VICENZA -- Students at Vicenza Middle School here got a visit from a guest artist whose art literally popped out at them.
Chinese-American artist Collette Fu has taken the art of making pop-up books to new heights. Record-breaking heights, to be exact.
During a 6-month residency in Shanghai, China, Fu designed and built the largest pop-up book in China, measuring more than 8 by 16 feet in area, and almost 6 feet high. She's also built pop-up books for commercial companies as well as public and private art collections. The artist brought some of her slightly smaller works with her to show the students at VMS, while also teaching them how to make their own.
Fu says the pop-up book is something that grabs the attention of students in a way almost no other art form can.
"It's so unexpected," she said. "You see this flat book and then you open it and it's like, woah. The idea that something can collapse like that, it's a surprise. Some people think it's like magic."
Fu was invited to come teach by VMS art teacher, Melanie Mann. Donations from the Vicenza Military Spouses and Civilians Club and the Vicenza Middle School Booster Club helped fund the trip.
During her week at the school, Fu taught classes for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders. Sixth-grader Emily Nunez said she really enjoyed discovering a new art form.
"It was a really fun experience in learning how to create pop-up designs on cards from the artist," said Nunez.
Fellow student Lea Henderson, 7th grade, agreed. "I thought it was pretty inspiring and I learned a lot," she said.
Fu also gave a presentation to the entire school that, according to the faculty and students in attendance, was a big hit.
"I thought it was really cool to learn about pop ups because I have never done this before," said seventh-grader Afton Greene.
For Fu, it is all about instilling a love of art in the students.
"I think art's really important because it helps creativity," she said. "It helps kids learn how to think independently. And that works in all fields.
"It's not that I want everyone to become an artist, but I want them to be creative and follow a path that can be unique."
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