Style meets Function

I wanted my Painting/Sculpture class to learn that art isn't always just something you look at, it can also be beautiful and functional.  So what better thing to make then sandals for summer!!  Okay so maybe they won't wear very well outside (especially since they are made out of paper), but they can still be very stylish and functionable.  I will post pictures on the day we walk across the commons area with them.

Op Art Cubes

These op art cubes belong to the high school Art 1 class.  My only true rule was that they had to try to make them up on their own and not to copy from the internet.  So each side of the box should have a different design, except for the one student who decided to make the box look like ribbons that wrap from all sides.

What they know...

You spend all year trying to cram info and knowledge into their heads and you never know if it sticks or not, until you come to the final project.  For my final Art 1 project, I have the students do a very large Art History collage that they have to research for, and then re-create on paper.  I have them look up artwork from 12 artists that they have to arrange into one cohesive project.  At first they whine, mumble and complain but then they eventually get started.  This is where I am always shocked about what they remember.

All of a sudden I get questions like, "who was that artists that painted with the dots" and "who made the large sculptures" and "who painted that wavy sky with the big rock looking thing."  Some are harder to decifer what artist they are talking about others...that last one was Starry Night by the way.

But I am always amazed by the questions that are more just asking for reassurance that they are right like, "So was it Georgia O'keefe that painted the large flowers" and "Georges Seurat painted the Sunday Park picture, right?"  Well that one was close, but I am giving them points for getting that close.

Even though they may be disliking the final project, and dreading the drawing part of it, it is good to know that somewhere during the past nine months they learned something. 

Patience

How do we teach our students PATIENCE??  I have learned to walk away from a student who is frustrating my patience, but I am running really low with all of my high school art students who just want to tape everything together instead of just waiting a moment for glue to dry.  In some ways this is how technology has destroyed our kids. They live in an era where they have to have instant everything, and the process of waiting for glue to dry takes just too long.

How do I explain to them that the glue will dry in the time it takes them to take a couple of deep breaths and relax. 

Keith Haring Dancers

I love Keith Haring's work, especially when it comes to teaching pose and gesture people.  I had my 4th graders VTS (Visual Thinking Stratgey) some of his work and then we created some of our own poses.  They had a blast being the models so we could draw their poses.

We then cut our people out of construction paper and glued them to a longer piece of paper, then outlined them and created a ground.  Super simple, but they turned out great.

Done Oldenberg sculptures

Majority are done and are on display in the high school commons area.  It is nice to have my room back.

They did a great job.  For my first group project ever this was an overall huge success.

Sammy, Lauren and Maggie 
ipod docking station with ipod

Nick, Riley and Brandon
Hammer

Emma, Hanna and Kelsey
MockingJay pin from Hunger games

Raechel and Mariah
Hot Dog

Karly and Morgan
Tennis Shoe

Brooke and Landen
Cheeseburger

Abby and Alli
Pig

Eli, Adrian and Trevor
Coke Bottle

Kayla and Sabrina
Robot

Sabrina and Chantel
Teapot

Kevin and Daniel
Pocket Watch

There will be a few more to come in the next few days. 

One more string art...

There is always one that is really late, but worth it.

April K.

Of course it had to be something from the Hunger Games.

Oldenberg Sculptures - Cont...

So we are still working on our first ever group project, Claes Oldenberg sculptures.

prom Cat

For those that don't know me.  I am the prom coordinator for my school.  I had to show off our Alice in Wonderland Cheshire cat that I have painted.  Somehow I still need to figure out how to cut him out and add glow in the dark paint to his eyes.  Did I mention I have to have that done today.

So far he is pretty cute.

6th grade prints

This is our attempt at styrofoam printmaking with 6th grade.  Not too bad, but lessoned learned to pass on for next year.