Around the World in Art Class

 

This year in art class we are taking a trip around the world!! 

We are going to spend this year exploring different types of art from around the world. We have

have spent the first weeks of school creating passports and exploring our first country on our

journey, CANADA! 

Kindergarten and First Grade :  began by being introduced to different types of indigenous 

Canadian art. We looked at the style of drawing and carving prominent in northwest Canada. This discovery of Canadian art lead us to our first art project where we created a beautiful drawing of a salmon. 

Here is a peek at one of the finished masterpieces! 

Second and Third Grade : explored stone sculptures called Inukshuks. These sculptures are created by using stones and stacking them to create figure like sculptures. The Inukshuks are built by the Inupiat, Kalaallit, Yupik and other peoples of the arctic region of North America. We painted in the style of Ted Harrison, aCanadian painter. 

Fourth and Fifth Grade:  explored totem poles. We discovered that totem poles represent and commemorate the ancestry, history, people and events created by the first nations. Each student was able to discover that different animals have different meanings and created totem poles inspired by these animals. 

These totem poles will be pieced together and displayed around our schools very soon. 

As part of our study of study of Canada I have been reading some Native American stories and a trickster tale from the Northwest entitled Raven. 

We are looking forward to learning more about our next country! 

End Of The Year Masterpieces!

 "Do something CREATIVE everyday!" 

With the school year quickly coming to an end we have been exploring some FUN and messy paining projects. 

Students in all grades were introduced to the artist Jackson Pollock and his fabulous style of action painting. We decided to try this out ourselves. 

We splattered, dripped, and dropped paint onto canvas to create 3 magnificent paintings. Each grade level used different colored paints to add texture and line. This collaborative project was fantastic to watch come to life. I'm pretty sure this was an art class favorite that we will continue to do every year! 

Here is a snip it of our collaborative masterpiece: 

Our K-4 students helped to create a beautiful mural filled with color and creativity. 

Each grade level helped to create an element of the mural that when pieced together worked together beautifully. 

Kindergarten was in charge of clouds, 1st and 3rd Grade helped to create flowers, 2nd grade worked on leaves, and 4th grade created one of a kind buildings. 

Here is the final piece: 

While our K-4th grade created this beautiful mural the 5th grade was busy creating the Class of 2022 legacy gift. Students in the 5th grade class worked together to create a painted alphabet that will hang in the library next year. 

So proud of the beautiful they did! 

As one of our very last projects of the year we tried something we have never done in art class before, BLACKLIGHT PAINTING!! Students used neon paints that glowed in the dark. Each grade level created a sea creature. This may be one of my new favorite end of the year projects!! 

This will be my last blog post for the year! The elementary students have worked incredibly hard this year. They has learned about new materials and art techniques, they have created beautifully crafted works of art, they have been more confident artists, and they become more confident as art explorers! 

We have an am axing year in art class! I am already excited about planning our projects for next year!! 

I hope everyone has a wonderful summer filled with creativity!!! 

Blossoming in the Art Room!

 

Spring has Sprung in the Art Room!!

We are so excited to be back and making messes in the art room. This spring we will be creating a lot of collaborative school wide masterpieces. 

Since we are unable to have an art show this year, we will fill the halls and walls with beautiful works of art to brighten up our days! 

Before beginning these collaborations some students have had the opportunity to work with the 3D printer. The third, fourth, and fifth grades will have the opportunity to create 3D printed objects using a program called tinkercad. 

It's no surprise that most of our upper elementary students love being able to incorporate technology into their artwork, taking 2D masterpieces and turning them into 3D sculptures. 

3rd Graders are creating robots, 4th graders are designing bookmarks, and 5th graders are creating beautiful flowers. 

Stay tuned for images of final pieces! 

Kindergarten , 1st Grade, and 2nd Grade were able to explore the art of still life with colorful spring flowers. These students have worked hard all year to improve their painting skills and understanding of different types of art! The hard work shows in the quality of the pieces! 

Our first collaborative school wide piece came together beautifully! Each student was given the task of creating a magnificent self portrait. 

Each portrait was cut into four pieces and then pieced together with other student work. 

Here is the result: 

I will work on putting the finishing touches on this piece and hanging it up very soon! 

We have so many fun and creative opportunities ahead of us in the final weeks of school and we can't wait to share them with you! 

"We don't make mistakes, just happy little accidents" - Bob Ross 

CLAY!!

 

We have finished our CLAY unit!! 

This is the most wonderful time of year. Every student looks forward to our time with clay. 

Clay is beneficial to students in so many way: 

- It encourages sensory development 

- Develops coordination and motor skills 

- It can be therapeutic 

- Extends student attention span

- Builds imagination 

- Boosts self esteem

Kindergarten 

Students in kindergarten focused on created texture. They were tasked with using different tools to create different types of texture. Their texture exploration was transformed into a beautiful tree. The kindergarteners were so excited about every aspect of this process, the excitement they showed after discovering a new texture is an amazing process to be a part of. Students were taken through the whole clay process from creating, to firing, to glazing. 

1st Grade

Our first graders created magnificent pinch pots. Each student was introduced to the process of creating a pinch pot, they were also given the chance to add texture and different designs to their bowls to add their own special touch to their piece. 

One of the most exciting steps in this process is seeing a piece come out of the kiln all glazed. It is always exciting opening the kiln after a glaze kiln! 

2nd Grade 

Second graders took a little inspiration from Vincent Van Gogh and his sunflowers. These students' transformed a slab of clay into a one of a kind flower bowl. Each student was encouraged to explore additive and subtractive methods in clay. The results are wonderful! Colorful, creative, and unique just like each second grader. 

3rd Grade

Third graders worked on clay creatures. This is one of my favorite clay projects. Students created a sketch of a monster or creature from their imagination they wanted to replicate in clay. 

The final pieces are always fantastic. These third graders were so engaged, excited, and carefully considerate every aspect of their work. 

I am so impressed with how each students' piece developed and their careful construction which led to phenomenal sculptures!

Fourth Grade 

Fourth graders explored a new clay project I had not worked on before. Each student was asked to create a paintbrush out of clay. They used their knowledge of clay techniques and materials to construct their pieces. We added a special touch to each paintbrush to give them an extra pop! 

I love how these paintbrushes came to life, and they will look wonderful hanging in each students' home!

 

Fifth Grade 

The fifth graders were inspired by the work of Pablo Picasso and his portraits. 

Students created abstract portraits using elements seen in some of Picasso's work. They were given the artistic freedom to explore, and create pieces they felt were interesting. Each piece is so different and would make Picasso proud! 

Our focus coming back from April vacation will be more focused on group and collaborative projects. We will explore different ways we can work together as a community to bring beautiful artwork into our school. I am looking forward to all of the upcoming projects I have planned. 

With summer also quickly approaching students will be looking for ways to explore and create. I will be post art opportunities and resources that students' can take advantage of during the summer months in the upcoming blog posts. 

I will be offering 2 day art workshops, each workshop will have a different focus. Below is information about this opportunity. 

Back to Creating!!

 We are back! I hope everyone had a fabulous vacation full of fun, exploration, and creating. We jumped right back into creating beautiful pieces starting last week and are already beginning to wrap up some of their masterpieces. 

We are getting excited for these next couple weeks of art classes because it is CLAY WEEK!!!! Next week we will begin exploring clay. It is the most wonderful time of year! 

Here are the pieces that we have been working on since returning to school from break. 

Kindergarten: Learned about the artist Paul Klee and created a cat painting inspired by his own paintings of cats. We used shapes and lines to create an abstract cat drawing and we have been busy adding color to these masterpieces. 

We read the book "The Cat and the Bird" written by Geraldine Elshner. This was a good introduction to the artist and his style of work. 

1st Grade: We have been exploring line, color, and pattern in this most recent assignment. By experimenting with colors we have gained a greater understanding of which colors make each other pop and work best together. This assignment challenged us to practice painting skills. 

2nd Grade: Just like Kindergarten, second graders took a page from Paul Klee to create a colorful cityscape inspired by Klee's paintings. We discussed color mixing, and were able to use  art vocabulary to distinguish why colors were different when mixed with white and black. The results are fantastic!! 

Our Paul Klee Inspiration. 

If you are looking for more kid friendly resources here is a link to video series called Art with Mati and Dada. This series introduces kids to artists in a fun way and gives them some information about different artists and examples of their artwork. The link I have provided below is to a video about Paul Klee. 

Art with Mati and Dada: Paul Klee

A FANTASTIC finished project!! 

3rd Grade: Our third graders started their printmaking project. We began this project by discussing the difference between geometric and organic shapes. We used organic shapes to create a colorful background. The next step was to create our stamp for printing. We created an abstract design using only shapes and lines. I am so excited to watch these beautiful prints come to life. 

This is a very fun process and it is always wonderful to see the excitement of each student when they reveal that first print. 

4th Grade: Fourth graders have also been exploring the art of printmaking. Each student chose two colors and created a spiral design. Like third grade they were asked to create a stamp that used only lines and shapes. Each stamp is completely different because each student is using their own imagination and creativity to create a one of a kind piece. 

5th Graders:  Are prepping for their clay project which they will begin next week. We are being inspired by Pablo Picasso and his portraits. Each student is going to create their own clay sculpture of a face. I am looking forward to seeing how each student approaches this creative problem. 

5th grade planning sketch. It will be transformed into clay next week. 

We have so many exciting projects happening and planned in March and April. It is going to be creative packed couple of months!!

Color Me Happy!!

 "Creativity is contagious, pass it on" - Albert Einstein 

As we approach our February vacation students in all grades are finishing work on their pieces so we can start fresh when we return from our winter break. 

The time we spent in art classes so far this year has been focused on line, color, and shape. Our focus coming back from February break will be more on form, and texture, and different ways we can create these elements in our artwork. 

Kindergartners and First Graders : got in the Valentines day spirit and have been spreading the "LOVE" through their beautiful paintings. 

2nd Graders: Have finished their symmetrical paintings. Students have really gained a greater understanding about symmetry and how to find symmetry in other artworks. 

3rd Graders: Have finished working on their Australian Aboriginal art inspired paintings. I love how each student was given an example and directions and each student discovered a unique way of solving this creative problem. 

4th Graders: Began a collage project this week and will continue with this until vacation. They are using colored paper to create a self portrait. Students were tasked with creating a unique and little abstract portrait. I have been so impressed with each student’s take on this assignment. These fourth graders are growing into amazing artists, and I am so excited about each student’s  ability to manipulate new material to create one of a kind pieces. These fourth graders should be proud of their work!

Fifth Graders: began a short symmetry project where their name was written in cursive and transferred to create a symmetrical design. Students were asked to turn their symmetrical name into a bug, creature, or monster. Each student is thinking about this assignment in their own way and transforming their name into works of magnificent art. 

We are all looking forward to what is coming up next in art class. When we return from vacation students in grades K-2 will begin working with clay, printmaking and creating a beautiful project inspired by stained glass windows. 

3-5 students will be exploring clay, printmaking, and 3D printing. 

We are all excited about what is to come. 

With vacation approaching I encourage your students to find time to be creative everyday. Here are some ideas to keep your student busy over the break! 

During free time in art class students have painted wood cookies. These mini masterpieces will be hanging on the trails at Valentine Farm. The winter fest will run from Saturday February 19th - Sunday February 25th. You can enjoy the story walk, sledding, snowshoeing on the trails, and looking for hidden art gems on the trails. 

Another idea for students to get creative is to be inspired by the art of Andy Goldsworthy. 

He uses nature as his palette. With all the beautiful snow I would encourage students to create and explore with natural materials that they are surrounded by. You can check out some ideas below.