Participate in my upcoming artwork about the impact of standarized tests on your eductaional system.
Print or copy this PDF as a flyer or send it to anyone you think will be interested in lending their voice or giving their pencils. Invite me to lecture at your school. Have your students participate in assembling the pencils into the stanines.

        Commonly asked questions about this project:

          How big will the finished artwork be? What will it look like?

The artwork about standardized testing will be in the shape of a bell curve. The bell curve will be approximately 12 feet high and 27 feet long. If I have enough strength, pencils and participation, I would like to make two gigantic bell curves so that the sculpture will be more dimensional. Possibly people can walk in between the two towering bell curves or walk around the forms.

	This graphic is a bell curve. Student performance on standardized tests is evaluated against other student performance within the bell curve.

The standard #2 yellow pencils will be in the center three yellow stanines. The three stanines on either side will be made using #2 pencils that deviate from the norm because they are painted other colors on the outsite.

           When was the first public event with this project?

The assembly of pencil project was officially started at the annual conference for the California Art Educators in the Hyatt Hotel in Burlingame. The conference participants started to assemble the pencils in stanines of colored pencils. I also lectured for the Conference attendees, they love it! Standing ovation!!!!

          Will you come to my school so the students can participate in the project?

Yes, anytime, especially if you live in the Bay Area. The work in progress transports easily and it is easy to learn. So far I have three high schools and a middle school scheduled to participate in constructing the stanines of pencils starting in January 2009. I can give a short lecture first about my work if your interested in extending this project into art education for your students.

           Will you accept colored pencils?

I will take any pencil that you send. It is most important that you participate in the artwork, however, I prefer that most of the pencils are yellow HB #2 pencils that a student would use for taking a standardized test. Pencils that have different colored exteriors other than the standard yellow #2 pencils are good.

Colored lead pencils will not be used in the sculpture. Colored pencils (by that I mean, pencils with a color core for artwork) are not as good just because a student would not use a colored pencil to take a standardized test.

How many pencils do you have so far?

Currently I have enough pencils to make a solid rectangle measuring 10 feet by 25 feet. That is way more than I need to make one bell curve, but I might make two bell curves 27 feet wide and 12 feet high.

I have more than 250 lbs of used pencils.

One foot of pencils = 12 ounces.

While I am confident that I will have enough pencils to make a 27 foot long x 12 high bell curve, if you would like to participate, I am continuing to accepting pencils for the project!

	This is a photo of the red stanine in progress. Threading the pencils on to the monofil- ament goes very slowly but it is not hard to do. Anyone can learn how.

I have some very special pencils that I found in my grandmother's house. Can you use them?

Yes, absolutely! I save all unusual pencils in a separate box. I already have quite a few very old pencils. One pencil has an enameled pencil clip. Another person sent me a box of pencils from the "Pencil Brothers: Ken Cory and Leslie W. LePere" exhibitions dating back to 1973. Other interesting pencils say: Cencus 1990 and "Star Performer".

It is very interesting to find pencils with writing embossed or printed on them with the name of a school or given as a present to the students from the principal of a school such as: "SKYLINE SCHOOL, STUDENT OF THE MONTH.".

Sequoia High School just gave me a huge quantiity of pencils they couldn't use! They are all purple! There will be a whole stanine of purple/pink pencils.

Here I am at Maker Faire at the San Mateo County Fairgrounds working on the Pencil Project. Many people came out to volunteer their time and help with the construction during the two days that we were there. If you would like to participate in the pencil project, contact me and next time I'm doing an assembly day, I will let you know. Assembly is not difficult. Pencils are pre-drilled and threaded through with fishing line. Or you can also volunteer to drill the pencils.

How can I participate in this project?
Do you need help?

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, you can come to the next "ASSEMBLY DAY". Contact the artist for the next date. If you think that it would be interesting to have me come visit your school, or arts group the stanines can be easily shipped to assembly locations.

          Where will you exhibit this work?

I am still looking for an exhibition space for "MEASURING COMPLIANCE" and the bell curve new artwork about standardized testing. Support his project and its visibility by buying a POSTER for your classroom, facaulty lounge. Or send a NOTE CARD to your child's teacher, local administrators, governor, or U.S. President. Use the power of art for change.

Check back soon for more information about my artwork including additional questions, answers and comments from individuals. If you would like to add your comments, contact me and let me know what you think about standardized tests. CLICK HERE.

Listen to a great video lecture by Sir Ken Robinson about how our current educational system is undermining creativity? It is worth your time.