Sunset Silhouettes

Hello again!

This is the first time I've taught this lesson, and got the idea from some awesome sources on Pinterest! Fourth grade artists talked about when they can see silhouettes, where they've seen them, and how to include detail (on the edges) without adding detail (to the inside of the form)! This was challenging for the students because they were presented with many images for inspiration, but NO TRACING was allowed! They had to break down their chosen silhouette subjects into shapes, and draw from observation as best they could. I think they did a wonderful job! Click to enlarge! 

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Tar Beach!

Love me some cross-curriculum connections!

 The lovely librarians asked me if I could relate an Art lesson to their first grade Caldecott unit for Reading Week this year. I spotted Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold, and jumped on it! In Art, we talked about the meaning of a "tar beach", and the different ways the main character used her imagination in the story. 

We then, as a class, named different places we would love to fly over, and make our own. They came out wonderfully!  

Next time, I might have them look up different places and landmarks for more of a 
variety of locations - there were a lot of bird's eye views of Paris the first time around! Here are some of the results from the Tar Beach lesson! 

   

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Swimmy!

Hello there! 

This lesson is the largest the kindergarten artists take on during the school year! This lesson takes about 5 weeks, because we really concentrate on mixing our primary colors to create secondary. The first three weeks we create purple, orange, and green. We read books specific to the color (for example, Little Blue and Little Yellow), and really get in depth about proper mixing. 

The last two weeks are dedicated to tracing fish shapes on our secondary colors we've created, cutting them out, and adding lots of details for our Swimmy oceans. This is the time of year when the kinder students really need to absorb color theory, and this lesson really facilitates that! Take a look at some great examples! (click to enlarge)

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Molas of Panama!

Hello there!
Third grade artists have produced some wonderful Molas! At the start of the lesson, we discussed the location of Panama. We talked about the Kuna women who create these fabric artworks, and the Mola's many uses. We then talked about the style, and recorded the repeating patterns and animals that we saw. I think they did a wonderful job! Here are some examples that really stood out!

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Rotational Symmetry!

Hello there!
Fourth grade has been working hard on rotational symmetry the past few weeks. We discuss what it is, where we find it in our daily lives, and I introduce vocabulary on the subject. They were a bit intimidated at first, because it seems more difficult than it really is! There was lots of math involved with this lesson - talking about fractions, and the "order" of our projects (the order is 4, since it can be rotated 4 times and still be symmetrical). I love this project for the proud faces at the end of the lesson! 

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Arts Alive Event 2014!

Hello there!
This is going to be a long (and awesome) one! It was the second-annual Arts Alive show last week, and it was a wonderful day! Students from grades PK-12 displayed their talents in the visual arts, theatre, music, culinary arts, cosmetology, technology and more!  The turnout was great, and the display was HUGE.
Please enjoy these pics from the day! Feel free to click on the images to enlarge them!

To the left are middle school coil and slab pots on display, as well as some elementary 2-d pieces!

To the right is an image of one of my "sections". Picasso portraits, rotational symmetry, striped self-portraits and more!

 

Above and below are images of work form the high school level - charcoal, acrylic, watercolor, and clay!

A few more of my "sections"!

An image of the gym - rows and rows of Art!!

Our Kandinsky circles and Onomatopoeias!

Mini chefs at the culinary table! The high school students made the BEST lobster bisque and chowder!

Printmaking

One of my favorite works! It makes me want to buy a set of watercolors and start painting! 

Arts teachers!

Perspective drawings, and Op Art cubes!

This day was full of performances, drum circles, food, music, beautiful artwork and happy faces!

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