Just The Right Words, Altered Page

                                 Grasshopper sang in the field for Winter!
                                                         by Michelle, grade 4

This piece makes me wonder if "Winter" is a season or a person. Another thought, when I look at this I can see the entire paper as a fluffy field of white snow and the colors are representations of happiness. 

Altering a text filled page for me is almost like a meditation. You absolutely have to slow down in order to find just the right words to compose just the right sentence. Now your mind conjures up an image, colors, lines and shapes to go with that sentence.

She flung it.
Notice how this student uses the element of line to push her idea.  The curved lines are not only in the round spiral but in the fabric as well; also notice the expression on the girl's face.

Jack wished for a supper this night.
This student wanted it to look like "...those planes that carry a sign behind them".
(I think this student shows an amazing sense of space and color) 

left to right-
Giants disappear.
This student glued a sheet over his original page and cut holes out in order to see the text...interesting...it's almost as if the text disappeared as well as the giant.

Jack wished he grew up. 
I love how we get the feeling that they boy is thinking about growing up and those thoughts are represented with green and orange dots. This student also cut most of the page away to create a shape and then glued it on a white background. 

The band wished for a good supper. 

left to right-
When Jack came down the chimney he heard big words from giants.
(notice the ear on the bottom left and how "big words" are represented with large colored dots)

The disappeared chimney. Hey Dad, the chimney disappeared.

Beauty In Our World

Central Idea:  Artists Can Help Us Find Beauty In Our World

We all find certain things or places beautiful. Whether the place has a home in our imagination or in our reality.
 Have you ever been to a place that you connected with? Somehow it probably touched your senses.  You felt something inside.  For me it was my grandma's house.  I don't know if you can "carefully" look, but I remember looking carefully at the trinkets on her dresser...a little brass bell, an ornate hand mirror, a little black box.  I still think of it often.  As humans we can all connect to places and find them beautiful for whatever reasons feel right at that moment . After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say.   If we choose to, as artists, we can  respond in personal and creative ways.  These are some of the responses to beauty in our world, from Kinder through 5th grade. That's the thing about exploring "big ideas",  it doesn't matter whether you're 6, 16,  or 96, they are a part of that which we call Home.

(Scroll a bit to watch a video of the kids in class!)

Harshini, The Playground

Esther, Kindergarten, The Water-park

Malia, Hawaii

Jude, Kindergarten, My House 

Lauren, Kindergarten, Party City

Julian, Kindergarten The Pool

What Do You See? Imagination With Ink Blots

Ink Blots

Pouring a bit of black ink onto a paper, blowing and seeing what it could be.  Kindergarten, First, and 5th grade tried this challenge.  I noticed the K-1 students were so open to the ink's suggestion of possibilities where as 5th grade found it much harder to see at first.  Although after completing 2 or so they found it much easier. They just had to let go and release what they were accustomed to seeing to find what was right in front of them the whole time.  Interesting... this is one reason why I believe we need to be part of a creative process everyday. What will you see today? What will you create today?

Julissa, Kindergarten

Abihga, Grade One
Me and My Mom Dancing

Ashley, grade 5

Grade One Artwork

Isabella, Grade One

Grade One Artwork

Melanie, Grade One

Alex, Grade One

Name Design

Central Idea:

Artists Can Use Color To Communicate Ideas and Feelings

For the Name Design project the students wrote the letters of their name and the year

they were born in any style they chose. If color could be used to represent a characteristic about themselves, what color would that characteristic be?

I chose yellow to represent the part of me that is shy.  I'm shy when there are new people in my class.  I chose green for the part of me that loves nature, when I'm outside I can explore organisms. Pink is for happiness, like when I'm hanging out with my family and friends.
Grecia

Red represents the part of me that is competitive.  Turquoise is for swimming and green for nature.
Luis

Blue represents a part of me that is a marine life lover.  When I grow up I will be a marine biologist.  Purple is for girly, I love perfume and going shopping.  Magenta stands for creative, I like to think outside the box.
Robin

Fiber Arts: Applique, Stitching and Values

Central Idea: Artists Can Show What They Value Through The Art They Create

Inquiry Into:

• Fiber Arts
• Traditions and Values
• Unity and Variety In Art

This piece is by Kamryn,  his artwork is about Hope

This piece is by Joselin, she would like to start a tradition called Rose Day.  She feels taking care of nature is important.

This piece is by Sofia, she values laughter.

by Jose



by Valerie, she values worship

This piece is by Myar.  She would like to start a tradition where on the new year, her family
goes outside and makes wishes on the moon.  She would call her tradition Dark Shine.