Directions Not Included

I think sometimes we just need to force our hand to start moving, to start a line and see what happens.
It's playful, (maybe) uncomfortable and valuable. Here, we talked about the word ambiguity and how some artists love the feeling and run with it.   Being okay with uncertainty,  that blank paper and just letting go.  Seeing where not knowing may take you.  It could lead you to inquiry. Whether it's self inquiry or transdisciplinary research.  It's all good.  Here are some thoughts on the process...

This lesson was inspired by a Ted Talk given by Cindy Foley "Teaching art or teaching to think like an artist?"  Watch it below...

Crayon Explorations- Artistic Habit of Mind Stretch and Explore

How  fortunate we would be if we could "see through" this piece and experience what the artist did. 

Artistic Behavior or (Studio) Habits of Mind Stretch and Explore

Learning to reach beyond one's capacity to explore playfully, without a preconceived plan, and to embrace the opportunity to learn from mistakes and accidents. 

We've all used crayons.  We're all familiar with coloring.  But are we familiar with exploring the potential of what that little crayon can do? And how does this apply to life anyway?   I see this as holding ourselves in one spot, possibly our comfort zone as they say.  If we stay there we may limit our opportunities to grow.  That's why it's important to give children (and ourselves) the opportunity to play.  When we play (explore) we open our minds up to situations that are authentic learning experiences. And I wonder (and hope) that through guiding this experience of exploring it can be applied as a "habit" and make a difference in the way we go through our day and situations that may arise.

Known techniques explored:
rubbings (held on side and rubbed on a surface)
pressure (learning to be aware of our strength and movements to help achieve light, medium and dark values)
line (thin, expressive, bold, light, etc.)
blending colors to make new colors

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