I Have A Dream

In celebration of MLK Day, 2nd graders drew portraits of Martin Luther King. They did a great job studying the historical photographs of him. At the end of the project I challenged students to think of a dream they have for our current world. Here are a few of the results. Enjoy!

Chihuly recycled project

I love Chihuly! The kids love learning about this artist (the strange eye patch is always a topic of conversation) and examining his work. Last quarter Mrs. Ristow's 3rd grade class created this Chihuly-inspired installation piece using paint, recycled bottles collected at school, and a wire vegetable trellis.

Galapagos Penguins

Just before winter break, kindergartners learned the basics of making art out of clay and took a field trip to the art room to check out the kiln. They were so excited to get a preview of where they will be having art class next year. They are such a well behaved and enthusiastic bunch...I cannot wait to have them in my room next year where we will be able to do more involved and complicated projects.

For this project, we decided to learn about and sculpt Galapagos Penguins. Students looked at pictures for inspiration but were allowed to make their own modifications. I appreciate the particularly chubby penguin that became a pregnant "mommy penguin". Another little guy mysteriously looks just like a chicken. After an extended  vacation the penguins are fired and ready for glazing. The photos below the glazing process in action. Check back in a few days for pictures of the final product.

 

Shoes

I am all about Vincent Van Gogh this quarter! He is one of my favorite artists and his work offers so much inspiration. Check out this GE sponsored installation at London's National Gallery: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=541_ke_ADl0

 He is famous for a series of paintings of shoes. They have such an expressive quality; they are almost like portraits, as they can tell you so much about their owners. These paintings served as the inspiration for our current ceramics project. Students are working from observation to create a shoe sculpture that tells the viewer about themselves. Below I have included pictures of two projects that are approaching completion: a soccer shoe and worn-in Converse. I am absolutely floored by the quality of these pieces. This is easily high school quality work! I would love to enter them into an art contest, if I can only find one.

Royal Pooches!

This is a work in progress by 3rd graders. In response to many requests to draw animals, we are creating "Royal Pooches". We will be painting them with watered down tempera next week. I decided to paint my dog, Remy, as an example. Check out their preliminary sketches!

 

 

Thanks to Deep Space Sparkle for the idea!

Feliz Dia de los Muertos!

3rd grade traveled south of the border to discover Halloween-like traditions celebrated by other cultures. In Mexico, Halloween is not so scary. The celebrate "Dia de los Muertos" or "The Day of the Dead". It is a joyous occasion that remembers past friends and family members. Children dance in the streets with skeletons, decorate with marigolds and sugar skulls, and eat the favorite foods and beverages of the departed. Our class painted sugar skulls (these are sweet treats eaten and displayed during the festivities) with tempera and then added glittery embellishments.

5th Grade Guppies!

5th grade recently completed ceramic guppies! There is always a ton of excitement in the art room when the clay comes out. It is one of our most popular mediums. Students created pinch pots and set them on their side to give the effect of a fish with a huge gaping mouth. We then used slip to add eyes, fins, and tails. Some students took it a step further by adding moustaches and glasses, which really fit the whimsical feel of the whole project. A very narrow pinch pot turned into an awesome shark. I love how much personality they have!

4th grade Op Art

4th grade is learning about Op Art, a style of art that is designed to trick the eye. After checking out famous works by MC Escher and Bridget Riley, we set out to create our own optical illusions. Students traced their hands in different overlapping positions and then began adding color to create the effect of movement. These pictures can be dizzying!