Self Portraits

Students worked on their self portraits for three weeks. The first week was based on students drawing themselves. We discussed how we can “build a person” by using basic shapes and drawing the horizon so our person is not floating. The following week students drew their favorite place behind them after looking at Frida Kahlo for inspiration. Kindergartners finished off their work with markers, crayons, oil pastels and paint.

Pinch Pot Fish

Students investigated clay by using the basic pinch pot building method. After the pinch form was created, each student use the "slip and score" method to add fins, tails, eyes, and other aquatic details to build a fish(ish) sculpture. After these were bisque-fired, students used low-fire glaze to add color.

Hide and Seek

Second graders were introduced to Katsushika Hokusai’s (1760-1849) Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji. The classes discussed how Hokusai used art elements, such as line and shape, to direct the viewer’s eye to Mt. Fuji. Next, the students carved images of their everyday “leisure” life into Styrofoam plates, which they printed using traditional inking methods. Can you find Mt. Fuji?

White Out

First graders studied the work of Louise Nevelson, the "original recycler". After looking at her monochromatic sculptures, each student created an all-white design. The students focused on an object's shape and texture to up-cycle, or repurpose the original use of that object. Some students worked on abstract design, while others illustrated a concrete representation.

Pumpkin Heads!

Yellow + Red = Pumpkin Head! The first week of the project, the students learned how to mix yellow and red paint to make orange. Focus was on painting the whole page, holding the paint brush correctly and mixing colors. In the following weeks, the students cut out pumpkins from their orange painting and decorated using black, green, and brown paper. The class discussed the use of facial expressions to tell how someone, or some pumpkin, was feeling.