Pulse Arts

Providing creative learning opportunities for undeserved youths in California since 2018. Our special programs provide students and community members with access to a variety of arts education and enrichment opportunities. Pulse Arts is committed to making the arts accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances.  

Programs are implemented in a number of local community groups and K-12 schools according to the creative needs of the recipients. These programs recruits and directly supports local artists.

Pulse Arts supports local, professional artists, educators, and arts organizations in the design and implementation of programs that increase access to creative learning opportunities for under-served youth in California. We believe that ART is for ALL as a necessity and not an option. We intentionally seek out micro-communities and students least likely to have a vibrant, supported art practice and co-create the discipline that best encourages their growth. Pulse Arts is committed to keeping arts in schools funded, empowering young people with tools to address social issues, pursue creative careers, and ignite community change through the arts, integrating arts programs, and art therapy. We also offer internships/mentorship, dual-enrollment studio art support, gifted/magnet arts identification support, art therapy, and community/family engagement arts experiences. We hold that art intersects every facet of life and want to link the most vulnerable communities as early, as often, and as close to home as possible.  

Pulse Arts dedication to uplifting underrepresented communities gives me the confidence to contribute to my own, as I've been given the opportunity to utilize my artistic sensibilities to inspire a young generation of innovators in a class environment.

keysha@pulsearts.org

Keysha Baynes is from Pittsburgh, PA and has 20+ years in non-profit MANAGEMENT, PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY LIAISON/COALITION BUILDING and FUND DEVELOPMENT experience. After graduating from Clark Atlanta University, she spent 10 years in Asia where her fluency in Japanese allowed her to create cross-cultural programming for students and professionals. Funding for these programs was generated by her network of personal donors and from fundraising events that she planned and managed. This also built on her passion for travel and she co-founded Travel Rookies, a travel coaching brand that encourages everyone, regardless of race/education/gender-identity/sexual orientation/socio-economic status to connect with the world.

Ms. Baynes moved to Los Angeles in 2012 because she was contracted by then Senator Curren Price’s office as an EVENT PLANNER and COMMUNITY OUTREACH CONSULTANT. When he was elected to City Council District 9 she created community art opportunities for his constituents and as a result was hired to create ART ACTIVE, Inc., an arts and mindfulness non-profit serving south Los Angeles. Art Active was established in 2014 and in her position as DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS, Ms. Baynes is responsible for all GRANT WRITING and teaching artists/site management. Her work at school sites has been so exemplary that in 2018 she was hired directly by Los Angeles Unified School District’s Audubon Middle School as their Community Representative for ARTS PROGRAMMING AND GRANTS MANAGER. Though programming was halted for students due to COVID-19, Ms. Baynes has secured over $200k in arts funding for middle/high school students in video production, dance, music and tactile art programs and has been actively working to pivot programming/funding to support food justice initiatives in vulnerable communities.

In January 2021, Keysha was appointed the Executive Director of Pulse Arts, a California based arts service and programming organization that aligns with all of her passions. She is committed to community engagement, impact and community-based resolutions. She believes that every voice is important and that the smallest voices deserve to be amplified. She knows that cross-cultural interaction is imperative in coalition building for a brighter future and looks to connect with like-minded people, businesses and organizations. 

I am placed ccurrently with Audobon Middle School. My first day on-site was October 11th, 2024. I came in around 12pm to meet with Ms.Baynes, and to introduce myself and get settled into one of the classes I'd be working with, Mr. Tatnall's. My other official first day was October 17th, with the second set of students I'd work with each week. I was nervous about making a great first engaging lesson for both classes, and both weeks ended up being a success. Thursdays I meet for three sessions, two 30 minute blocks, and one 1 hour block. Fridays I work with one class for 1 hour. The 6th and 7th graders were all super enthusiastic about learning foundational drawing skills. Many students share a love for anime and cartoons, video games, and graphic/bold art styles. I asked at the beginning and end of each lesson what the students would like out of these sessions, what they're interested in learning to represent. Majority of students are interested in characters and stylization.

During the course of my internship I aim to develop a personal teaching pedagogy informed by my experience, supplemented by studying education movements and theories. I also want to figure out the most ideal methods of engaging students in creative projects that interest them. Learning how to interact with younger age groups can be a challenge, but essential to forming bonds and a safe environment for those students to grow and express their concerns or passions. I also hope to inspire confidence and give students the tools to reflect on themselves with a growth mindset.

Practically I want to introduce new materials, mediums, and techniques to the students to show them as many possibilities for creative output as possible. I want to emphasize the idea that art is not confined to paper or canvas or screen, and that it is a necessary tool for maintaining one's health and wellness, helps produce mental connections or breakthroughs, and is a powerful tool for reflection or representing a manifestation of one's mind. I hope the students can visually see their progress and changing skills through the in-class assignments we do. 

Week 0-1, 10/11 - 10/13

Objectives

• Introduce self to classroom, become familiar with teacher + students I’m supporting 

• Present portfolio, about my art practice

• Discuss plans for gifted students to submit portfolios by mid November

How I made ~10 artworks for the AP Art portfolio 

Planning for supplies:

-sketchbook for each student (~12)

-micron pens

-pencil sharpeners

-rulers

-scissors

-fineliners

Week 2, 10/15 - 10/17

First "official day" teaching on site!

Objectives

• Gauge supply interest/ which supplies students want to create with

• art focus/ what are the students interested in learning? Drawing animals, people, etc.

Lesson

-introduce self (slides)

-open for questions

-What is art? Origin of word

Elements of Art work-along sheet

-work with gifted student for last 30 mins.

Today I met one of the gifted students that I'll be working with, helping to develop their portfolios for a chance to apply to a gifted highschool program with extensive art classes. I met my 6th grade class and two 8th grade classes, Thursday and Friday.  Many students were interested in learning character design, drawing people and bodies/anatomy. They want to use paint and watercolor, and ink and pen. 

Week 3 10/22, 10/24, 10/25

Prepared my introduction post for Pulse Art's social media. Getting more used to one-on-one instruction without looking towards someone else for support. 

Lessons

10/24

6th grade - color wheel + complimentary color portraits

oil pastel + paint - used to make shape of heads

8th graders - 15 min warmup - observation drawing

contour drawings

10/25

8th graders - Pattern Drawing/Painting

1. Draw 12-16 lines with pen

2. Draw some circles, use lids/circular objects to draw them, different sizes throughout paper

3. Fill in spaces in alternating patterns!

Week 4 10/29, 10/31, 11/1

It's a holiday-filled week of fun! Many of the students I talked to don't celebrate Halloween, but were happy to receive candy from me. Being one-on-one with 1/2 of gifted students, I asked her what she likes to watch, draw, what her favorite music is, etc. I gave her a prompt to draw over the weekend, and to bring in any drawings that she's done already. I want to see what she can already do and help fill in the gaps in her portfolio where needed. Only a few weeks left before the deadline to submit for the gifted arts application.

Lessons

10/31

6th graders - crayon resist/ wax resist painting with watercolor! Using watercolor techniques to make a pumpkin drawing

8th graders - human proportions and scale demo, 6-foot figure

pencil + charcoal

sketch pad

11/1

8th graders - Day of the Dead skeleton portraits! Collage techniques, colored construction paper, pencil, markers, glue

Week 5 11/4, 11/7, 11/8

Student A - gifted 8th grader

Student B - gifted 8th grader.

I talked to Student B about her plans for her portfolio. She enjoys portraits and drawing faces, eyes, etc. Student A forgot to bring their drawings and prompt over the weekend but it's okay, we'll work together in class. Across all my classes, students are becoming aware of the time constraints (meeting 30 min. each group) and request more time. It's out of my control, but some teachers allowed some students to remain an extra 15-20 min to continue working.

Lessons

11/7

6th graders - 3D hand drawing

-trace hand on paper, use horizontal lines to convey form

-color alternating stripes with paint or marker!

8th graders - Free drawing session, drawing prompts up on board

11/8

8th graders - paint a tree inspired by Gustav Klimt's "Tree of Life"

Week 6, 11/12, 11/14, 11/15

Prepping for the last 2 weeks to work on the gifted application portfolios. Student B is far ahead, feels confident about what they're making. Student A needs extra support/reminders from her support system to remember drawing prompts, to bring in artwork, etc. 

Lessons

11/12

6th graders - let students finish 3D hand drawing from last week

-oil pastel prints: color back of paper thickly with oil pastel, lay down over blank piece of paper. Press down hard on top with pencil or stub, lift up oil pastel paper to reveal the colored impression on the blank piece of paper.

8th graders - Loomis head construction demo

-8 heads tall, proportions

-Face studies, students draw faces, and each other

11/15

8th graders - crayon/oil pastel wax print

Week 7, 11/15, 11/21, 11/22

Final week with students. Prepared evaluations for teacher to give to students about the art workshop. Student B submitted their portfolio in time! They did a live demo/drawing test over the weekend. They should hear their results by sometime early next year. Student A has been given an extension due to the high volume of applicants for the fall quarter + needs more support preparing their portfolio. Had a mini-goodbye celebration, gave cookies to students.