Self Portraits

Second Graders learned about James Castle, an artist who overcame his disabilities to create. Although Castle was to be unable to speak, read, or hear, he communicated to the world around him. Driven by his need to make art, Castle used whatever he found in his modest farm house in Idaho to make pictures. Much of his artwork is done on cardboard, old mail, string, and soot from his fireplace. Our students worked with cardboard, fabric, and found objects in the artwork to create a self-portrait. As you can see, Castle was a great inspiration. Students finished the statement: "Art is Important to Me Because..."