End of the Year Activities

With only a week and a half to go, we are quickly wrapping things up in the art room. As of tomorrow, our eighth graders are on a three day camp trip! And I will be attending a luncheon to celebrate one of my students' accomplishments in poster contest this past fall, later on in the week, so there is very little time left!

In an effort to get rid of some of my scraps, I have introduced sixth grade to Matisse and his collage techniques. We are covering plain old manila paper in bright, colorful construction and painted paper scraps. We briefly talked about positive and negative space as well.

As a culmination of the year, and their three years in middle school, eighth graders have been designing story cubes based on Dr. Suess' "Oh the Places You'll Go." The idea was to have a story flow from panel to panel of a cube template. The results have been mixed as some students have tapped out while others love the idea and have taken it to heart.

I wanted to be able to do something three dimensional with seventh grade before the end of the year. I also have varying degrees of abilities and behaviors. So, spray starch coffee filter Chihuly inspired macchia designs it is! I've started this one day lesson by showing students this interview http://www.chihuly.com/cbs-early-show.aspx and various macchia pieces from Chihuly. We then used plain old crayola washable markers to fill a coffee filter, inverted them over cups and sprayed with starch. So far the kids have loved it! The starch gets a bit messy and sticks to the table, but all in good fun. I hope they are happy because they look super cool!

Also a quick, one day activity that not everyone got to participate in, was my "Art Show Critique." Students came down to what was left of the show and with a partner answered a series of questions about a piece of their choice, not from their grade. Its not exactly a critiques, but it gets students to look more closely at an artwork and begin to analyze it. 

1. Describe what you see: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. What stands out the most when you first look at this work of art? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Explain the reason why you notice the thing you mention in number 2. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. What leads your eye around the page? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. What is the subject of the artwork? ________________________________________________________________

6. How do you think the artist made this work? What materials do you think he/ she used? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. Circle which elements of art the artist used

LINE         SHAPE              COLOR      VALUE       TEXTURE           FORM       SPACE

8. HOW did the artist use at least 2 of these elements? Think about:         BALANCE       CONTRAST PATTERN EMPHASIS     MOVEMENT    RHYTHM         UNITY

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. What feelings or meanings could this artwork represent? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10. What titles could you give this artwork? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

11. What other things interest you about this artwork? Why did you pick this one out of the hundreds in the show? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Spring Art Show Wrap Up

Wow. A part of me still feels like I am recuperating from the thirteen hour work day setting up the show, dismantling of the show the next day, returning the work the following, and celebrating student of the semester. All in one, short week. Maybe I am also anxiously gearing up for the last weeks of school!

But my first public school art show went off without much of a hitch. I suppose the only hitch was how I felt selling some of the student work. I get uncomfortable selling working. The money comes back to the art program, but I get worried, and so do the kids, as to where their hard work is going. And, on my end, did I remember to put the "not for sale" sticker on the work, or did the responsible 8th graders helping to prepare in the weeks before remember!?

Over sixty works of art were sold, raising almost $200 for the art program in one night. I have nothing to compare that to, but I'd say it was a success! I am even more happy with the comments from parents and staff saying how it was the best art show in memory. Thank goodness! I am the third art teacher the poor eighth grade kids have had!

8th grade Color Scheme Bike Tempera Painting

7th grade Pop Art

Also 7th grade Pop Art... you'll need to rotate your screen.
Also, an adapted lesson for my special needs student. 

7th grade Warm and Cool Rule of 3rds Bikes

All of the above pieces were sold. Two of the four to the former art teacher, now solely teaching elementary. The other two to staff members. 

The panels formed a horse shoe. This is the middle, with one of the three tables of 6th grade Character Bowls.

We were fortunate enough to borrow the metal panels from the local art association. It really made life (for me) so much easier. And I think it brought up the level of professionalism. Also wonderful was the the joint celebration of the arts that night. After an hour of viewing the art work, parents, families and others in attendance enjoyed a band and chorus performance. I was very impressed by the chorus. They really pulled it together for Michael Jackson's Man in the Mirror and Journey's Don't Stop Believing!

The day after the show, I brought my students down to view the remaining works and look a little more closely at a work of their choice. With a partner, students answers questions, almost like a critique, about a classmate's work.
During last period, I was asked to come down to the office as soon as the bell rang. I tried not to get nervous, but all I kept thinking was "What did I do?"

There was a message from the assistant superintendent to please give her a call back. Um ok, sure thing.

Boy am I glad I did! She asked if I would be interested in a year, .5 position teaching high school, in addition to my .5 position teaching middle school. I have the opportunity to be full time next year! At a public school!! I have been working towards this since college graduation six years ago. Yes, I am interested, thank you, thank you, thank you!

So, anyone out there teach high school?

I am waiting for more specifics but am very much looking forward to the new challenge and improving my middle school curriculum as I go.

Wohoo!

Its the Final Countdown...

10 Days until the Art Show!
Well, 9 since today is over. Really 8 if you take into consideration that I won't be in school Friday.
There was a death in the family. (No worries, my great aunt lived a full life into her nineties. She has been taken care of by the Little Sisters for the last few years and is now resting peacefully with her husband, daughter and my dad. I'm looking forward to celebrating her wonderful life and memory with my family!)

Today after school I juggled between helping students with clay character bowls, cleaning up after a whirlwind of the day, and guiding my dedicated eighth graders in getting mats started for the works selected for the Show.
We will have black felted panels from the local art association, but my principal likes the look of the black rail board, and as its been done traditionally, I am taking the extra step. (He also likes the works glued, so I have been fighting the humidity and my better judgement.) This way too though, I can use any and all available wall space and still have things look professional.
After a little over an hour and a half, we have two classes done and eleven more to go!

The above image is from a PhotoShop class I took in college. I have/had limited skills with technology. The following semester though the idea of layering images flowed into my Photo Process Printmaking class and I again used these images to create metal printing plates and layered the registers. That I had a ton of fun with and even gave away and framed many works from that class. 

Color Scheme and Composition Bike Painting

I love that excited feeling I get when seeing my students' work coming together. I've felt this way a lot lately, and I know the kids are feeling it too.

I found my inspiration for Eighth Grade Color Scheme Bike paintings via pinterest.

I believe the original pin was from someone's Etsy site, but I thought "Hey, 8th grade could totally do this!"

I decided to introduce students to the Rule of Thirds for this assignment. We've talked a lot this year about creating the illusion of space (perspective) but whenever there is time to "free" draw, I've noticed the sunset right in the middle of the page... you know what I'm talking about.
Having tried to introduce the concept in the past, I knew I needed help. Kids would go through the motions so to speak, but not really get it. So after scanning YouTube for what felt like hours (seriously, as soon as I thought I found a good one, there was a swear or a boob), I found a video that was short enough to keep their attention, and after a few questions, sure to drive home the point.

I brought in my own bike, and borrowed the bike the seventh grade teacher had in her classroom. I think a few years ago someone found it in the marsh behind the school. (And I thought I had weird stuff in my room!) After some observational sketches, we reviewed and were introduced to a few new color schemes, including monochromatic, analogous, triadic and split complementary. Kids could select their own schemes and were encouraged to use tints, tones and shades.
Here are a few of the first finishers:

clay character bowls!

I am so excited to see all of these clay creations painted!
As I've said before, I never really taught clay techniques. I didn't have access to clay at my other schools. With boxes of clay ordered by the previous art teacher at my new school, I've taken the opportunity to teach a simple lesson, sure to be successful for many. We are creating character... or monster, or animal, or unknown something or others... out of pinch pot bowls. The timing has been great too. With standardized testing happening over the next two weeks, its been a nice release for the kids to be manipulating the clay. Seriously, kids have been quiet, content and very creative!

All wrapped up after class 1

Update from Art Room 201

Ah my desk at the end of the day... this is actually pretty tame! With twenty school days until my FIRST Art Show at my new school, its crunch time! (so much for posting about Sixth Grade's Visual Music paintings and prints. Here is the link for last year's assignment. This year we used tempera paint and stuck to abstract representations of sound, using pattern and rhythm. we also made prints of contour line drawings of instruments, using styrofoam.)

As further evidence of my insanity, I have started a clay project with Sixth Grade. Right? I know, I'm nuts. Above are some of my preparations and after today's first class, it seems to be paying off! I have never really taught ceramics, so I have scoured the internet, especially art teacher's Pinterest pages, for tips and tricks. We actually don't have a functioning kiln, so that takes off a lot of pressure. And we're doing this now because after the art show, I only see students once or twice more. This school year flew!

So anyway, we are making Character Bowls based on a lesson found in March's (?) Arts & Activities Magazine. The first class we started with a Power Point about clay, some classroom rules while working with clay, and some student examples. We discussed what a character is and brainstormed as a class before making some sketches and practicing with clay.

Today's clean up after working on our final bowls went so well that I had to pinch myself! I hope I didn't just jinx it. My tables are labeled by color, so I called one or two up at a time as I passed out plastic shopping bags. In those little baskets on the counter are pieces of scrap paper, sharpies and clothespins. Students followed the directions on the bulletin board then went back to their tables to fold up the plastic table covering. Students were not allowed to use the sink until everyone was seated and plastic folded. Thankfully I have two sinks, so I called tables again by color, as others finished wrapping clay. By the end of the week, the counter will be filled with almost a hundred bowls!

This week seventh grade has been introduced to Pop Art and Roy Lichtenstein. I have done this lesson in the past and it is one of the top hits on my blog! This year I will be giving students a little more freedom to decide their topics and materials. In the past we have used markers and sharpies and stuck with food. This year students will use paint and/or markers but need to pick an everyday object or aspect of daily life that connects them to the world (so that it fits with my curriculum). We'll see what happens!

As if we didn't have enough happening, we are also trying to finish up our murals before the May 30th Show. There's rumors that the Mayor wants to come by and see them when they are done too!

During this crazy time, I am striving to stay organized. Pictured above is my Art Show counter. Listed on the board are the pieces that each student should have completed and can select from for the show. Each class has a list of names on the clip board and a corresponding envelope (see 6E) that I picked up at the recycling center. I also got a bunch of old desk calendars which is why I could make the little signs. RECYCLING! After passing out work and contemplating, students are asked to write down the name of their assignment for the show, next to their name, and place the work in the folder. Done and DONE!

April Vacation Part I

I haven't stopped blogging...
my schedule is just so different from last year!
I had a larger grade span, seeing classes twice a week, therefore with more opportunities to complete art works. not to say that we haven't finished work this year, but instead of teaching seven different lessons for a week or two, I now teach three lessons for two to four, sometimes six, weeks at a time. With the up coming art show, I've only realized how long it has been taking us to get work done. However, each student does have a handful of works to choose from and I look forward to showing off their hard work. I'm pretty excited because last week I found out that we get to use wire panels with black felt slip covers. Which means that art work doesn't have to be matted and can easily be hung with straight pins!

I'll try to post this year's Visual Music paintings, with the addition of printed instruments, later in the week. For now, enjoy some photos from my vacation!

I started with a long weekend in Woodstock, VT with my best friend. Aside from walking around the town and poking in the shops and markets, I took naps in between snacking, watching the news, hockey and movies. So relaxing!

Museum of Fine Arts

I spent today roaming around Boston and navigating the subway system on my own. I usually head in town with my boyfriend or friends who grew up near the city, so this was definitely an adventure. The weather was beautiful and I wound up walking from Fenway to the Back Bay by the end of the day. I don't know how far that is, but my feet are tired!

I decided to take advantage of a free tour at the Museum of Fine Arts and was very glad I did! As the very knowledgeable staff member said numerous times, its a whirl wind of a tour, designed to give you just an overview of what the museum has to offer. In a little over an hour, we criss-crossed the museum and traveled through art history.

 

We started with ancient art which I have been pretty fascinated with this year between my new curriculum and my graduate class. I really want to continue to learn more about deities and sculpture, symbolism and stories that are passed down from generation to generation in different cultures. 

 

Its hard to tell how massive this sculpture is from this picture, but believe me, its HUGE! In fact, the head is not attached because the engineers knew that it wouldn't survive the journey to the museum in one piece. I can't get over the fact that this ancient Roman statue was in someone's backyard! Seriously, just hanging out in their garden a few towns over from the museum. Cool!

Also really cool, getting to see art conservation in progress! 

We touched upon a few Renaissance works and squeezed in a Rembrandt before ending the tour with a Copley painting, fittingly tying in Paul Revere and the new Art of the America's wing.

There was also a new contemporary exhibit:

I remember seeing a sculpture by Kiki Smith, like the figure above, when I was on a field trip to the MET in high school. Its when I fell in love with figure drawing. 

Louise Nevelson

And while I love ancient art and find it incredible how people created to record history, I've realized that I have a great appreciation and love of contemporary art. I don't really know why. Maybe because I can relate to the desire to create. Or maybe I really appreciate how, as the viewer, you are invited into the artist's thought process. Or, because of the art, are asked to think for yourself. Whatever it is, I love it!

Finally, there was a Bridget Riley hanging in a narrow hallway. Being able to see the movement of the colors up close was unbelievable especially after recently teaching about her. In my photo you can see my reflection and I find it interesting how my figure mimics the curves in the painting.