David Guralnick / The Detroit News
Zeny Fluentes, 27, a Zapotec Indian from Mexico, uses simple tools to create his sculptings.  |
Artist wows school children
Deerfield kids learn about diversity
* Deerfield Elementary brings an accomplished artist in each year to teach students a specialized skill. * For information on carver Zeny Fluentes' woodwork, go to www.crizmac.com or call (800) 913-8555.  Comment
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"The knife he worked with looked like it was dangerous, but it really wasn't," said Abby, 8. "You could tell it takes a lot of practice and hard work to do what he does."
The students at Deerfield Elementary School were impressed to see that Fluentes didn't use any extravagant tools.
"There were no machines," art teacher Carol Glass said. "Only a little piece of sand paper and two paint brushes. He can take a piece of a round log and make just amazing shapes from it."
Fluentes, based in Oaxaca, Mexico, visited the school as part of Deerfield's annual artist-in-residence program, which aims to teach students about art by having them observe and, in many cases, work with a skilled artist.
Glass recruits artists who work well with children.
"It's important for the children to see artists working because art is a synthesis of so many skills that they are learning," Glass said. "They see artists solve problems and how they come up with ideas and how the ideas are translated then into art work.
"The second-graders, for instance, will be making a Mexican-style sun out of clay."
Fluentes taught Abby how to create art out of toothpicks.
"I liked how he did the design and how he used toothpicks for a porcupine," she said. "It was so cool to meet someone from Mexico who is good at carving wood."
Fluentes said he hopes to teach children that they can have careers in art.
"In this country, it is very important for me to show my work to show children other ways to make a living," Fluentes said through a translator.
"I started at a very young age, and it's important to show the kids that they could learn to do this, too."
Fluentes, 27, a third-generation wood carver, usually creates animals for his art work. He has created large pieces for Disney World in a display of Mexican art.
"(Students) are always very excited and very happy because they usually have not seen anyone work like this before with a knife and a machete," Fluentes said.
David Hagel, 9, watched in amazement as Fluentes carved an armadillo in his third-grade class.
"I asked him, What is your best carving?' and he said, My best is the ones that are taller than you.'"
Sal Munaco was so excited to watch Fluentes work, he had to bring a piece of his art work home.
"We like his art work so much, I told my mom to bring me and my brother some money that I got from the bank so we could buy a piece," Sal said.
He bought a Pegasus horse.
"I like it because of the unique designs that he can put on it. I liked the way he took his time, and it looked nice," he said.
Glass brings in artists like Fluentes, a Zapotec Indian, who come from different cultures so she can show her students the diverse art world outside their school.
"It's makes cultural diversity come alive," she said. "The goal of my curriculum is that people in the world believe and think differently than we do -- and that it's valid and that it's OK."
Eight-year-old Gary Williams appreciated Fluentes' artistry.
"I thought it was nice how he got all the small pieces to stay on," Gary said, adding he is surprised the carvings were all made from wood. "He uses lots of bright colors to paint with. It catches my eye."
Gary's third-grade classmates persuaded their teacher to change the spring project and instead make papier-mache animals to be painted in the style of Fluentes' work.
The parents group bought one of Fluentes' large sculptures and donated it to the school.
"There's a real presence in the school that the students understand art is a part of life and it's an expression of feelings," Glass said.
Janet Sugameli is a Metro Detroit free-lance writer.