Spring 2012 Classes at The Arts Center! An Overview...

 ...And what great classes they were! I wanted to share some of the fun projects my classes created this Spring!

Liberty Elementary Residency

In April, 2012 I was artist in residence at Liberty Elementary school in Albany, OR. During this residency I led the Kindergarten through second graders in a bug themed clay project and the third through fifth graders in an famous artist inspired painting project. Below are some brief descriptions of each grade's project as well as some pictures. What fantastic art these kids created!!

(My car filled with tiles ready to be fired)

Kindergarten: The kindergarteners made clay caterpillar and butterfly tiles!

Wilson Elementary Residency March 2012

During the month of March I was an artist in residence at Wilson Elementary. I led students from kindergarten through 5th grade in a series of drawing classes that represented some of the basic fundamentals of art. Projects were chosen based on concepts I find important as an artist as well as accessibility to a wide range of ages and art backgrounds of students.

The first class was based on learning about different values and creating a series of still life sketches. We started with creating a value chart which gave students an understanding of shading and practice pressing lightly and firmly with their pencils.

Students then broke up into groups and studied a variety of fruits placed on each table. They were given different goals for each fruit and different mediums to sketch with ( charcoal, colored pencil, chalk pastels). Some wonderful sketches were created and students were encouraged to really examine the fruit as if they were scientists rather than drawing from memory.

Make your own comic strip!!

I led a private group of students at the Boys and Girls Club in creating their own comic strips. We worked on learning to draw the figure by breaking the body down into basic shapes. Students then experimented with creating their own characters to use in their comic strips. The next step was developing a story line and deciding on backgrounds. When everything came together they created unique and individual comics! Check them out!

 T-Rex goes on an epic journey and is attacked in his sleep by Vilaso. T-Rex eats Vilaso!

 The story of a mean cat who doesn't like anything that meets a dog that likes everything and how the cat learned to like everything too!

 How Pipi Longstocking meets Mr. Big Ear and they become friends and they play.

 The Royal Wedding, a story of true love and how the bride and groom get married and walk back to their castle and go to sleep.

A story about Force Plate and Double 23 and how they are training to protect the city when, BOOM, an explosion! To be continued...

Master Painters Class

My Master Painters class Winter 2012 is focusing on a different artist each week. We study the lives and work of a famous painter and paint our own paintings utilizing different techniques inspired by each artist. Here is the collection of work that my students have done based on the work of the following artists: 

 Frida Kahlo 1907-1954

 Self Portrait with Monkey 1938

 Photo of myself taken Fall, 2011 at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Frida's painting made me teary eyed! 

 Self-portraits inspired by the work of Frida Kahlo

Vincent Van Gogh 1853-1890

  Painting, Oil on Canvas
Saint-Rémy, France: June, 1889

Students working on group painting inspired by Van Gogh

Finished work of Van Gogh inspired painting



Georges Seurat 1859-1891

Georges Seurat,  The Bathers at Asnières, 1884

 Students paintings inspired by Georges Seurat




Georgia O Keeffe 1887-1986

 Georgia O'Keeffe, Ram's Head White Hollyhock and Little Hills, 1935

Pablo Picasso 1881-1973

Pablo Picasso. Girl on a Pillow. 1936. Oil on canvas.

 Student work inspired by Picasso (many were inspired by Picasso's blue period)

Salvador Dali 1904-1989

 Salvador Dali, 1931, The Persistence of Memory, Oil on canvas, 9 1/2 x 13"
 (My all time favorite artist!!)
 

 Artworks inspired by Salvador Dali

Jackson Pollock 1912-1956

 Jackson Pollock, One: Number 31, 1950, 1950
Oil and enamel on unprimed canvas, 8' 10" x 17' 5 5/8" 
(Photo of myself taken in fall of 2011 at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. The scale of his work is truly remarkable!)

Splatter Painting inspired by Pollock!!

 Fun times!

 

Philomath Elementary Teaching Residency 2012

In Feb 2012, I was an artist in residence at Philomath Elementary school working with grades 2nd-5th. I led a self-portrait project inspired by the work of Andy Warhol.

Andy Warhol- Self Portrait 1966, Silkscreen ink on synthetic polymer paint on nine canvases, each 22 1/2 x 22 1/2. The Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Philomath Elementary Self-Portrait Slideshow!!
 Students were taught techniques to sketch their self portrait. The following is a slide show of their work prior to decorating:

Students were then given 4 copies of their self portrait to design using different colors and mediums. We used tempera paint, colored pencils, markers and oil pastels to decorate each portrait differently. Students displayed their work on a black backing and finished pieces were displayed in the halls of the school for all classrooms to see.

Finished Art fills the halls of the school!

 Each set of portraits reflected the many unique styles and personalities of the students! Thank you Philomath Elementary for supporting this fantastic project and keeping art in schools!