Information + Imagination =

My body is squarish roundish, like a swimming pool.

My head is long and slightly pointed, like a slide at recess.

My tail can change like the day changes to night.

My feet are like tree trunks in the winter, or is it tree branches?

I have patterns on some areas that sparkle like diamonds in the light.

My color can change you see.  How do you ask? I’ll tell you.  If you are happy, my colors will be happy colors.   

If you are sad, my colors change to sad colors.  How do you feel now?

by Me!

This lesson was inspired by The American Museum of Folk Art-

Students explored individual artists' interpretations of animals and created a drawing in response to the description above. What we realized during conversation about the art was that different artists imagine, interpret an depict animals differently. This was especially true for folk artists because of their limited resources. To help us understand and appreciate the folk artists better, I read the description above (of an unfamiliar animal) as they responded with a drawing.

Skyler, Kindergarten

artwork by Kindergarten and 2nd Grade

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







source

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

Insects- One Subject, Many Media

Insects provide an engaging subject for study and expression.

1st grade artwork, yes, 1st grade!

When we work with one concept but change the medium, we give ourselves the opportunity to deepen our understanding and make new connections.  

Kindergarten and 1st grade paintings

Kindergarten artwork

Visible Thinking, Movement and Landscapes

When we are given the opportunity to explore an artwork so much can be gained-  connections are made to self and world, our thinking develops and simply sharing ideas and thoughts show us how to be, how to learn, how to appreciate and share not only the artwork, but one another's thoughts and ideas.

Stuart Davis, Swing Landscape, 1938. Oil on canvas

I wanted the kids to see their thinking today.  As we looked at Stuart Davis' piece, I wrote down their thinking on a large paper.  We used The Explanation Game from the book Making Thinking Visible by Ron Ritchart.  There is a great video below where he talks about this concept, just click on the link.

Class Observations:
I see colors, bright colors, shapes, rectangles, triangles, odd shapes, a ladder, a rope,  patterns...
Conceptual:
I think this is about a city, it looks busy, all the different colors on top of each other make it look busy, the people are missing,  maybe they are hiding from all of the chaos, they're scared, they're in their cars, I think the artist likes this place, it looks fun and crazy, it looks like there is so much movement, I would want to play there, it looks fun,  reminds me of a construction site, I see tall towers and roads and trucks, people use ladders to climb up to where they want to be, the lines make it look jumpy...

Art Project: Create an expressive landscape, seascape or cityscape with patterns and movement.

All artwork by Kinder and First Grade

Ron Ritchheart discussing the importance of thinking

Happiness Is... Accordion Books

Happiness Is... singing, me and Mom, chocolate

by Annabelle, 1st grade

A big part of art making is the process of showing your thoughts, ideas or feelings.  This is something we think about at the start of any project.  I wanted each student to capture those joyful moments of childhood in their artwork. Accordion books played into the process beautifully; as your eyes travel through the book you share something new at each moment.





Process:
We used texture plates placed under paper for visual texture (rub with crayon)
cut the paper horizontally (now you have 2)
fold, crease, turn (like a paper fan)
glue the 2 ends together
choose 3-5 things that make you happy, draw them
add a front and back cover (we used card-stock)

This week in art... from Gabriela Elizalde on Vimeo.

Monotypes

 

2nd grade monotypes

We had a great experience making monotypes this week.  We actually painted the plate on our tables and
used a q-tip for drawing the image.  We then placed a piece of paper on top, burnished with our palm and pulled the print... voila!
The bottom image shows the process.

Kindergarten Monotypes

Meet the Paintbrush

Kindergarten  children have been exploring the paintbrush and painting.   They've learned different strategies for controlling the brush and for painting. In some images you will see an exploration of the blob and the outline technique along with different brushstrokes: curved, zigzag, straight,  etc.   The following week they painted an owl using the strategies learned.  Check out our video below to see the artists at work. 

Painting with Kinder from Gabriela Elizalde on Vimeo.

Birds

Sebastian, 4th grade

Natalie, 4th grade

Kinder-3rd grade artists

4th grade artists

Kindergarten artist

As you can see in some of my previous posts, we've been using a lot of paint lately as we are exploring color and tint making. Although various classes are exploring this, I enjoy posing a different  project or challenge throughout the week.
The challenge was to draw a bird, whether make-believe or realistic and paint it with tints.  The second day we didn't add white paint to our palette as the pure hues would contrast against the tints.  Patterns were added on the third day with markers or paint.

Torn Paper Collage

Ah, tearing, how liberating it feels to tear a brand new sheet of paper straight down the middle. What a sensation- especially  if you're experiencing it for the first time!  That's what Kinder did this week and what a great experience it was.  How charmed we are indeed to be part of those moments!   

Dinosaur
Kinder Student 

Butterfly, Plus Sign and Sky and Butterfly
Kinder Students

Water and Mountains
Kinder Student

Class Portraits Fun Style

 

I thought it would be fun for the kids to create a class portrait to remember this past year and their friends.
They could fold the paper to create various rectangular shapes or they could draw lines to place each student drawing in.  I projected their class list from the projector so the could write everyone's name on their portrait.   One class period did not provide enough time to finish but I let them take them home to finish and they were super excited. This was a lot of fun, it worked out perfectly for an end of the year project!   I did it with Kinder and First. 

Creative Cardboard Constructions

Kamryn, grade 1

I'm imagining what this piece of cardboard could be.  Could it become a tree, a doll, a bus?  Using cardboard, scrap fabric and crayons the students constructed a very simple and unique toy inspired by the work of James Castle.

Kindergarten artwork

 

 This project was based on the work of the elusive American artist James Castle (1899-1977). James Castle was unable to hear, write, read or use sign language.   His form of communication was his art.   Through his art we can see into his world as well as our own.   As most visionary artists, Castle used found objects such as packing papers and handmade tools to create books, paintings and paper constructions and drawings. 

artwork by James Castle, source here

Doll by Annabelle, grade K

source

flickr photostream of Castle's work