OUR FIRST ART SALON!

A few weeks back, Murray's 5th graders participated in our  first Music/Art Salon, 

what Ms. Corradino and I have dubbed Art Show & Tell.

A set of brave students volunteered to go first,  sharing an artwork or musical performance---it could be finished or in progress, from school or completed independently. The main idea was to share work along with  a little of the process in order to learn and be inspired by one another.

Students held up their canvases, their drawn games, an origami ornament, and in one case, played a song on the recorder with her nose---elegantly somehow, and to the amazement of the crowd.

It was a pleasure to see students share art, ask questions, compliment one another, and experience a sense of audience. We will continue these Show & Tell sessions throughout the school year as we all continue to learn and grow!

SUMMER TO FALL

Students looked carefully at natural objects, then drew and painted.

For fifth graders, it was shells and other objects for the sea, which reminded us of summer. After drawing, students overlay their objects with designs that created a point of emphasis, inspired by bull's-eyes found in American Artist Aaron Douglas work (below).

Third graders looked at autumn leaves and used watercolor for their work.

Our leaf painting were inspired by the big, bold color and unified designs of artist Georgia O'keeffe, but our final projects could become something more personal and unique!

(Images from top to bottom: Will T., 5th graders working, Aaron Douglas image, Christina, Mea, 3rd graders at critique, Georgia O'keeffe image, Robbie, Gracie)

6 WAYS TO MAKE ART WORK LOOK GOOD!

Year by year, VLM art students explore a principle of design in order to learn how artists make their work look so appealing, (even when the stories or ideas in the artwork may not be.) 

For example, KINDERS learn that using a VARIETY of an art element, like different kinds of lines, can create a pleasing image, as in our Line Designs, after Russian Artist Wasilly Kandinsky.

And FIRST GRADERS explore BALANCE, like in these symmetrical folded prints, loosely inspired by the fantastic wind powered machines of Theo Jansen (below).

SECOND GRADER are studying PATTERN. In their Patterned Pictures, they made stencils to repeat shapes, like traditional artists all over the world.

Meanwhile THIRD GRADERS are looking at the big idea of UNITY, and working to connect and repeat similar lines and colors to  hide a scrap of a magazine image and their own original drawing, as in the still-in-progress work below.

Finally, FOURTH GRADERS are challenging themselves to considering scale and PROPORTION. In their first project they designed and collaged the facade of a home that they might love. (These collages were used to make a series of prints!)

And FIFTH GRADERS are learning tricks to create a point of EMPHASIS, drawing the viewers eye to an important place in their work.  Their  Stand-Out Shell works were inspired by American Artist Aaron Douglas, and will soon be full of color.

Which do you prefer in artwork: VARIETY or UNITY, or can both co-exist?
Remember, Art Matters at Murray!

(Pics of artwork from top to bottom by: Caroline, K, Assorted 1st graders, Healy, Laine, 2nd Danielle, 3rd Alyssa, 4th  & Amelia, 5th)

WHAT MATTERS MOST

To start the year, I shared by idea of what matters most in art: That all students get a chance to

 ACT LIKE ARTISTS---

•  Looking (aesthetics)
•  Learning (art history)
•  Creating (art production)
•  & Reflecting (art criticism)

 ---IN ORDER TO GROW INTO THEIR MOST CREATIVE SELVES!

For our first mini-project, students k-5  looked at the artwork of Takishi Murakami (shown below) a Japanese born international pop artist well-known for his paintings, sculptures, a film, anime, and more. Murakami uses many circular shapes in his work.

Murray students where challenged to start with a circle, too, then using simple materials and tools, create a  image that flexed their creative muscles.

VLM Families: Feel free to check out our variety of solutions on VLM's  art-room  bulletin board and beyond for these first weeks of school.

Here's to a creative year of art ed!

FINAL FIFTH GRADE ART (& MUSIC) EVENT

This May students sung, danced, played instruments, and shared selected artwork in a culminating event for family and friends. Here are a few pics:

Our music teacher: Ms. Corradino! 

Per tradition, I shared a slideshow of students working in the art room, for as far back as I've taught them: in this case, since kindergarten. One student recognizes a slide of a work for past years!

Me and My son! Thanks for the flowers C.F and family!  Thanks for the pictures, dad!

3-D SPRING!

VLM students k-5 experimented with form  this Spring, from Kinder's clay-headed 'puppets, inspired by artist Paul Klee, to  out-of-proportion clay masks---after Pablo Picasso---completed by 4th graders!  The #1 favorite art classes are he ones in which we work with clay!

(Pics from top to bottom: 1st grader Ryan X. , C Kinder Camille with Klee puppet and paper-bag house, 4th graders Diana, Maisie & Elena with clay masks, Unseen 5th grader practicing with modeling clay, 5th grader Taquaria with practice clay piece,  Unseen 1st graders with Paper masks, Sample of 2nd grade pinch pot project. )

OUR FINE ART

Here's a snapshot of this year's selection of work, that represented Murray at the Annual Albemarle County Fine Art's Festival, which was on display at Fashion Square Mall. In only wish I had more space to show even more of Murray's immense creativity and hard work! Congrats to the participants, and to all of VLM's young artists!

Did you see the show this year? What did you think?

PORTFOLIOS TO GO

At midyear, students excitedly took home their portfolios: half a year's worth of line, shape, and color explorations to share with family and friends.

(Top to Bottom: Lucy, Raliegh,  Excited parents, and Liv, all at pick-up)

ANATOMY OF A LESSON

A lot can go into an  art project! At VLM, I strive to include opportunities in each lesson for students to   LOOK (work from observation/ see demonstrations), LEARN (about an artist or artwork), CREATE (draw, collage, print, paint, sculpt, gain skills, explore ideas), and SHARE (by reflecting as a class or school community on work in progress as well as completed work).

This means our projects are generally completed over several art classes. in the older grades, we often work for as many as 5 or 6 on one image! One art project may be the result of discussion, sketch book work and brainstorming, practicing skills, solving problems, and starting over!

For example, VLM 4th graders recently completed their Van Gogh-inspired Virginia Landscape Portraits.  Students had many challenges, spread over many classes including:

• Drawing a face in PROPORTION (Our year long design goal  for 4th is exploring proportion.)

• Using observation to draw a SELF PORTRAIT
• Adding a detailed landscape from a specific REGION OF VIRGINIA (Students learn about Piedmont, Coast plains, Blue Ridge, and more as part of their 4th grade curriculum.)

• Showing depth in a landscape by including FOREGROUND and BACKGROUND areas, as well as  using relative size.

• USING DRY PASTELS , to add texture and shading

I hope as students and families enjoy each others work with an appreciation for all that may have gone into it. And that we can begin to recognize clues and ask questions that reveal the bones of our creations:  all the rich layers that might be buried underneath. 

(Images from top to Bottom:  Will T. selfie self portrait!,  Kamran, Eloise, Katarina, Ari)