Last night we had our first annual Winter Art Show, and it was a big success! 1st and 2nd graders had their adorable owls on display and 4th graders presented their "Wintery Landscapes." Parents, grandparents, brothers and sister and family friends filled the hallway, marveling at the beautiful work these artists created! They enjoyed refreshments, signed our welcome poster and chatted with classmates and teachers. The artwork will remain on display for most of February. 
A huge thanks goes out to everyone who came to celebrate the artists and especially to those who chipped in with either their time or donation of snacks. Teller Families Rock!!

Joan Miro was a Spanish surrealist painter whose dreamlike imagery is easily deciphered by young children. Dots and Lines are the foundations for all drawing. Miro adeptly combines these expressive features and children identify stars, faces, and various creatures and forms. Primary colors play center stage in these fantastical compositions.
Kindergarteners identified and practiced the symbols Joan Miro used. Then they practiced using and mixing tempera paints to create some awesome artwork!

Fifth graders have been working hard on paintings to display at their production of "Jungle Book Kids!" 
We got inspired by the work of the self-taught, Post-Impressionist French painter Henri Rousseau. We noticed that he showed space through overlapping and was skilled at creating a variety of shades of green, so that's what we aimed for in our own paintings. Fifth graders learned and practiced new painting techniques including watercolor wash for the background and mixing tempera to create multiple shades of one color. 

Here is a link to a video introducing a new children's book about Rousseau: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9VHjJvRcFw

And check out the 5th graders paintings in our online gallery!!
http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=721986

Third Graders were given the simple task: create art about a tree. We looked at 2 different artists' representations of trees and practiced in their respective styles. Bruno Munari was an Italian artist and designer who wrote a book about drawing trees. His method is often referred to as the "Y Tree." Gustav Klimt was an Austrian artist most famous for his iconic painting "The Kiss." The spiral branches of his "Tree of Life" contrast Munari's straight lines and linear branches. Our goal became more complex as we strove to find unique and personal ways to interpret the idea of a tree. 
Click the link to see our 3rd grader's work!
http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=684008

Second Graders looked at different cityscapes: a skyline of Denver, a silly James Rizzi painting and a serious painting by Edward Hopper. Second graders identified the background, middle ground and foreground of the pictures. We decided it is important to know these words so that we can describe what we see when we look at artwork and to explain our own work. We practiced drawing buildings in different ways. Then we used oil pastels and watercolor paint on construction paper to create our artworks. Artists answered these questions for their Artist Statements: "What is in the background of your artwork? What is in the foreground?"
See the art and the artists statements at our online gallery!!
http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=684031

This is a ubiquitous lesson among Art Educators, but we all love it well for good reason: young artists learn about shapes, colors, drawing tools and painting techniques and feel success in creating a bright and colorful piece, ready for presentation. I especially like using this project to teach students to use the Drawing Center and the Painting Center independently in the Art Studio. 

Our focus for this lesson was on creating "concentric shapes." What a mouthful for a first grader. Ms. Saeger said "Its a big fancy First Grade word and you are so smart so I know you can learn it," and it was true. We practiced drawing circles inside of circles inside of circles...... and then other shapes too! We discovered that some shapes are easier to make concentric than others.  

Discovering and exploring oil pastels enchanted many artists, while others marveled at the way the colors show through watercolor paint. First graders learned how to use smocks and placemats to protect our clothes and tables. They can now independently set up and clean up for painting whenever the Painting Center is open. 

Visit our Artsonia gallery to see images by our students!
http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=682885