1st Grade: Faith Ringgold

Recently in first grade we read the story of Tar Beach written and illustrated by Faith Ringgold. Tar Beach is a story about a little girl on the rooftop of a tall building at night. The little girl talks about her family and how she wants things better for them. In the story it talks about how sometimes people are not fair to people that might look different than they do. As a result, her family becomes the inspiration for her new adventure.
As the story goes on the little girl learns how to fly. When she flies over things she can claim them as her own or for someone else. She flies over many places for her family and herself.

The kids discussed what they might fly over and who they might give it to. Many chose to draw themselves flying over something with their family or friends. The kids thought it was best to share the wonders we found.

Faith Ringgold is know for integrating quilts into her artwork, so around the frame we added 'quilt' piece created by using texture plates.

Texture rubbings we used as quilt squares.

Flying over Lego factory

Flying over the school with his brother

Flying over the Art Center with her friends

8th Grade: Shattered Images

Eight grade have been working on Value, one of the seven Elements of Art. Value refers to the lightness and darkness of a tones or color.
For this project we used observational drawing skills to recreate an image of a bird or other animal using simple contour lines. After that, we divided our paper using five lines going across our paper; curved or straight both work. If the lines went through our animal even better, the more spaces in our creature the better.

They then used these spaces to demonstrate their skills in creating gradation of values from the darkest dark all the way to white. I suggested that in each space that they angled their value slightly differently so their image would stand out.
They turned out amazing!

I love that he added patterns on top of his shading.
He figured out this style himself. Way to go!

Day of the Dead

We are celebrating Day of the Dead, called Dia de Muertos in Spainish. It is a Mexican holiday that falls on November 1st and 2nd of each year. On the Day of the Dead, the boundaries between life and death begin to blur. Men, women, and children of all ages honor and celebrate their loved ones who have passsed away, participating joyously in a festival that has roots nearly 4000 years old. To help celebrate, students will be creating different ofrendas to go on our altar here at school.

Ofendas are an essential part of the Day of the Dead celebration. The word ofrenda means offering in Spanish. During day of the  Dead, Dia de Muertos, families and friends will go to the cemeteries to clean up where their loved ones are buried. They may bring flowers, food, or objects the person enjoyed in life, ofrendas. If they are honoring a child the family and friends might bring toys and candy. Often there will be pictures set-out to remind the living what the person looked like. 

Sometimes altares, altars, are created at home because families are unable to attend the grave-site or they want a more intimate reminder of those who have gone on before. The altars will hold a pictures of the people the family and friends are honoring along with: candles, foods, marigolds, sugar-skulls (calavera),images of Saints, tequila for the adults, milk or water for the children, rosaries, pan los muertos (bread of the dead), incense, fresh fruit, salt, and other symbolic ofrendas. These are the items the spirit may enjoy when they come back to earth to visit their family and friends.

The soulds that visit their altars do not actually eat or drink what is on the altar. They can't-- -they have no bodies! Instead, they absorb the aroma and energy of the food, which nourishes their spirits.

After the holiday is over, the foods and drinks on the altar are distributed among the family and friends. 

What an amazing time to remember and experience joyful representation of the duality of life and death! 

2nd Grade: Op-Art

Second Grade's Op Art.
We learned that op-artists tried to fool the eye of the viewer into seeing something that really wasn't there such as a hand popping up under a sheet of paper.
We first traced our hands lightly with pencil and later erased it. Next, we used horizontal lines across the background, curving them slightly when they went over the wrist and hand. After that, we talked about how light and shadows might interact with a raised bump. Many of my 2nd graders were up for the challenge! Finally, we colored between our lines. Some got very creative with their lines by using squiggles and zig-zags instead of soiled colors.

Op-Art

We have been working very hard on the Op-Art Movement in grades 2nd, 3rd, and 5th. We have learned that Op-Art, also know as optical art, is a style of visual art that uses optical illusions. Op artworks are abstract, with  many known pieces in black and white.Typically, the give the viewer the impression of movement, hidden images, flashing and vibrating patterns, or sense of swelling or warping.

1st Grade: Andy Goldsworthy at Ledges State Park

What a beautiful day God gave us for our field trip! Only a few puffy clouds in the sky and a warm breeze in the air. In my book, perfect! 

My SFA first graders has spent the last few weeks looking at the works of Andy Goldsworthy; watching him work in a video, practicing in the classroom, and finally creating their own in the great outdoors. Our students created natural sculptures with items they found on their nature walk. Students were given the instruction to search for four elements of art (line, color, shape, and texture). They had to use their natural surroundings to create a sculpture/composition using those four elements. Good finds first grade!  As you can see from our photos, a lot of collecting and gathering took place. Sticks, leaves, rocks, nuts, feathers, and flowers were arranged by our student  to create amazing sculptures.

After we collect items on a nature walk with our parent volunteers we then took a break for lunch. Before we headed back to school we finished adding to our interpretation of Andy Goldsworthy natural sculptures. It was a great success. Great job everyone!

Día de los Muertos

This October we will be learning about Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de los Muertos).  

Día de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world in other cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. It is particularly celebrated in Mexico, where it is a national holiday, and all banks are closed. The celebration takes place on November 1, in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day (November 2).

Students will do projects based around this holiday and help create an ofrenda (altar) here at school to honoring someone special.