The year of the goat.

 

Fourth grade learned about the Chinese New Year and how 2015 is the year of the goat.  We looked at some Chinese inspired ink drawings of goats and characters and then did our own version using black tempera and a brush.  The students were into it.

Van Gogh is the master of cool.

 

First grade learned about cool colors and how Vincent Van Gogh used them in his painting "The Starry Night".  The students did their own version, they had to prove to me that their work ended up with a cool feeling.  They used a little bit of crayon and a whole lot of tempera paint.  Good job Vincent Van First Grade!

Free choice painting.

 

Free choice painting is priceless.  It is a great time for the students to let loose and be an artist the way they were meant to be.  No direction from good old Mr. Cleveland....just compliments and positive reinforcement.  A first grader did this series of fruit all with in a matter of 25 minutes.  It is good to let loose once in a while.

Cave Art of Westside.

Here is a little video collage of some of the cave art going on in my Art room lately.

Art started on a rock, in a cave.

 

 

I took every student at Westside back in time to the beginning of Art.  Art was originally created as a way of communication and story telling.  Since there was not any language back then the artists (caveman) drew pictures on rock.  Their hand prints were their identity. 

Assessment time.

 

 

Here is a little reminder to the students of how I assess their Art.  This was as simple and less wordy as I could think of.  I often times have students tell me which number they think they earned.  This is posted where all can see. 

Tessellations.

 

 

Fifth graders have been working on Tessellations for a while, this took way longer than I thought it would.  We studied M.C. Escher.  With a few cuts you can turn a square into a more interesting shape.  Good stuff Wildcats!

Sunshine Supper 5th Anniversary.

 

Some of our students designed Zentangled placemats for the Fifth anniversary of the Sunshine Supper.  Nothing like being involved in your own community. 

Mâché snow peeps.

 

 

Third grade learned about "form".  They used nothing but paper to create a 3D snow person.  Since they were already working with paper mache for their piñatas I figured why not throw in this project as well.  Simple, messy, simply messy.  Kids loved it though.  

Piñatas for Piñataville!

 

 

Third and fourth grade collaborated with each other and Music to create some serious piñatas for their upcoming musical.  Paper Mache was all over the place.....it was awesome.  The students also learned about culture and the art element of form.

Gustav Klimt.

 

 

Fifth grade learned about Gustav Klimt and how he used gold to paint the "Tree of Life".  One of the best parts of being a visual arts educator is that I get to teach Art History.  Anyway, the students used fake gold to paint these beauties, I couldn't afford real gold. 

Turkey paint.

 

 

Kindergarten and first grade went through a lesson about what Art is.  We came to a conclusion that Art is creative and imaginative.....kind of like these turkeys.  Happy Thanksgiving.