May/June 2023 Art Blog

 TK/K: Texture Clay Turtle 

Students had the opportunity to create three-dimensional turtles out of air-dry clay. Students were introduced to the element of art of texture. To create an interesting texture for the turtle's shell, students stepped on a clay ball to imprint the texture of the sole of their shoes. Students viewed and compared the variety of textures every one's shoe had left behind. Practicing rolling coils for the turtle's legs, head and tail was yet another clay molding technique students used. Students cut out pond habitats for their turtles using a variety of painting and drawing techniques to create implied texture of water and light reflection. 

1st Grade: “Kunterbunt” Buildings inspired by artist Hundertwasser

First grade students were introduced to the painter and architect Friedensreich Regentag Dunkelbunt Hundertwasser (1928 – 2000). He was an Austrian-born New Zealand artist and architect who also worked in the field of environmental protection. His real name being Stowasser, his pseudonym Hundertwasser (by which he is known worldwide) comes from sto in Slavic languages, meaning "hundred".

He stood out as an opponent of "a straight line" and any standardization, expressing this concept in the field of building design. His best known work is considered the Hundertwasserhaus in Vienna, Austria which has become a notable place of interest in the Austrian capital characterized by imaginative vitality and uniqueness.

He was fascinated by spirals, and called straight lines "something cowardly drawn with a rule, without thought or feeling". He called his theory of art "transautomatism" focusing on the experience of the viewer rather than the artist. This was encapsulated by his design of a new flag for New Zealand. He incorporated the image of the Koru, a spiral shape based on the image of a new unfurling silver fern frond, symbolizing new life, growth, strength and peace according to the Māori people. 

First grade students played with the element of the spiral and color and painted a "kunterbunt" (German English translation multicolored) background. Students were guided to paint and design facades of buildings. Inspired by Hundertwasser students experimented to alter straight lines and angles into whimsical, innovative buildings. The multicolored spiral paintings served as a vibrant background for these magical buildings. 

2nd Grade: Tree Wire Sculpture

Students were introduced to the basics of sculptures and studied the difference between two-versus three-dimensional art. Students were guided to use 8 strands of aluminum wire to bend and twist a representation of a tree. Thinner steel wire, aluminum wire, colored twisty wire, beads and buttons were added for volume and color accents. Second grade artists created amazing tree sculptures with unique characteristics.  

Along with this sculpture students were introduced to the concept of "Visual Literacy". "How artists can convey meaning, a message, ideas." In a class discussion students were responding to two different titles for the same piece of artwork. Students shared great connections and insides about how a title of an art piece can change a viewer's perception or opinion.  Students practiced critical thinking in developing a fitting title for their tree sculptures. They revised their titles and came up with thought-provoking, clever titles to support their message or meaning of their tree sculptures. Students analyzed a classmate's tree sculpture and predicted and inferred what the message/idea/story might be the artist is communicating. 

3rd Grade: Hand Sewing Soft Sculptures: Emojis and Stuffies

 

Soft sculpture is a type of sculpture made using cloth, foam, rubber, plastic, paper, fibers and similar material that are supple and not rigid. They can also be made out of natural materials if combined to make a non rigid object. Students were introduced to sewing 101: needle threading, knot tying, the basics of hand sewing: running stitch and whip stitch. Based on their sewing skill levels students chose a stitch to fit their skills to sew together felt fabric. Students gently pushed acrylic fiberfill into their soft sculptures. With appliqué students designed the faces of their emojis and other features and details for their stuffies. 

We are a "maker culture"! Students enjoyed this visual arts/maker project, the process of creating something from start to the finished piece. Everyone was engaged because persistence was required to solve problems as they occurred. Students helped each other, which made this a nice teamwork project as well. 

4th Grade: Hand Sewing: Pouches 

Fourth grade students sketched ideas for their pouches. Some students made asymmetrical designs, some students decided on a symmetrical pouch design. Students were introduced to the blanket stitch. An advanced, decorative stitch to sew the seams of the pouch as well as working as an eye catching decor element along the edges of the flap.  Students learned how to sew on a button and construct a functional opening and closing mechanism for their pouches. Some students decided to sew on a strap. With appliqué students added design elements to their pouches.