"In a poem inspired by a gold African ornament, students from Northern High School write of 'the early sun igniting the sky." That line, which serves as the title for this book, stands as a metaphor for the role of art as the spark that ignites the imagination.

Now in its eleventh year, the Detroit Institute of Arts student writing project invites Detroit Public School students to view works of art in the museum's permanent collection and then write poems, essays, and criticism inspired by them. The art is the starting point as the students' minds take flight, exploring the nature of creativity, the diverse perspectives of other cultures, and their own contemporary world in often startling ways. Interpretations of the works of art vary widely, as demonstrated by the range of writings received about the photograph Francis (with Daisies, New York). A first grader saw in this closely cropped portrait the face of a playmate, while a high school student was prompted to create a biting social commentary.

We received entries from kindergartners just starting out on their educational journey and high school seniors about to embark on life's adult path. Although we can publish only a small portion of the hundreds of submissions, all participating students deserve recognition for the creativity and insights they bring to looking at and writing about art. Their teachers are to be commended for introducing students to the DIA and to the complexities of written expression.

In addition to the efforts of their teachers, many students benefited from the guidance of professional writers-in-residence at their schools sponsored by the Inside Out program. Inside Out, a private nonprofit organization, was established by Terry Blackhawk, a retired Detroit high school teacher whose many students participated in the DIA's Student Writing Project over the years. We welcome the expert assistance and inspiration brought by the InsideOut writers.

The difficult task of selecting the best entries for publication fell to our three jurors: Diane Bernstein, a retired teacher at Detroit's Central High School; Vicky Billingfon, a member of the museum's Department of Education; and Debraha Watson, program director, Wayne County Community College District, and vice chair of the Detroit Black Writers Guild. We appreciate their efforts on our behalf. In the museum, Jennifer Williams of the education department coordinated the project with the Detroit Public Schools; Judith Ruskin and Tanya Pohrt of the publications department edited the book. Igniting the Sky was designed by Kelley Gottschang, a graduate student in Graphic Design at Wayne State University, under the supervision of Professor Judith Moldenhauer.

May the ideas expressed in these writings serve as the spark to ignite your imagination."