More photos of the Art Show

Kindergarten Air Dry Clay Suns

A few more photos from the Fiesta Art Gallery 

Art Show #2 - The Capeless Fiesta Gallery

4th grade metal tooling Lizards

 I was really pleased at how the work shaped up for the first ever Fiesta Art Gallery.  I have shared with you previous how the teachers put on a Cinco de Mayo dance for students each year in May known as Fiesta.  Art classes are expected to do the decorations.  I have always hated to waste valuable art class time on dance decorations so proposed the idea of an art show to the committee this year.  I was pleased that everyone was very open to the idea.  I planned projects with cultural connections in mind for each grade level so they would enhance the dance theme but also allow for real art projects instead of decorations.  The photos are taken prior to the dance.

1st grade Tropical Birds from the Rainforest

Rainforest Birds - a multi media project with
drawing, painting, and collage

4th Metal Tooling Fiesta Suns

4th grade Lizards with the gallery label

3rd grade Crazy Cactus, a multi medium project with
collage, and drawing

2nd grade Amate bark paintings (on brown paper bags)

More Amate paintings

Tropical Birds in the entry way with the Gallery Sign

Crazy Cactus with Gallery Sign

The Sun will shine in the Fiesta Gallery

 In just a few weeks, I will be setting up student works for the Fiesta Art Gallery.  Students in grade K - 4 have been exploring the artist culture of Mexico and creating art for the exhibit.  It will be held in conjunction with the Fiesta dinner and dance at one of my schools.   I am especially pleased with the results of 4th grades student's work with art foil.  I created a simple template for the sun and students were encourage to adapt and make it their own as they created Mexican Suns.  They had spent some time viewing examples of the use of the sun in Mexican arts and crafts prior to beginning their own work.  After working the foil to give it the dimensional qualities, they added color using sharpie markers.  I'll post works from other grades to share their projects as they are completed.

Fiesta Art Gallery

Every year I am ask to create decorations for the teacher managed Fiesta dance.  I personally don't like to have my students create "decorations".  For me, it diminishes the roll of art in education.  A few years back, I shifted the focus somewhat and began to create art projects that were then used to decorate the walls.  I attempted to make cultural connections and made sure that students viewed the work they were doing as art and not decorations.  This year, I approached those in charge and requested that I shift the focus a bit more.  As a result, we will be creating the Fiesta Art Gallery.  The dance will be an event for the gallery opening.  Now, yes, I know it is still the annual dance but I think my new approach with the students will create a new experience as well.  Here are a couple of the completed projects.  I will be grouping projects by subject matter complete with labels, artist statements and description plaques reflecting the purpose of the lesson and the Visual Arts standards that are in use.  I'll let you know how it all goes and promise to post more pictures as projects are completed.  Anyone have any suggestions as I try to make the gallery a reality?  Please share ideas!

Symmetry and Monarch Butterflies

With the Fiesta dance just a few days away, first graders needed to create a decoration that also incorporated some of the elements and principals of art.  Symmetry seemed to be a good focus along with color and color mixing to create these dynamic Monarch butterflies.  Students began the lesson by review knowledge achieved in Science class when they learned about the life cycle of the Monarch and it's migration habits with winters in Mexico.  The monarch seemed to be a good focus for a Fiesta decoration in that these butterflies spent a good portion of their life in Mexico as well as most parts of the U.S.  Students used red and yellow paint to make a symmetrical print. Week two, sharpie markers were used to add detail and eyes.  Pipe cleaners became the antenna for the butterflies.  These will also double as eye catching decorations for the upcoming dance.

Fiesta!

In South America, artist paint colorful images on the bark of the amate or fig trees.  As a decoration for an upcoming Fiesta dance, 2nd grade students created their own amate.  The Fiesta decorations are a project each year for my students but I don't want to be caught up in just decorating for the dance.  I always try to bring in a historical or cultural connection for the projects.  In the past, students have created colorful fans, papel picado and pinatas.  For this work, students observed several examples of native Amata prior to designing their own.  A crumpled and smoothed paper bag was used to resemble the amate paper.

Ugly jug inspired cups

First grade students are experiencing their second exposure to clay in elementary school but the transition from Kindergarten has made them a bit more aware of the quality of their work.  I never want to create that "too critical" creative environment with my students; especially at a young age when they aren't yet too inhibited to experiment.  I begin the lesson by reading the book "Dave the Potter" by Laban Carrick Hill.  This is a historical account of Dave who was a slave, Potter, and Poet.  The book supplies a wonderful cultural and historical connection for students who have just begun to learn about slavery.  I always emphasize the fact Dave was a potter despite the fact slaves were not allowed to attend school.  The book and discussion takes up a great amount of time from the first class period and generally we only create a pinch pot before class is completed.  The second week, students are encourage to "grow" their pot as Dave did in the book by adding coils of clay.  We have successfully review two of the concepts they were introduced to in Kindergarten.  Next, the new skill of score, slip and smooth is introduced as students implement the additive process to actually create the face for their ugly cup.  I particularly enjoy the idea these are intended to be ugly because students aren't stifled trying to achieve beautiful at this age.  Needless to say, they LOVE making their cups ugly.  I do model all the add ons; insisting that students start with a ball shape and then manipulate the clay to form the finished appendage.  Enjoy their completed work here!

Cinco de Mayo - Fiesta!

One of my buildings always puts on a school dance around this time of the year where the teachers work to raise money for the PTA.  The theme for this year was Fiesta.  Art students create the decorations for the dance.  Fourth grades students created patterns in lively colors on white paper that had been cut into 9 x 4.5 sheets.  I had envisioned them as the skirts for Senoritas but once the papers were accordion folded; they didn't quite measure up in size.  The folds immediately brought to mind the beautiful fans Senoritas waved as they danced and the work took it's own life.  The fans made beautiful decorations.   The lesson incorporated math with the patterns along with an exposure to the culture of Cinco de Mayo with vibrant color and dance.

Pondering Update

Stockbridge Indian Tribe

Drawing from a blog post here from the blog Adventures of an Art teacher, I began my quest to learn all I could about the Native American tribe that would have occupied my area.   I loved the idea of documenting a life calendar with pictures as Katie mention in her post "1st grade counts" but I thought I'd rather make it more culturally relevant by highlighting the culture of the tribe who lived in my area.  I've probably devoted a full 10 hour day to research and hate to have to admit, there's been way too many dead ends. Don't you hate clicking a link just to discover its been removed...aughhh.   Although I can find much historically significant information on the tribe and their migration to Wisconsin when they were run out of the Berkshire Hills, I really couldn't find much definitive information on how they express themselves through their art or craft making.  Lots of suggestions, little details.  Setting all that aside, I have decided to definitely create a unit on Native American art for grades 1-4 beginning on Thursday when we return to the classroom.  I do love Katie's idea of the pictorial calendar and will definitely incorporate that.  I'm thinking lots of brown paper in the shape of deer skins for the foundation.  I've found some wonderful folk stories to share with younger grades that should inspire some work that would produce a pictorial narrative and plan to share information with them about lifestyle and clothing thinking that should inspire a lesson or two as well.  Oh, and I need to check into Totem Poles as well after reading a great post by Mrs. Carter on It is Art Day!.
Still in the planning stages but at least I'm planning now with only a few more day to go.  Wish me well!

Mission House in Stockbridge

Day of the dead

student work

Scratch art paper was the medium of choice to create these sugar skulls for Day of the Dead.  The focus was on symmetry.  We started by reading this new addition to my bookshelf by Lisa Bullard titled "Daniela's day of the Dead".  I really enjoyed sharing this book with my students.  It presents a little historical element on each page to help you introduce dia de los muertos to students in a fun informative way while the fictional story makes for an enchanting read.

student work

student work

student work