SANDY SPRINGS--In recognition of Black History Month students at St. Jude the Apostle School spent two days with African-American guest artist Michelle Wood.

Ms. Wood has been commissioned to create the 1993, 1994 and 1995 Black History Jazz Series posters, as well as the cover of American Visions magazine for their special edition highlighting Georgia's African-American heritage.

"I spent a lot of time talking to the kids and showing them how my artwork has progressed over the years," Ms. Wood said. "I showed them some of the drawings that I had done in first and second grade so they could see firsthand that I used to be at the same level that some of them are at now."

In addition to her grammar school work, Ms. Wood brought four of her professional paintings including "Kathryn," "Portrait Of Kathryn," "Memories" and "Buffalo Cowboy."

Each student in grades K-eight assisted with the replication of one of Ms. Wood's paintings through participation in a grid project. Each student was given a square of paper that had a section of the painting on it as well as a number signaling its location on the grid. Students colored their square with the appropriate colors and then placed their square in the corresponding location on the grid. When all had finished they had a huge copy of Ms. Wood's painting.

Ms. Wood is a 1991 graduate of the American College for Applied Arts in Atlanta. In 1994 she undertook a pilgrimage to Nigeria to study the essence and significance of African culture and heritage. She has studied with University of Michigan professor Lamidi Olande Fakeye, an internationally acclaimed sculptor from the former native state of Yoruba in southwest Nigeria.