(3 letters of recommendation)
LETTER #1
July 10, 2000
To Whom It May Concern:
This letter will recommend Jeffrey Robert, The Crayon Artist and his unique and extraordinary work using crayons to teach principles of art for children. In the creative arts, Jeffrey's work stands alone; he has developed an entirely new genre for the artist's creative process. Anyone who sees his work will be amazed at both his gifts as an artist and his capacity to do museum-quality art with a simple box of crayons. And it is of great importance that his interest is teaching this process to students at all levels - using ordinary crayons to develop the visualization process, hand-eye coordination, to teach basic principles of art, and to develop individual self-expression and artistic talent.
Quality Education Systems' mission is to work with the public schools to advocate and highlight, through staff development training and instructional resources, "what works" to connect curriculum to the brain's natural learning systems - to turn kids on to learning. As a learning styles specialist, I am always looking for the work of outstanding practitioners who understand how to engage the brain's attentional (emotional) system, to release the creative spirit, and engage the whole child in relevant learning activities.
Quality Education Systems whole-heartedly endorses Jeffrey Robert, The Crayon Artist, for his unique artistic vision and the process by which he shares that vision with students. I believe Jeffrey's work has the potential to return a tremendous gift to the world of teaching and learning, making the business of drawing a natural part of the learning process once again.
Sincerely,
Carol Marshall, President
Quality Education Systems
LETTER #2
June, 2000
To: Whom It May Concern
Re: Jeffrey Robert, Artist
This letter should be considered one of introduction for Jeffrey Robert, Artist. Jeffrey is a most outstanding and unique artist in that he is one of two people in the world (referring to Jeffrey and his father, Don Marco) who has introduced us to crayon art. It is his technique with crayons that has not been duplicated.
My reason for writing this introductory is not to praise Jeffrey's ability to draw or to "paint" with crayons, but to introduce him as an educator with a learning styles technique that will aid children of all ability levels and especially those children who have eye-hand coordination problems or who have motor difficulties.
When I first saw Jeffrey's technique demonstrated it was not only his fantastic artistic ability that I saw, but also the valuable movements and control that he taught as he spoke to children using his techniques with crayons. I saw the possibility of teaching teachers to use Jeffrey's techniques so that students at an early age could develop more holistically the hand, wrist, finger and arm movements that will cause children to be able to be better readers and writers. Research tells us that children develop those motor skills necessary to read and write at a very early age and what better method of development than to teach coloring correctly? And how much more fun could they have than to learn to color? Children love crayons! Adults love crayons!
Jeffrey is an artist that will start America coloring. It is a fascinating sight to enjoy what he produces using crayons. Howard Gardner addresses the intelligences of human beings and uses brain theory to address the needs of development. Jeffrey Robert fits perfectly into the educational field as he develops the motor skills of young children with the children's medium...crayons!
I would recommend Jeffrey in any setting in the art field and the education field. He presents himself and his skills delightfully to children and teachers. I've watched the teachers delve into the crayons and the black line drawings mesmerized by their own skill after Jeffrey's lesson. I've seen the children's self-esteem soar after Jeffrey walks around and comments on their work.
Thank you, Jeffrey Robert, for starting America Coloring!
Cordially,
Judith A.Bingham
Judith is a National speaker and an advocate for children with Autism on the subject of teaching children through art-based literacy. She is a published writer on the subject of art and literacy. She speaks at conferences on teaching children to write through the use of learning styles and art. She currently is a principal of a K-12 school in Nulato, Alaska.
LETTER #3
June 8, 2001
To: Whom It May Concern:
For many years Jeffrey Robert has presented his crayon art techniques to children, adults, educators and aspiring artists to promote a new genre of creating fine art with ordinary crayons.
The video “A Shiny Red Apple” evolved as a visual tool to help the student learn of the delicate hand pressure and hand movements used in a step-by-step process of application to completion.
The privilege of observing any artist applying his skillful techniques and processes, to which may have taken many years to perfect, is an invaluable learning curve. It would benefit the serious student of countless hours of time in practice and experimentation, which may end in disappointment, frustration or ultimate failure.
The certificate below was awarded to educators completing a required public school in-service course in which segments of the video “A Shiny Red Apple was used. The success of the course was gauged by the unanimous comment: “This is the most fun that I have ever had in attending an in-service.”
Jeffrey Robert from High-Tech Art presented this workshop. He is the only known artist to have reached such a high level of accomplishment with the simple medium of crayons. Visual acuity and critical analysis based on visual perception is an important part of training a young mind to think on a higher level. Participants will view things critically and recognize, for example, that an apple is not just red. It is many shades of red, green, and yellow. It is made up of many layers of color. Its shading helps us determine where it is in relation to its environment. The thought processes alone used in this discovery involve higher thinking skills similar to the kind needed for success in geometry.
Wendy Warner
Curriculum Director
Argyle ISD, Texas
