Weaving with Straws

Look who came in to show me his straw weavings.  He is now in 5th grade and learned how to do this in 2nd grade using only 4 straws.  He upped the ante to 16 straws.  I was amazed.  Bravo!

Stay tuned for more straw weaving ... 2nd grade is about to get started

Doing the Robot

Kindergarten invented ROBOTS!   

Art can be made from just about anything.  We used found objects to print our robots.

 Then we used chalk pastels to add flair to our prints.  Each robot is a true invention. 

Ask kindergarteners about their robot.  They can tell you how they made it, its name, and its special "job."

Self Portraits.

 We decided to go incognito for this year's Self Portrait.

Artists all over the world make self portraits. We came up with thoughts as to why.  Here are just some of our ideas:

• for fun
• for practice
• to help the future learn about us
• in place of a photograph (cameras sure have changed the world)
• to make a version of yourself that is imaginary
• to share feelings and emotions and other things about your personality
• to show how "cool" you are...

Fine Arts Night

There is lots of excitement in the art room.  Each student is finally getting a chance to look through their art portfolio and select their favorite artwork to have hung up at Fine Arts Night.  As they flip through their art, I love to watch the quite reflection, see the happy smiles, and hear the honest remarks.  Once the BIG decision is made, they come up with a title.  This is the best.  The titles are so fun and telling about what they see and love about their art. 

Fine Arts Night will be May 3rd.  As the date approaches, you will be finding out more details about this great evening celebrating the arts.

1 Point Perspective Museums

After asking ourselves different ways to show depth on a flat surface, we drew an interior to a room using perspective techniques.  .... but this was not just any room....

It was to be a museum and the theme was up to each of us.  As an art curator, we were going to organize an art show.  We brainstormed ideas - from sports, to candy, to flowers, and puppies and even more abstract and open ideas such as "things that make me happy" the list just does not end. 

In the end, 4th graders blew me away.  GREAT JOB!

Ikebana Clay Vases

2nd grade made these Japanese inspirations, after viewing and discussing ikebana vases and arrangements.  Before getting out the clay, we decided what kind of balance our vase would have- symmetrical, asymmetrical, or radial.  Then we dragged out the clay and tried our hands at making a pinch pot and a textured slab, attaching them by slipping 'n' scoring.  They came alive with the shiny colorful glaze.

In these zany arrangements we focused on showing rhythm, contrast, and asymmetry. 

These were magical to watch unfold ... so much fun! 

Jim Dine Heart Weavings

Kindergarten started by viewing and discussing Jim Dine's Four Hearts.

Of course the first thing they noticed were the hearts and the second thing they noticed were all the colors.

 So we set off to explore colors and how they can change by mixing with other colors.  They painted 3 papers exploring the primary, secondary, and neutral color schemes. Then we cut one into a loom and one into strips to prepare for our weaving. With the weaving we learned that we use an AB pattern, so that was very exciting to see.  What was even more exciting was making a symmetrical heart and gluing it into place to see.  "WOW."