Wrapping up February

Students have been delving into more Elements of Art and Principles of Design as the year progresses. Here is a sampling of what has been going on. Kindergarten students took a break from formal elements and played with winter-related art projects. One of our favorites over the years has been inspired by the book The Snowy Day. Students used "snow" made from glue and shaving cream to create their art. Second and Third graders learned about the art of Pablo Picasso. They created their own Cubist portraits through tints and shades of colors. They also demonstrated knowledge of warm and cool colors.

Fifth graders do a lot with drawing in this school year. I pushed their observational skills and artistic freedom when they tackled creating their own still life compositions. Aren't these a fantastic start? Eighth graders are wrapping up their unit called Altered American Gothic. They learned about this famous work of art through class discussions and analysis of the formal elements Grant Wood utilized to make the work a strong composition. They then had to take what they learned about that painting and apply it to their own personal works. In my next post, I'll be sharing completed units with you. I'll also be updating the art in the hallway near the preschool rooms, and we'll soon have a display in the church narthex to celebrate the Lenten season!