies through the Arts along with a Federal evaluator.
2007-2010 Awarded Teaching Fellow by the Empire State Partnership and the New York Council on the Arts and conducted teacher & arts administration professional development specializing in Understanding By Design & Third Space pedagogies.
2006 NYAAIE training with Dr. John Woodall, a psychiatrist with the Harvard Medical Center to use therapeutic methods in art workshops with at-risk youth.
2006 Bronx Museum of Art’s Action Lab for teaching artists certificate in Augusto Boal’s Theater Arts.
2005 Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts award for Rescue Initiative Program for the Arts.

Education:
1990, B.A. Film Studies & Studio Minor, Willamette University, Salem OR
1993 M.F.A Instituto d’Arte per il mosaico di Ravenna, Ravenna Italy.

Affiliations: American for the Arts, Association of Teaching Artist, Wave Hill, The Hudson River Museum, ArtsWestchester, Society for American Mosaic Artists, New York State Alliance for Arts Education, National Association of Art Educators, American Folklore Society, Dialogue Interfaith Project, Women in the Arts.

Public Service: Serve as the Yonkers P.T.S.A. City Council Delegate, Democratic District Ward Leader, Manhattanville College Diversity Committee

Board Member: Yonkers Arts Council, Philipse Historic Manor, Yonkers, NY

References:

Carol Fineberg Nancy Baird
CF Associates District Arts Coordinator
Arts Education Consultant Art Teacher
Director At-Large Colonial/Siwanoy Schools
New York Alliance for Arts Education 315 Highbrook Ave.
Cfineberg@aol.com Pelham, NY 10803-2299
(631) 681-9928 (914) 738-2680
nbaird@pelhamschools.org
Saralinda B. Lichtblau
Interim Director of Education Amanda Dargan
Director of School Programs Education Director
The Hudson River Museum CityLore
511 Warburton Avenue 72 E 1st St # 1
Yonkers, NY 10701 New York, NY 10003-9337
(914) 963-4550, Ext. 241 (212) 529-1955
slichtblau@hrm.org amanda.dargan50@gmail.com