Lessons from the Art Room

Follow us on the New Site

2012-01-25T12:53:00.000-08:00

www.galatiak12art.blogspot.com

A New Chapter

2011-08-23T10:07:00.000-07:00

I am starting a new chapter in my life, and I have moved 545 miles away from my former home in Big Rapids MI, where I taught K-6 art at Crossroads Charter Academy, to southern Illinois, where I am teaching K-12 Art at Galatia High School and Galatia Elementary. I cannot begin to describe all that I learned during my time at Crossroads Charter Academy. I met some fine folks, learned how to manage an art classroom, taught my very first lessons, and grew personally and professionally.

Please stop by our new k-12 Art Education blog:
www.galatiak12art.blogspot.comThank you for following

Signing Off,

Kate Eshelman

Drawing Pigeons with Mo Willems

2011-06-08T10:12:00.000-07:00

Starry Night Collage

2011-06-08T08:21:00.000-07:00

The Year End Echo

2011-06-07T12:58:00.000-07:00

I have taken the students' work off of the walls and am sending it home. I never noticed how the room echoes when it is not full of art.

Drawing Pigeons with Mo Willems

2011-06-03T09:42:00.000-07:00

After reading the book "The Pigeon Wants a Puppy" by Mo Willems, the kindergarten students learned how to draw a series of shapes in order to draw their own pigeons. The students used their creativity to come up with something new for the pigeons to want.

Take a Closer Look

2011-06-01T08:14:00.000-07:00

After viewing the work of American artist, Georgia O'Keefe, the fourth grade students were inspired to create watercolor paintings of flowers. The students viewed photographs of flowers, and in order to capture the details of each flower, they painted a zoomed in version of the photo.

Coil Pots

2011-06-01T08:04:00.000-07:00

The 6th grade students learned how to create coil pots. First, I demonstrated the process of creating a coil pot; then the students planned their projects by sketching four different options for their final works. The next week, the sixth graders rolled slab bases, rolled coils, and attached the coils by using the technique of scoring and slipping.

Art Brings Hope, Healing and Change

2011-05-26T06:32:00.000-07:00

There are moments when I am astounded by the sincerity and depth of my young art students. Below is a conversation I had yesterday with one of my very young artists who has recently lost a loved one:

Student: "Mrs. E., did I do a good job on my drawing?"

Me: "It looks great! I can tell you are working very hard today."

Student: Do you think _____ would like it?"

Me: "Yes, I think they would be very proud of you."

Student: "Since you're a teacher, can you copy things, like pictures, like make two copies of one picture..."

Me: "Yes, why do you ask?"

Student: "I want to give it to _____. I want to put it on their grave. Can you use the machine to put the plastic stuff on the outside of the drawing? Sometimes it rains really hard outside by the grave, and I want to be able to come by and wipe off the rain drops.

me: Of course.

I was reminded of the theme of the MAEA conference in 2008, "Art Brings Hope, Healing and Change." As an art educator I find my purpose in encouraging students to engage in the process of creating images in an effort to gain a better understanding of their social and natural contexts. My hope is that students will create meaning through this process.

Clay Turtles

2011-05-26T05:26:00.000-07:00

The second grade students created clay turles by starting with an upside down pinch pot as the shell. Next, the students pinched a head, tail, and feet from the existing pinch pot. To complete the turtles, the students painted the turtles with various shades of green tempra paint.

Final works from the Pottery Wheel

2011-05-24T07:25:00.000-07:00

Slab Boxes

2011-05-24T07:15:00.001-07:00

The fifth grade students have been utilizing the techniques of rolling clay slabs and connecting slabs by scoring and slipping in order to construct ceramic boxes. We are excited about the new glaze colors!

Kindergarten Pinch Pots

2011-05-20T06:44:00.001-07:00

Clay Cuisine

2011-05-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

The Fourth Grade students sculpted their favorite foods out of clay. We learned that most students prefer traditional American cuisine, but some have other preferences, such as sushi, yum!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

2011-05-18T06:44:00.000-07:00

After reading Eric Carle's book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the first grade students had a great time creating caterpillars out of recycled egg cartons. The students learned that you do not need to buy expensive materials in order to make art. In fact, some of the best art materials may be lying in your recycling bin or trash can!

Throwing on the Wheel!

2011-05-12T05:55:00.000-07:00

I have been giving sixth grade students independent tutorials on the pottery wheel, and thus far, they have been doing a great job! I have to give a big THANKS to Paul Eshelman for patiently teaching me these pottery techniques last summer!
(More pictures to come)

The Universe Is my Home

2011-05-05T15:40:00.001-07:00

Culinary Arts + Clay

2011-05-05T15:35:00.000-07:00

The Effect of Lines

2011-05-05T15:25:00.000-07:00

Created with Ink and Watercolors.

Printmaking!

2011-05-05T15:13:00.000-07:00

The 2nd Grade Students learned about the process of relief printmaking. The students created drawings of insects with a sharp pencil on a styrafoam tray. Next, the students used the brayer to roll ink onto the tray, and they printed the image multiple times. The students loved seeing the results and being able to create multiples. The project was a bit messy, but it was worth putting the clean up time in ;)

Terrariums!

2011-05-05T08:18:00.001-07:00

The kindergarten students created watercolor resist Terrariums!

Create your Own Comic

2011-05-04T09:43:00.000-07:00

This lesson worked out well as a lesson to leave for a substitute.

A Trip to the Jungle

2011-04-25T08:12:00.001-07:00

After viewing the jungle paintings by self taught artist Henri Rousseau, the first grade students were inspired to create their own jungle scenes with oil pastels and watercolor paint.

Russian Architecture

2011-04-21T10:44:00.000-07:00

After viewing photographs of St. Basil's Cathedral and identifying the shapes, colors, and patterns in the building, the students created oil pastel drawings of buildings in a similar style.

Watercolor Landscapes

2011-04-21T09:42:00.000-07:00

The sixth grade students have been practicing six different watercolor techniques:

1. Graded Wash (Oftentimes used in large areas that vary in tone; skies)
2. Variegated Wash (Used in areas where one color transitions into another color)
3. Dry Brush (Used to show texture/detail; Similar to "drawing" with a brush)
4. Salt Resist (The salt soaks up the water, and the pigment, leaving an interesting texture)
5. Splatter (Used to create texture)
6. Layering (The transparent quality of watercolor allows the painter to layer colors in order to achieve different hues).

The students applied these watercolor techniques to a watercolor landscape!

One Point Perspective!

2011-04-21T05:25:00.000-07:00

The fifth Grade students have been studying one point perspective. The students began by locating a vanishing point and by identifying 3 types of lines that occur in their drawings: vertical lines (parallel to the side of the page), horizontal lines (parallel to the side of the page), and lines angling toward the vanishing point. A great website to use for learning one point perspective is http://www.olejarz.com/arted/perspective/

Aboriginal Art

2011-04-13T09:08:00.001-07:00

The Fourth Grade students studied the Aboriginal sand paintings of Australia, and they were able to identify the symbolism and the dot pattern in the paintings. Inspired by these paintings, the students chose an animal that symbolized their personality, and they painted the animal in the Aboriginal style.

Jazz!

2011-04-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

I borrowed this idea from another blogger http://linesdotsanddoodles.blogspot.com/The second grade students listened to jazz musician Duke Ellington, and they identified the instruments, movement, and rhythm of the music. After listening to the music, the students were inspired to create jazz collages that show the instruments, movement, and rhythm of jazz!

Go Fish!

2011-04-01T07:24:00.000-07:00

The Second Grade students recently put on the musical production "Go Fish!" The students created the following fish collages to illustrate the production:

Art Attack!

2011-03-29T08:20:00.001-07:00

Art Attack is an annual student art exhibit at Artworks Gallery featuring visual art created by K-12 students who attend school within the local community. This year, Crossroads Charter Academy was represented by 25 visual art pieces created by elementary students!

Indian Elephants

2011-03-16T09:16:00.000-07:00

The fifth grade students learned about the important functions of the elephant in Indian culture. For example, elephants are used to haul timber, to bless people entering Hindu temples, and to transport the bride in wedding ceremonies. Anually, an elephant festival is held in Jaipur, India. At this event the elephants are painted and elaborately decorated. After viewing a short video of the festival, the fifth grade students were inspired to create oil pastel Indian elephant drawings!

Self Portraits In the Style of Giuseppe Arcimboldo

2011-03-16T08:04:00.000-07:00

The sixth grade students learned about the Italian painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1527-1593) who created portraits made up of everyday objects such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, books, and cookware. The students worked together to trace the projected shadow of their profiles, and they filled the profiles with drawings of things, symbols, and words that represent their values, opinions, and preferences.

Anansi Collages

2011-03-10T06:01:00.000-08:00

The Fourth Grade students have been writing legends in their classrooms. In art class, we read the Ashanti legend of Anansi the Spider. The students were inspired to create collages of the legendary hero Anansi!

The Founders of Rock n' Roll

2011-03-08T13:13:00.001-08:00

Watercolor Landscape Paintings

2011-03-07T12:24:00.000-08:00

CCA Welcomes Author Leslie Helakoski

2011-03-07T12:03:00.000-08:00

Crossroads Charter Academy Welcomes Children's book Author and Illustrator Leslie Helakoski! Leslie holds a degree in illustration from Northern Michigan University. Book titles include: Big Chickens, Fair Cow, The Smushy Bus, and Woolbur (my personal favorite).

Henri Matisse Collage

2011-03-07T11:54:00.000-08:00

The Second Grade Students learned about the life of Henri Mattisse, and they viewed his painting "The Goldfish" (1910). The students were inspired to create collages with bold colors and patterns. Some students exceeded expectations and created three dimensional paper scenes!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

2011-03-07T11:37:00.000-08:00

The Romantic Period

2011-02-17T06:34:00.000-08:00

We learned that music from the Romantic Period conveys strong emotions, and oftentimes, tells a story. We listened to the music of Tchaikovsky, Paganini (composer of some of the most difficult works for the violin), and Mendelssohn.

Paganini

Mendelssohn

Baroque and Classical Musicians

2011-02-11T09:12:00.000-08:00

I am currently teaching an after school painting class on Tuesday evenings 3:30-5pm. In this class students learn about different music genres, and they learn how to use painting skills in order to create portraits of the musical masters. In the past two weeks, the students have learned about Baroque and Classical musicians. Do you recognize the musicians in the following portraits?

Presidential Portraits

2011-02-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

In honor of President's Day, the fourth grade students created pencil drawings of presidential portraits. The students learned the importance of proportion and value in creating realistic pencil drawings.

Prior to creating the presidential portrait drawings, the students completed a practice grid.

Egyptian Self Portraits

2011-02-11T08:51:00.000-08:00

The second grade students viewed the art of Ancient Egypt. They learned the function of the paintings and the stylistic conventions used by the Egyptians.

The Ancient Egyptians painted idealized versions of deceased individuals on the walls of tombs, because they believed the deceased person would exist in the afterlife as the person in the painting.

The Ancient Egyptians painted an individual's head in profile, while they painted a frontal view of the same individual's eye.

The second grade students created self portraits in the Ancient Egyptian style. Some students had enough time to add hieroglyphics!

Jim Dine Confetti Hearts

2011-02-11T08:45:00.000-08:00

Jim Dine
"Confetti Heart"
Lithograph Print
1985

After viewing artist Jim Dine's "Confetti Heart," the first grade students were inspired to create their own hearts from scraps of paper from our recycled paper bin.

Bad Hair Day Drawings

2011-02-11T08:37:00.001-08:00

Due to snow days, one of my first grade classes was ahead of the other groups on their projects. We decided to try our hand at this lesson http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/SubPlans/subelem.htm provided by Princeton's Incredible Art Department website

Shape and Variety with Wayne Thiebaud

2011-02-11T08:34:00.000-08:00

After viewing the work of artist Wayne Thiebaud, the first grade students were inspired to create oil pastel drawings of their own sweet treats! The focus of this lesson was shape and variety.

Kindergarten Painters!

2011-02-11T08:27:00.000-08:00

The Kindergarten students have been working together to paint large circus animals. The finished paintings will be on display in the school hallways during "Kindergarten Round-Up," a night for pre-k students and their parents to check out Crossroads Charter Academy!
Kindergarten Round-Up is on March 1 at 6:30.

Watercolor Techniques

2011-02-11T07:46:00.000-08:00

The fifth grade students have been practicing six different watercolor techniques:

1. Graded Wash (Oftentimes used in large areas that vary in tone; skies)
2. Variegated Wash (Used in areas where one color transitions into another color)
3. Dry Brush (Used to show texture/detail; Similar to "drawing" with a brush)
4. Salt Resist (The salt soaks up the water, and the pigment, leaving an interesting texture)
5. Splatter (Used to create texture)
6. Layering (The transparent quality of watercolor allows the painter to layer colors in order to achieve different hues).

Next week, the students will be applying these watercolor techniques to a watercolor landscape he/she will be creating. More photos to come!

Place your art in a virtual museum!

2011-02-06T11:57:00.000-08:00

Thanks to www.elementaryartfun.blogspot.com I learned that I can put student art in different "Virtual Museums" at www.dumpr.net

It is a lot of fun, and you can sign up for a free account as well!

Biggby Art Show 2011

2011-02-04T14:26:00.000-08:00

The Crossroads Charter Academy K-6 art show opening at Biggby Coffee was a success!

In addition to being an enjoyable night for students, families, and myself, the fundraiser was a success! Thank you to all of the parents who encourage and support their child's creativity; it is a joy to celebrate the students' success with them.

It was difficult to completely avoid the "glare" on the photographs I took of the art work, but here is a glimpse into the art show:

Op Art Cubes

2011-01-21T10:55:00.000-08:00

Weaving on a Cardboard Loom

2011-01-21T08:13:00.000-08:00

After watching an instructional video on weaving, created by a colleage of mine who teaches in the Detroit Public Schools, the students tried their own hands at weaving. We all learned that weaving takes practice, patience, and perseverane, but the end result is very gratifying!

Join us for the CCA Biggby Art Show!

2011-01-20T05:26:00.000-08:00

What: an OPEN HOUSE night to showcase CCA k-6 visual art.
Where: Biggby Coffee in Big Rapids, MI
When: Friday, January 28, 6-9

**In addition to joining us to support the student artists, Bigbby Coffee is donating $1 from every purchase to the CCA Art department in order to buy much needed art supplies. We hope to see you there!

(Posters created by 4th Grade CCA Students)

Watercolor Resist Snowflakes

2011-01-19T16:55:00.001-08:00

The first grade students viewed microscopic images of snowflakes, and they noticed that every snowflake has six sides and its own unique shape. The students designed their own snowflakes, traced them with white crayon, and applied watercolor.

Winter Cardinals

2011-01-19T16:52:00.000-08:00

The first grade students learned how to draw a bird composed of simple shapes. We all agreed that the colorful cardinals bring a lot of joy on bleak winter days.

Sumi Ink Trees

2011-01-19T16:41:00.000-08:00

The kindergarteners blew air through a straw to move sumi ink around on their paper in the shape of a Japanese Maple tree trunk. After the "trunks" were dry, the students applied red paint for the leaves.

Grouchy Ladybugs

2011-01-19T12:24:00.000-08:00

The Kindergarten students were inspired to create these collages after reading Eric Carle's fantastic book!

MLK memorial plans

2011-01-17T09:24:00.000-08:00

After viewing the following video clip that shows a detailed plan for the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial project, one of my students exclaimed, "This is WONDERFUL! It's like Martin Luther King Jr. cuts through the rock and lets all the people walk through freely." This is one of the many extremely rewarding moments that occur in teaching visual art.

In response to the video and a brief slideshow showing and describing MLK's biography, the students created pencil drawings:

Students were given the opportunity to share his/her drawings and to describe how we can act justly and promote peace without our own communities.

Relief Printing

2011-01-12T09:57:00.000-08:00

The fifth grade students have been working dilligently on planning, carving, and pulling relief prints. The images are carved out of Speedball SpeedyCut blocks, which work great for this grade level because they are very soft.

Initially the students answered the following questions in order to thoroughly plan their prints:

Planning a Print

Printmaker Tom Killion spent a large amount of his time creating sketches and planning his prints before the artwork was completed. Planning is a very important step in the printmaking process, and the success of your print will depend, in part, upon the time and effort you invest in planning.

1.Tom Killion created prints of the natural landscape because it is what he loves and what he finds to be beautiful; nature is what inspires him to create. Likewise, what inspires YOU to create? What do you love? Make a list of 6 things that inspire you (My list is: animals, homes, travel, maps, modes of transportation, and geodes!)
1._______________________________
2._______________________________
3._______________________________
4._______________________________
5._______________________________
6._______________________________

2. Pick four items from the above list and create 4 sketches of them in the
Space below:

After completing the planning worksheet, the students learned the safety rules and proper techniques used in carving. They carved away negative space in order to leave their desired image. Next, the students learned how to properly apply ink to the block by rolling it on with the brayer. Lastly, the students learned how to properly title, number, and sign the prints. I was impressed by the creativity of some of the titles (i.e. "I have no fear my sister is here").

The Importance of Drawing Excercises

2011-01-12T09:10:00.000-08:00

The fourth grade students are beginning a unit on drawing from observation.

We discussed the importance of carefully observing the object being drawing instead of drawing "stereotyped" images of objects. In order to prepare themselves for the final still life drawing, the students completed three drawing excercises:
1. contour drawing from observation
2. blind contour drawing from observation
3. value scale

Final still life drawings will be posted soon!

Holiday Break

2011-01-09T12:20:00.000-08:00

Although I had great ambitions going into holiday break to create all kinds of wonderful drawings, prints, and paintings, I DID find time to glaze the pots I made over the summer at Eshelman Pottery.

Ancient Owls

2011-01-04T13:35:00.000-08:00

The second grade students created these batik owl collages. I adapted this lesson from funart4kids.blogspot.com. The community of blogging art teachers is wonderful to be a part of! Thank you!

Paintings in the Style of Hundertwasser

2011-01-04T13:22:00.001-08:00

The fourth Grade students worked in pairs to create watercolor paintings in the style of artist Friedrich Hundertwasser.

Surrealist Collages

2011-01-04T12:44:00.000-08:00

I adapted this lesson from Arts and Activities (lesson titled "Unique Expressionism...through Surrealist Collage and Mixed Media").

I introduced the students to the qualities and art historical background of Surrealist Art. The students viewed the paintings of Salvador Dali and Rene Magritte, and they identified the surrealist qualities in these paintings ("Soft Watch at Moment of First Explosion," "The Persistence of Memory,"The Blank Check.")

Through the process of collage, the students learned how to appropriate existing images in order to create their own surrealist artwork.

Paintings Inspired by Artist Emily Carr

2010-12-21T07:23:00.000-08:00

After viewing the artwork of Canadian painter Emily Carr (1871-1945), the third grade students were inspired to create paintings of the Manistee National Forest!

Final Works

2010-12-20T12:30:00.000-08:00

Stomp on it!

2010-12-20T11:25:00.000-08:00

The first graders created textured pendants by stomping on a peice of clay. Students learned about the processes of firing and glazing the clay peices. They also learned a lesson in patience after making several attempts at stringing the bead/pendant and tying the string. In the end all students were sucessful!

I found this lesson on another art teacher's site http://www.useyourcolouredpencils.com

A Pleasant Surprise

2010-12-09T09:26:00.000-08:00

As an elementary art teacher I tend to receive many drawings and notes from the students (I'm sure you other elementary teachers have the same experience). This note was an absolute gem, so I thought I would share it:

Recent Work

2010-12-08T08:16:00.001-08:00

The aesthetic attitude

2010-12-05T11:10:00.000-08:00

The twentieth century, American logician, Nelson Goodman, describes the act of viewing artwork in his article "Art and Inquiry" (Projects and Problems, 1972):

"We have to read the painting as well as the poem, and that aesthetic experience is dynamic rather than static. It involves making delicate discriminations and discerning subtle relationships, identifying symbol systems and characters within these systems and what these characters denote and exemplify, interpreting works and reorganizing the world in terms of works and works in terms of the world. The aesthetic "attitude" is restless, searching, testing-is less attitude than action: creation and recreation."

How can I compel my students to adopt this attitude? How can I exemplify this attitude in my own practice?

American Sign Language Drawings

2010-11-30T18:08:00.000-08:00

I was inspired to teach this lesson after viewing contour hand drawings completed by A. Jackson's students at http://artisthebestpartoftheday.blogspot.com Thank you Ms. Jackson!

The 6th Grade students learned the origin of American sign language, and they learned the ASL alphabet. The students identified the sign language symbols in their names/nicknames and created drawings showing these symbols.

Textured Mugs

2010-11-30T17:54:00.000-08:00

Making a Difference by Creating Art: The Fundred Dollar Bill Project

2010-11-23T09:17:00.000-08:00

During Thanksgiving week, we tend to think about what we have and what we are thankful for. While it is important to be grateful and to reflect on our blessings in life, I believe Thanksgiving is a great time to think about needs others may have and how we can meet those needs. I heard about the Fundred Dollar Bill Project (www.fundred.org) while Reading an art education journal last month. The project was started by artist Mel Chin, who hopes to raise 300,000,000 "fundreds" (drawings of one hundred dollar bills designed by students) that he will take to Congress in an effort to exchange them for the $300,000,000 needed to neutralize the lead in the soil in New Orleans. Curently 30% of the children in New Orleans have lead poisoning, and this is a preventable problem. The students learned about Hurricane Katrina (many of them were very young when the hurricane hit in 2005), and they learned about the destruction the hurricane caused. The students were enthusiastic about wanting to help the children in New Orleans, and I was greatly blessed by their empathy and thoughtfulness in creating these "fundreds."

This students drew the "tree of good hope"

This student drew a house on wheels that he wants to bring to people in New Orleans who have lost their homes to Hurricane Katrina.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xor8lqjtc4M

5th Grade magazine bowls

2010-11-21T15:03:00.000-08:00

The fifth Grade students learned the craft of creating coiled bowls out of the pages of recycled magazines. Not only is this project economical (the only materials used are recycled magazines and paper mache glue), but it teaches the students to reuse/renew/recycle!

Glazing and Painting

2010-11-21T14:34:00.000-08:00

This week in ceramics class the students learned the difference between PAINTING a ceramic peice and GLAZING a cermic peice. I told the students the benefits and detriments of both mediums, and I allowed them to choose to work at either the glaze station OR the painting station. As a side note to students and parents, all glazes are lead free and dinnerware safe.

Why are we drawing when this is ceramics class?

2010-11-21T13:53:00.000-08:00

The students in the all-star academy ceramics class have been adding drawings to their sketchbooks in order to plan for future clay projects. As an artist, all of my ideas begin in my sketchbook, a place where I revise, rework, and transform my plans for larger scale projects. My sketchbook is a place I return to when I need new inspiration, new direction, or new options. As an art eductor, I believe it is my responsibility to teach students the vital role of the sketchbook in the creative process.

Sketchbooks are:

1. A place where we can create concrete plans, including the steps, processes, and materials needed for larger scale projects

2. A place to gather and synthesize images and ideas

3. A place where we can visually document events, people, and places. It is a place where we can remember.

4. A place where we can work out creative problem solving processes

Color Theory with Andy Warhol

2010-11-19T06:03:00.000-08:00

After viewing the prints of pop artist Andy Warhol, the students created pencil drawings of everyday objects. In square #1 students painted a primary color scheme, #2 an analogous color scheme, #3 tints/tones, and #4 complimentary colors. The students applied the color mixing knowledge gained from the previous lesson in order to complete this project.

2nd Grade Concentric Cirlces

2010-11-19T05:52:00.000-08:00

The second grade students were inspired to create these oil pastel drawings after viewing the painting "concentric circles" by Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky.

Dancing Giraffes

2010-11-18T08:12:00.000-08:00

The First Grade Students read the Book Giraffes Can't Dance by Guy Parker Rees, and they learned that giraffes really CAN dance! The students were inspired to create the multimedia artworks below in response to the story.

Ladies of Liberty!

2010-11-16T11:40:00.000-08:00

In honor of Veterans day the first grade students learned about the significance and history of the Statue of Liberty. The students used their creativity in creating these collages of the Statue of Liberty.

The Power of Nature

2010-11-16T09:40:00.000-08:00

positive self portraits

2010-11-16T09:10:00.003-08:00

The Fifth Grade students created self portrait pencil drawings. The students studied the general proportions of the human face, and they looked in the mirror and drew themselves from observation. A full range of values were added to the drawings to give the portraits form. The students also studied graffiti art, and we discussed the meaning, medium, stylistic choices and problems involved with this type of art making. We decided that there is a lot to learn from the style graffiti artists use in their work. The students identified positive words describing them, and they painted these words in graffiti style in the background of their self portraits.

2010-11-15T09:11:00.000-08:00

Buildings of Lancaster
Charles DeMuth
1930
Oil and Graphite on Composition board

Whitney Museum of American Art

All-Star Academy Ceramics Class Begins!

2010-11-13T13:48:00.002-08:00

Another session of all-star academy ceramics class has begun (an after school program)! The class is full with 16 students (grades 2-6). The students have been working hard creating castles and coil pots. The peices are currently firing in the kiln and will be available for glazing next week!

MAEA Conference in Dearborn, MI

2010-11-13T11:38:00.000-08:00

At the Michigan Art Education Association conference entitled "The Industry of Art" I was privledged to hear visionary artist Tyree Guyton speak and to view his work at the Heidelberg Project in Detroit, MI. (See more information here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy9nLV9ytKM). Tyree Guyton is an inspiration to me as both an artist and an art educator.

Guyton was born in 1955 in Detroit, MI, and he lived in an East Side neighborhood and watched the neighborhood change and deteriorate. As people left the Heidelberg neighborhood, they left trash and debris. Also, people from surrounding neighborhoods dumped their trash on the empty and abandoned lots in the Heidelberg neighborhood. Statistically 60% of the men from this area of Detroit were either dead or in prison by the age of 28. Rather than fleeing the neighborhood or allowing discouragement to lead to inactivity, Tyree Guyton decided to use his artistic talents to wage against the urban blight surrounding him. In 1986 Tyree Guyton and his grandfather began painting colorful dots on the side of their home, and this became the start of the internationally recognized "Heidelberg Project." Guyton is described as an "urban environmenal artist" because he gathers the debris left in the neighborhood and he creates a continually changing outdoor art gallary. Guyton's work challenges the boundary between art and life, and he has faced opposition to the Heidelberg project in the past. His work raises the imperative questions pertaining to the definition, function, and purpose of art.

Tyree Guyton inspires me as an artist because he is incredibly resilient, resourceful, and hard working. Tyree uses the materials available to him in order to communicate a powerful messege and to revitalize his community. When I visited the Heidelberg Project, Guyton was hard at work raking leaves, caring for the community he lives within.

Tyree Guyton inspires me as an art educator, because he is an unconventional and incredible art educator within his neighborhood. He involves the children in creating art, and he has mentored several children who have literally been "raised up" within the Heidelberg project.

This is Tyree Guyton's childhood home. Currently his mother still lives in this home. When she passes away the home will be turned into a museum. The colored dots on the building symbolize each individual person and the interconnectedness of humanity.

Some of Tyree Guyton's work is less political and more playful. Guyton simply likes taxis, so he paints them.

Although this painted tire with long grasses growing inside of it is a small change in the neighborhood, I found this detail to be very compelling. What can I do to improve my immediate surroundings, both physically and socially?

This sculpture serves as a recent memorial to the oil spill in the south.

Like this sculpture, Guyton's work seems to communicate the tension between hope and despair.

Kindergarten Patriotism: We Honor Our Veterans

2010-11-03T11:33:00.000-07:00

Come see the entire Veterans Day program in the auditorium on Friday, November 12 at 6:30pm. Afterwards, view the patriotic artwork by the kindergarten and first grade students in the hallway.

2010-10-30T16:02:00.000-07:00

Great Job on your artwork students! We have been awarded as one of the top art education blogs in our region!! Keep up the good work!

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First Grade Self Portrait Collages

2010-10-20T08:07:00.001-07:00

3rd Grade Landscapes

2010-10-18T08:06:00.000-07:00

The third grade students created landscape paintings in the style of the French artist, Paul Cezanne(1839-1906). They learned that Cezanne painted the same landscape (The mount of Victoria) 60 times! Cezanne believed that it was most important to paint the structure and shapes in a landscape. The third graders carefully observed photographs of landscapes and created paintings in the style of Cezanne.

Drawing a sequel

2010-10-15T09:52:00.001-07:00

The second grade students read Aki and the Fox by Japanese author, Akiko Hayashi, and they created drawings to show a sequel to the story. Students learned how to draw the basic shape of Kon, one of the main characters, and they used their imaginations to paint a setting for Kon. They also learned that art can tell a story. Can you identify where Kon is and what he is doing in the sequels below?

5th Grade Symbol Drawings

2010-10-06T12:12:00.000-07:00

The fifth Grade students learned about the American, female artist, Ida Kohlmeyer. Kohlmeyer used symbols in her paintings in order to create meaning. The fifth grade students identified symbols we encounter on a daily basis. They created a grid and used an intentional color plan in order to create their oil pastel drawings.

4th Grade Colorful Hands

2010-10-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

The fourth grade students learned how to distinguish between warm and cool colors. They created colorful hand drawings with warm color hands and cool color backgrounds

First Grade Paintings!

2010-09-30T08:16:00.000-07:00

The first grade students created watercolor resist paintings of their houses. We discussed the "stereotyped" version of a house (a rectangle with a triangle on top for the roof), and we decided that each person's house is unique and looks different. Instead of following the stereotyped method of creating their houses, the students made an effort to draw the shapes of their actual houses.

3rd Grade Collages

2010-09-29T06:44:00.000-07:00

The Third Grade students learned how to differentiate between warm and cool colors. They selected warm and cool clippings from magazines and created warm/cool color collages. The collages are hung up next to eachother in our art room, and they look like patchwork quilts!

Creative Color Wheels

2010-09-29T06:31:00.000-07:00

For the sixth graders' first art project of the year they are making creative color wheels! The students learned how to mix the three primary colors (red, blue, and yellow) in order to create secondary colors (orange, green, violet) and tertiary colors (red-violet, blue-violet, red-orange, yellow-orange, yellow-green, blue-green).

More photos will be posted soon of the completed color wheels.

Eshelman Pottery summer internship

2010-08-05T07:14:00.000-07:00

This summer Alec and I spent a month in Elizabeth, IL working at Eshelman Pottery. My father-in-law, Paul Eshelman, creates highly functional, red stoneware pottery.

"Aesthetically [Paul Eshelman] has been guided by Japanese and Chinese crafts, European design movements and simple utilitarian objects such as those produced by American Shakers. The best wares of these movements are beautifully conceived and crafted and are thoroughly functional. "

For more information and images of Eshelman Pottery, visit www.eshelmanpottery.com

Through my time with Paul at Eshelman Pottery, I learned about the basic steps involved in the slipcasting method, efficiently loading kilns, finishing pots, and the marriage of function and form. We also fit in a few "Throwing on the Wheel 101" lessons.

Step 1: The master molds are carefully designed and crafted from Ultracal, a gypsum cement with high surface hardness and compression strength.

Step 2: the plaster molds are created from the master.

Step 3: Slip, a liquid form of clay, is poured into the mold. The plaster absorbs the water to create a clay body. Excess slip is poured out, and the form is removed from the plaster mold.

Step 4: the pieces are scraped/finished and bisque fired.
Step 5: Waxing, glazing, firing.

Images of finished pieces from www.eshelmanpottery.com

In addition to working at Eshelman pottery, I gave lessons on clay hand building techniques to a local high school student, Valerie.

She received two blue ribbons at the county 4-h fair. Congratulations Valerie!

Throwing on the wheel took a lot of practice, patience, and perseverance.

Cool Color pinch pots!

2010-06-08T10:50:00.000-07:00

Cherry Trees

2010-06-08T10:23:00.000-07:00

The first grade students learned how to paint without using a brush (or fingers). They blew through a straw to move black ink around on the paper in order to create the tree trunks. After the ink dried, the students used brushes to apply red acrylic paint for the cherry blossoms.

Flowers!

2010-06-08T10:19:00.000-07:00

The second Grade students put their weaving and painting skills to use in order to make these colorful flowers.

Coil Pots

2010-06-08T10:14:00.001-07:00

The sixth Grade students learned how to create a sturdy coil pot by using the technique of scoring and slipping. After the initial bisque firing, the students glazed the peices in order to create a usable pot.

Paintings in the Style of Thierry Noir

2010-06-08T10:08:00.000-07:00

The sixth Grade students learned about the contemporary artist, Thierry Noir, who risked his life to create paintings on the Berlin Wall in the early 1980's. The students adopted his style of painting, and they created their own paintings inspired by Noir.