I am THANKFUL!

I want to begin this post in honor of Thanksgiving 2014 by just stating how THANKFUL I am to work with our students each and every day in the BES art room! I have the best job in the whole world teaching art right here in our great school with amazing students and the support of fantastic co-workers and families.

Now, here is an update on what we are working on in the BES Art Room... a glimpse into the life I am so thankful for!

Fourth graders are still pretending they are Virginia Colonists! Take a look at the weavings they are getting done... pretty beautiful!!

 

 

Fifth graders are moving on to the sculpture part on their figure unit. They have practiced drawing the human figure in proportion, with movement, and now using the elongated sculptures of Alberto Giacometti as inspiration for their gestured sculptures. Here are a few students working on their armatures... ask your fifth grader what the importance of an armature is when creating a sculpture. 

 

 

 

Third graders just finished their pumpkin patch landscapes! The big objective for this unit was for students to create the illusion of depth on their 2D paper surface. Ask your third grader what is one way they could create the illusion of depth in a 2D artwork and have them show you their techniques! I love how painterly and expressive these paintings are!

 

 

Color, laughter, and the creative thoughts of a child are what I get to be around and experience everyday. What's not to be THANKFUL for? :)

 

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!



 

Modern Day Virginia Colonists!

Fourth grade artists are pretending they are Virginia colonists and working together as a community just as the colonists once had to do! Fourth graders painted white drawing paper using and analogous color scheme, see if your fourth grader can teach you about analogous colors! I warned them not to get too attached to their paintings because they were creating them in preparation to share with other fourth graders for a weaving project. Students looked at images illustrating the process of making fabric during colonial times. They learned that each member of the community had a hand in the process from sheering the sheep, to spinning the wool into thread and weaving it into bats of fabric. Once their paintings were dry, I put them into the paper shredder and turned them into long skinny strips of paper for the students to weave. Take a look at them getting started!!

 

 

And a side note:

 

Take a look at one of our BES artists who went to  the Randolph-Macon College Open House to see their artwork hanging on display in the Education Department there! As art teachers around the county, we submit student work to be selected for art shows within our community. Adam's bird illustration was chosen for this show and I love that his parents took him to see his work for this event. It is so important to encourage your child's artistic endeavors... just look at how proud Adam is! Thank you to the Lily's for sharing the awesome images and giving me permission to share on the blog!

 

 

BES is Under the Sea!

Second graders have been learning about the artist Alexander Calder and his marvelous mobile sculptures he is famous for. Students explored sculpture as an art genre and used the principals of movement, balance, and pattern to create their beautiful fish mobile creations! Take a look at our sculptors in action and some of the fish that are swimming in the main hallway here at BES!