Supposedly, if you double up on something, spend MORE time with it, it can be enough until you have a chance to see it again. Right? Maybe not, but I like the logic anyhow; and because of it, I introduce to you...PORTRAITS!!!
In just a few weeks we will be approaching one of the toughest moments in a teacher's career: Saying goodbye to all the beautiful faces we have the joy of seeing every day from August through June. For me, that is almost 600 faces! Almost 600 hundred amazing individuals I get to meet every week; hear their thoughts, watch them create, see them shine! It will most definitely be a shocker when that all changes on June 13th, though I heard there might be a way to make it easier. Supposedly, if you double up on something, spend MORE time with it, it can be enough until you have a chance to see it again. Right? Maybe not, but I like the logic anyhow; and because of it, I introduce to you...PORTRAITS!!! Portraits of various styles have now graced the halls of Delta Center Elementary, doubling the amount of student faces in our building. Just about every grade has studied what a portrait is and just how to get those pesky facial features like ears and noses in just the right spots. First graders practiced with oil crayons and just loved looking in the mirror ("Mrs. BellDean, I'm so HANDSOME!"); 2nd grade dived right into theirs with a David Hockney inspired water portrait; 3rd graders learned that legos could be personalized even if they lack ears and noses; 4th graders spent some time reflecting on their hopes for the summer; and 6th graders finally had a reason to have a phone in class (paper phone that is). The results are fantastic!
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Sometimes you just have to take the art outside of the traditional four walls and the experience is one you'll never forget! Fourth grade students recently learned about famed street artist Keith Haring and his famous style of bold colors, simple style, and action lines. Haring used his art to not only and capture people's attention but also to get them to react positively and with purpose. Students had a chance to do their own Keith Haring inspired drawings staying true to not only his style but also to his choice of medium when he first began creating street art (chalk). 4th graders prepared the week before, forming teams, trying out action poses, and drawing them in their sketchbooks. Thankfully the rain held out and the results were wonderful exciting. Not only did students create fun art on pavements, they turned themselves into colorful masterpieces as well (on accident of course)! Did you know that most artist are illusion masters? If you walk into a gallery or even just open a magazine, you will have an image. It could be any image: a famous landscape by VanGogh or an advertisement for Kraft Mac and Cheese. All of it is an illusion. It is not real, you cannot touch it or hold the real object. It was all created through artistic understanding of value, space, color, and much more. Delta Center 5th graders learned about how artist use two specific art elements (think ingredients) to create illusions in their work: Space and Value. By focusing on these we can define where objects are and whether they are 2D (shapes) or 3D (form). Some artist use these to create pretty pictures. Others use them to melt your minds! 5th graders put together their understanding of space (one point perspective and positive/negative) and value (lights/darks) to create very fun optical illusions. Study the pictures above; are you able to make out the spiral vortex? Can you see the face...Or is it a vase? Maybe it's both!
After making their, we looked at artists such as: M.C. Escher, Oleg Stuplack, Briget Jones, and Julian Beever. I love it when students have a chance to connect their understanding to other works and make connections. I love it even more when afterwards they are jumping at the chance to practice other illusions in their sketchbook, or, discover that they've hit the library immediately afterwards to look for more! Our carnival was a huge success! I throughly enjoyed being able to participate with the face painting and I loved hearing how quickly the student designed art kits, as well as the statues were received as raffle prizes at the auction. And let's not forget about Rhonda! Rhonda made her big debut right near the front doors and I hear she was quite the sight to see. So who/what is Rhonda? Rhonda is a bike I used to ride. One day she ended up at the school and was momentarily forgotten until she found her way into the art room unexpectedly. Though not great for riding it was soon clear that Rhonda could make an interesting art piece and what way could be more exciting than practicing an art form not typically seen in the classroom. Introducing YARN BOMBING: a street art form that uses yarn as its choice in medium. Do you love a good dunking? Like photo booths, raffles, games and face painting? If you answered "yes" you should come check out the Delta Center Elementary Spring Carnival this Friday, May 12th, from 6-8pm! This year, the art room is proud to participate in the ever popular face painting event (yours truly will be there, paintbrush in hand). We have also been busy at work and thanks to a few of our 4th, 5th, and 6th grade volunteers, we also have some amazing "Art Kits" and sculptures to provide as raffle prizes! Last but not least, the carnival will also be the debuting of our dear friend Rhonda! See how the kids transformed her from a functional work of art to decorative through the means of the street art known as Yarn Bombing! Students are recognizing just how unique they are as they begin a study on self-portraits. Even our twins (and we have a lot of them!) are discovering what little details make them...them. I love hearing students study themselves or study each other and highlight each other's characteristic. As one of my first graders said while gazing into a mirror, "Mrs. BellDean! I'm so handsome!"
Check out a few of the finished portraits done by our 1st, 2nd, and 4th grade! It is hard to believe that summer is just around the corner. Pretty soon, we will be knee deep in sunshine, blue skies, and fun activities! One of the things I love most about the summer is the chance to be active and creative. It is amazing how well the two go hand in hand. A walk in the park could inspire a subject matter for a new clay creation; night watching fireworks on the water could be the foundation for the next color scheme; an adventure with friends the backyard could yield to the subject matter for a new painting! Whatever the outcome, summer is a great time to flex those creative skills. Check out the list below for some amazing art related summer camp opportunities. Students will have a chance to create again with clay, try their hand at fiber arts, and discover just how fun and important the "A" in STEAM can be. Don't wait too long to sign up, they're filling fast! Summer Art Camp Opportunities
Craft Ledge Lanes
REACH Studio
Arts Unlimited
Lansing Art Gallery and Education Center
The Broad Art Museum
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Nicole BD
Life long learner and art enthusiast. Follow along as I delve into the world of teaching elementary art! Archives
September 2018
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