Education is an important goal of the Elephants Eye tour. The day before the tour opens to the public, all participating artists meet privately with groups from local schools and senior centers. At these private gatherings, artists lecture, demonstrate and engage community groups in dialogue.

Elephants Eye founder Lisa Naples feels that education is a key component of the tour. Now a tenured artist, Naples realizes that she lacked artistic mentorship in her childhood. The tour encourages students by providing examples of artists who have built lives with art at the center.

If you are an educator and would like to schedule one of these studio visits, please contact our Director of Education at edu@elephantseyetour.org

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Here are some testimonials from past visitors to the Elephant’s Eye Tour:

From Mark Sfirri: woodworking professor at Bucks County Community College.

"Opening up the Elephants Eye Tour with an educational component is very forward thinking and inclusive to students studying craft. A group of ten students from Bucks County Community College had the wonderful opportunity to visit David Ellsworth's studio and home. This event had a very positive impact on the group, being able to see an important figure in his own surrounds and talk about his work and philosophy. All of the students have taken wood turning classes with me, but this provided a look into the studio of a premiere maker. David was gracious enough to actually make a piece while we were there. Kudos to Lisa Naples and Elephants Eye Studio Tour for making this opportunity possible."

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From an Occupational Therapist (Pat King) at Warwick Elementary School. CBSD who, with other teachers brought a high functioning group of autistic 4th, 5th and 6th graders out to Lisa Naples’ studio on the education day.

“Lisa organized an outdoor work station that was fantastically worry free and a full sensory experience. The hands on project (not just 1 but 2) was wonderful for the students. It completely engrossed them. The day went beyond our expectations.”

Later, when asked what a successful out come would be she replied:
“If the kids could hold the experience in working memory and talk about it at home. We heard from 3 parents that their kids were talking about it later.”

We queried the kids about the day. Keep in mind that for autistic kids, any change in routine schedule causes alarm and anxiety. The two most rigid come first:

"I didn't like it so much at first, but in the end I really liked seeing
the pottery wheel going."

"At first I didn't like the trip, but then the pottery we made made me
change my mind."

"I thought it was cool being able to meet somebody who was nice and let
us look at her work. It was nice to see something different and art that
was so different."

"Four syllables: IN CRED IB LE!"

"We loved what great craftsmanship you could do."

"Tell her THANKS FOR SHOWING US YOUR COOL ART."

"I liked the pottery wheel, I liked the squiggly lines that she made on
the pot."

"It was neat to learn about new things."

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Tina Warren. Art Teacher, Central Bucks South High School
Warrington, PA Brought high school art students to 3 studios

"This was my second year attending the Elephant's Eye Tour with high
school students and this year was even better than last year. The
opportunity for students to meet the artists in person, see where they
work and speak with them in a small group or one on one setting is rare
and incredibly valuable for their education. Prior to this, the art
world was far removed from theirs and their only experience with artists
was seeing names on a label in a museum or in a book. I have seen a
brand new energy and enthusiasm in my students upon our return and they have already begun talking about next year's trip. The Elephant's Eye Tour is the highlight of my advanced courses."

And now, a sampling of comments from Tina Warren’s CBSD-South High School students:
“I didn’t realize how hard an artists life is.”

“The artists, that they live in our community, they’re all around here and I didn’t know it.”

“Talking to the actual artists and seeing what it is they actually do was amazing.”

“It was great to learn how the artists work and what inspires them.”

“It was awesome to look at all the artists and see how they do their work and see another perspective.”

“What worked well was being able to talk one on one with the artists and get their opinion and be able to ask questions.”

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From a CBSD art teacher who brought a bus load of high school students out for a field trip to 3 of the EE studios on the education day.

"Lisa, (Central Bucks) East students loved the trip. They are so excited to make mosaics after Diabase.” (This is a reference to Tom Kazary’s studio) Thanks, Ann Huuki"