Accordian "Books", 4th Grade

Fourth grade made their accordian books inspired by Native American art. For this project we look at art from so many Native cultures from both North and South America. We talk about diversity in Native cultures. We look at pattern and imagery. We draw, stencil, paint and collage.

Welcome to the Masking Tape Planet

5-307 looked at and discussed James Rosenquist's "Welcome to the Water Planet" recently. They saw green pencils, combustion, and faces. They heard the title and saw planets. They made bold leaps at analysis. They cared more about their interpretations than about what the artist may have intended. They were animated!
This image leads well into having students create their own abstract art using a small collage element from a Rosenquist reproduction and masking tape to make lines (through removal). Looking intently at the Rosenquist and having the tape to manipulate lessens their questioning about the meaning of abstraction. 5th grade has gotten into this! Many have continued making abstract drawings as they have had waiting time during our casting project (casting post follows).

Choice Time!

Many Kindergarten children tell me that choice time is their favorite part of art. In choice time, I set up the tables with different material options for self-directed creative play. I facilitate as the children negotiate what they will make with the materials presented. Choice time can be very social. I step into the role of teacher-observer. It gets loud as the children tell each other their ideas!
Recently, Ms. Hammond's 1st grade made it clear to me that they wanted to have choice time. They remembered it fondly from Kindergarten. We'd been working on projects since September and I hadn't scheduled in choice time yet. I promised them a choice time art class and here they are in all their glorious choice energy.

The Shaw Memorial, 5th Grade

The 5th grade began this year analyzing Augustus St. Gaudens' Shaw Memorial, a public sculpture in Boston Common commemorating the Massachusetts 54th regiment. Students did an amazing job of deconstructing the meaning of the memorial through looking at it and using their experiences of seeing public sculpture to inform their analysis. We talked about what a memorial is and how a sculpture is cast. We talked about the Massachusetts 54th and the fight to end slavery.
Since then, we have been attempting to cast our own clay sculptures. We have had technical setbacks and I am so impressed with the patience and resolve I've witnessed! We're not done yet but here are a few pictures of our process...plaster molds that we made from plastilene originals and clay casts pressed into the molds.

Rube Goldberg Inspired Animations

Our student teacher from Pratt, Alana Glantz brought this very cool project to the 4-303 art classroom. She came each Tuesday this semester and the students had a great experience with her. I am very grateful for the energy and excitement that her ideas generated.

Illustrating "Jack and the Beanstalk"

Kindergarten painted after hearing the classic fairytale read aloud.

This Year's Chinese Warriors

This project is a perennial favorite for our 3rd graders. This year we had a crop of warriors that would make an emperor proud. Thank you to Retrofret Vintage Guitars for generously supporting the project this year.

Kachina!

I just love the bent knees of this Kachina in progress! Thank you to the Fogel family for generously supporting this project.

4th grade Hopi Kachinas

We painted and sculpted our own kachina figures based on Hopi dolls. Ogres and benevolent power figures appeared in the art room. We used everything...papier mache, model magic, cardboard, feathers, bendaroos and more. Students had to figure out which materials would work best for their individual designs. When the designing and building was finished, 4th graders wrote imaginative profiles of the characters they created.
Now, I really want to visit Arizona in search of Hopi culture! Thank you, 4th graders...