Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Shakespeare Comes to Art Class


Don’t believe it if anyone tells you that first graders are too young for Shakespeare! Our first graders recently had a special opportunity to immerse themselves in Shakespeare when they met Shannon Whitt, the illustrator of a gorgeous picture book, Shakespeare’s Seasons, which uses excerpts from Shakespeare’s poetry and plays to introduce young readers to the bard’s writing. The kids were mesmerized by the poetry – and then they got to do their own paper and fabric collages inspired by some of the lines they heard. 





Turning Text to Art 
Shannon, who is the parent of a P.S. 154 kindergartener and 2nd grader and visited art class as part of the PTA’s Meet the Author program, illustrated the book by creating collages that were then photographed. Like Shannon, the kids began their collages by selecting one of Shakespeare’s lines for inspiration. As they started working, they could draw on some of Shannon’s secret collage tips – like a fool-proof way to make accordion-style grass from paper. 

Seasons are Serious 
The kids worked from Shakespeare lines that focused on spring or summer. Some children zeroed in on the disappointments of the seasons – “The purest spring is not so free from mud” – and showed kids playing in soggy meadows, farmers getting stuck in their fields – and, in one case, a zombie stomping through mud! Others were captivated by a season’s promise of beauty – “Summer shall come and with her all delights” – and created landscapes with lots of flowers and butterflies. 

Literary Lions
The kids really loved illustrating Shakespeare’s words and creating their own versions of what the lines meant. And great inspiration does spark the imagination. Just look at the collages! 

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