Back to school installation

 I always like to begin each school year with a collaborative project. This year our students studied muralist Kelsey Montague. Kelsey is famous for her street art, particularly her painting of wings. For our wings, each student designed an individual feather. When all assembled our wings are super eye-catching, everyone has a new favorite selfie spot!

Halloween Hoopla

We had a few fun Halloween projects going on this year. First grade created colorful spiderwebs and Kindergarten painted their yearly jack-o’-lanterns. Fourth-graders had a different take on jack-o’-lanterns, they painted expressive pumpkins. Lastly our fifth-graders worked on spooky silhouette collages. 

Kandinsky and Abstract Art

First grade just wrapped up a unit on Russian artist Wasilly Kandinsky.  For our first assignment,  students re-created his concentric circles in paper mosaics.

Kandinsky was one of the original creators of abstract art. His major influence was music. For our second assignment students listened to classical music by Igor Stravinsky.   Students sketched out abstract designs allowing the music to direct their hand motions. Afterwords we added color to enhance the work. I absolutely adore the results!

Charcoal Still Life

Eighth grade was introduced to charcoal for the first time this year. After completing an introductory value scale and and several charcoal exercises, students assembled, sketched, and shaded a still life.  Students are just starting their second still life assignment, stay tuned for the exciting results

 

Sewing

My love of Matryoshka dolls has trickled down to third grade.  These little guys learned how to sew their very own doll.  I don't think I have ever had such an enthusiastic class.  Sewing was really a challenge for them; we had plenty of pricked fingers, but everyone finished their doll and the students  were obsessed!  Several have already told me they asked their parents for sewing kits.  The best way to engage a student is to really challenge them and sewing was the proof!!