Stormy Seas

The first graders are coming to understand how artists can create movement and mood with the elements of color and line.  By comparing two images (below) they came to their own conclusions on just how an artist might do that. They noticed everything.  The rocky water, bumpy lines, slanted boat,  the sun behind the clouds, various colors in the skies and water, and the list goes on.  Equipped with the newly discovered information, the seascapes came to life.

Transdisciplinary Theme: How We Express Ourselves
Central Idea: Art Is A Way To Explore Our Ideas and Feelings About Nature







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Art Journal Class

Imperfection is Beauty, Madness is genius...and I'd rather be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.

This year I've started a class for students who have an interest both in art and writing.  Students are exploring how the written word and art can become one cohesive piece as they also express their thoughts, questions and ideas about life.  Does it get any better than that?  Well, it does...A, they seem to be much more  at ease with a  100 page journal rather than one blank white paper staring at them.  In turn,  they are opening themselves up to taking risks-  ... B,  they design the entries as a reflection of who they are, their experiences, their thoughts and questions,  now it becomes personal and that my friend, is grand.

Experiencing Weather in Art

The forecast calls for... 

...happiness in the rain!

a delightful windstorm!

...heavy rains and winds!

...a perfect day!

 

watch out for tornadoes!



In second grade, we've been exploring how artists use lines and colors to suggest weather and mood.  The central idea has been an exploration of nature in art.  The first day they created their backgrounds with paint, thinking about how to use the horizon line...what's more important in the idea, the land or the sky?  We used the back of the brush to remove paint and create various lines to evoke movement.  The second class period the students thought about different scenarios that would work well in their landscapes as they shared their ideas with each other.   

A Twig Can Be...

...a stick bug!

 1st grade

http://foundationstart.org/exhibition/


 Working together, sharing ideas and being truly excited about creating, this was it.  If you follow my blog, you're aware that my central idea for K-1 is Art is a Way To Explore Our Ideas and Feelings About Nature.
With that said, I gave each group a twig after discussing Bessie Harvey's work. After some discussion, they came up with an idea of what it could be, what it could be transformed into.
We are not finished yet, but I wanted to share this one... with such joyful and delicate qualities.

Questions to consider:
What do we see?  Why do you think the artist chose to use a tree branch for her art?  How did the artist turn it into a sculpture?  What kind of feelings do you get from this artwork, happy, magical, scary?

Thanks to the American Folk Art Museum for the inspiration for this lesson.

Natural Views

In K-1 we have been learning about and exploring ways to express our ideas and feelings about nature. We've looked at and discussed  nature in art from various cultures from the past and present. The following artworks represent individual ideas, feelings and interests about the natural world.  

clockwise from top: Shark and Seal, Birds and Heart, Clouds, A lot of Trees, Listening

Clockwise: Whale, Leaf, Clouds, Leaf, Pond Day