Park Lane Choice Art Room

Jewelry

2008-01-21T17:15:00.001-07:00

In the Jewelry Studio, I demonstrated making paper beads out of strips of pictures from magazines. Students from 1st grade to 5th were successful in making bracelets and necklaces with paper and wire beads.

An interesting use of buttons and beads in making a funky bracelet...

I like how he used a button as the center focal point of this choker.

And another use of buttons strung on like beads! I loved watching the creativity in the different ways students came up with to create and combine the different elements available to them.

Drawing

2008-01-21T17:02:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I can't believe what my students attempt and successfully create!!

We did a lesson on proportion in portrait making - I especially like the outdoor background given to this self portrait.

This is one of my prolific artists who draw endless pictures of strange worlds overrun by beasts.

Speaking of strange, this young boy began drawing a series of these odd, cartoon-like characters. This, after not producing much for almost two months! I love watching a student find a style.

Young boys love nothing more than to create mythical, fierce beasts to slay in their their fantasy worlds. I really enjoy watching my 2-D artists, as they intensely works on their creations... it's as if they are driven to create what they see in their minds.

2008-01-21T16:50:00.000-07:00

This artist usually spends his time drawing elaborate, tiny scenes of landscapes with dinosaurs. I'm glad he decided to try his ideas in 3-D.

Another 2-D artist brings one of his dragon creations to life!

This photo doesn't show the complete paint job but I love the craftsmanship of this water shooting Spidey hand.

As usual, the Clay Studio is a popular place. It has two sections - one with oil clay for practicing technique and the other with 'real' clay, as it is called. I have seen growth in many students in the way they work with the clay and get it to do what they envision.

2008-01-21T16:42:00.000-07:00

I feel that I need to present another quick shot on painting to boost interest and provide inspiration. There have been some beautiful works coming out of the Paint Studio though!

Where did the time go?

2008-01-21T16:29:00.000-07:00

The year is half over and I can't believe it! This year seems have gone smoothly and the students are more involved than ever. Not that I haven't had my share of self doubts but I just accept that as part of life. I am slowly introducing new menus as the center openings warrant. I'm trying to provide more help for the low readers by taking pictures to illustrate a process.

Year #2 comes to an end..

2007-06-13T16:12:00.000-06:00

Students worked hard the last two weeks of school to finish all the work they had started. I used the last two sessions in the art studio for all artists to finish work they had kept in their folders or put on the storage shelves - many students had started projects and then moved on to something else as more centers opened. As I reflect on the year, I realize I need to work more on having all artists verbalize what they are working on. The time always goes by so quickly that I often don't have a chance to talk with my students to find out what their artistic thoughts are about the works they are creating. I brought the video camera home for the summer and plan to work on creating mini-movies of all the demos for each center. That way, if a student is absent, watching the movies will catch them up to the rest of the class. Here's to a productive summer and an exciting re-opening of the art studio for year #3!!!

The jewelry center was a big hit!

2007-06-13T16:03:00.000-06:00

This year I vowed to add jewelry to the offerings in the art studio. I set out bins of beads, buttons and wire and taught artists how to make paper and wire beads, as well as how to make a stringing wire with a hook on one end and a loop on the other end. I allowed students in kindergarten and 1st grade to string ordinary beads on a wire but they had to make a pattern on the table first before finishing their bracelet or necklace. The 2nd - 5th graders could choose from some glass beads that I brought from my own stash at home and combined these with wire and paper beads to make some wonderful creations. This summer I plan on working with friendly plastic and will introduce that medium to the jewelry center in the fall.

More fiber artists

2007-06-13T16:00:00.000-06:00

The fiber center remained a favorite throughout the year and I had artists finishing pillows and weavings up to the last minute before school let out for the summer.

Sculpture center attractions

2007-06-13T15:49:00.000-06:00

When the recycled materials came out, the sculptors in my classes began the mad dash to create. This year, with the help of advice from my fellow TAB teachers, I limited the size of the sculptures by providing 12X9 cardboard bases. The instructions were that the creations could not extend off the base but could go as high as desired. I thought I would have dissent in the ranks but no one seemed to mind the new restrictions. I allow 3rd - 5th graders to use the glue guns (after an initial demonstration) and told students that if they burn themselves, they lose the privilege of using the guns. The only other requirements were that the sculptures had to pass the shake test and they had to be painted before leaving the art studio.

Beads can embellish anything!

2007-02-25T03:17:00.000-07:00

I find that nothing thrills elementary students more than the sight of a large tub of beads. They like to incorporate them into their weavings and sew them onto their fiber projects.

Weaving is Zen

2007-02-25T03:05:00.000-07:00

I find that whenever I open the Fiber Center, I have a very loyal group of students from every class who are busily at work every class period. I think it's the magic of seeing something slowly grow under their fingers, as they quietly repeat the mantra 'over, under, over, under'.

Even measuring and cutting the loom requires solitary concentration.

CLAY!!!!!!

2007-02-25T02:57:00.000-07:00

I don't know what it is about clay, but students can't seem to get enough of it. For kindergarteners and 1st graders, it is an immediate experience of process only, with no thought of product. Most of the time, they don't even understand that in a couple of weeks, they will be able to paint what they created and take it home... they are just glad to have the chance to sink their fingers into the ball of clay and bend it to their whim. Older students are very intent on their creations though, as is evident in their rapt expressions as they work.

2007-02-25T02:51:00.000-07:00

I have my students use acrylic paint to add color and design to their clay projects. I don't think they could stand it if they had to wait even longer to get their treasures back because they were being glazed and fired again. And with acrylic, there is an infinite array of colors they can use, compared to what they would be able to choose from with glaze.

"Look Ms. G. - the blue is for the sky and the green is for the grass."

We love to build things!

2007-02-25T02:33:00.000-07:00

My kids have been chomping at the bit to begin building constructions but I'm not ready yet to open the sculpture center. Maybe it's because I have clay going full steam and I just can't begin to figure out how to give some structure and limits to students as they begin to dive into the baskets and boxes of cardboard I've been collecting. I decided that a good way to get them thinking in the round is to open a center for 3-D paper sculpture and they've been content to work at making 2-D paper pop up into the 3rd dimension. When I demonstrate the various paper folding and bending techniques to the K's and 1st graders, you would have thought I was a magician or something!! I love that look of surprise in their eyes when I bend a paper strip and -boing- a spring appears.

2007-02-25T02:29:00.000-07:00

"This is a really cool skatepark -- do you see the ramps and stuff?!"

The 2-D work continues!

2007-02-25T02:18:00.000-07:00

Despite the fact that new centers have opened, there are still some diehard 2 dimensional artists who love nothing better than creating reality on a sheet of paper. Here is a beautiful sunset by one of my 5th grade painters..

2007-02-25T02:07:00.000-07:00

Talk about a different reality -- check out the unusual inhabitants in this colored pencil rendition of another world!

2007-02-25T01:59:00.000-07:00

Here is a student hard at work writing an artist statement to display with his colored pencil drawing.

Mountains say home in Colorado

2006-10-15T19:13:00.000-06:00

Here are two visions of life in Colorado -- the top drawing is from a 5th grader and the bottom drawing is from a 1st grader. I love the detail in the top work and the spontaneity in the bottom one!!

Images of Home

2006-10-15T18:48:00.000-06:00

My 1st and 2nd graders are drawing pictures from their everyday life... and isn't that just what artists are supposed to be doing?

Interesting points of view

2006-10-15T18:37:00.000-06:00

My fifth graders seem to have grown a lot over the summer! I can't believe the unusual perspective shown in these works..

Collages are improving!

2006-10-15T18:14:00.000-06:00

I can't believe the great art that is being created in the collage center. Using my new digital projector from the district, paired with the laptop, I've been able to show slideshows of collage images along with images of collage techniques. This new technology has greatly improved student achievement in the art room!

Year #2 is going full speed ahead!!

2006-10-12T14:12:00.000-06:00

I began the year in August and was feeling very optimistic about having another great year! When the students arrived, I had them each make a folder for their work (just 12x18 lightweight tagboard folded in half and stapled 3 times up each side. After thinking this summer of how much I wanted my artists to have the experience of using a sketchbook, I introduced the idea to my 1st - 5th graders. My 1st graders can't seem to get the hang of using the sketchbook to draw their ideas, so I may not include that grade level next year... note to self. But all other levels are enjoying the new concept of drawing ideas and keeping all their work in one place. I showed the video - "How Artists Use Sketchbooks" , the classtime after we made the sketchbooks and I think that offered them a look inside the mind of artists.

2006-06-13T15:15:00.000-06:00

End of year #1

2006-06-13T15:01:00.000-06:00

This year has been one full of creativity and revelations. There were a number of times what I questioned this new approach to teaching art but each time I was sure I'd make a mistake, a student would tell me how much art class meant this year-

"It's so much better than last year because now I get to explore using my own ideas."

"This year I have liked learning more about weaving and making things with yarn and fabric."

I plan to spend time this summer going over my thoughts about what worked and what might need to be re-worked. More time needs to be spent helping students find their own voice in art. Maybe we need to spend some time at the beginning of the year talking about how artists get ideas and how art, like writing, comes from within. I also need to tighten up the assessment part of my curriculum - sinced the students are in charge of their projects, what exactly should I be grading?

As a crowning achievement for the art department, the rain forest mural was completed, framed and hung in the hallway. I will sure miss this years group of 5th graders --

2006-01-29T13:11:00.000-07:00

Here are two products from the Sculpture
Station --- it's amazing what students can
create with cardboard and army men!!

2006-01-29T13:09:00.000-07:00

This sculpture, in the style of Louise Nevelson,
is called "Jail Break".

2006-01-29T13:08:00.000-07:00

A kindergarten self portrait in paper...

2006-01-29T13:02:00.000-07:00

Here are a few different takes on creating a landscape.

2006-01-29T12:59:00.000-07:00

This girl obviously loves her cat!

2006-01-29T12:58:00.000-07:00

Doesn't this remind you of Magritte??

2006-01-29T12:56:00.000-07:00

There continue to be great paintings being done --

2006-01-29T12:53:00.000-07:00

Paper sculpture is another enticing project in the art room --

2006-01-29T12:51:00.000-07:00

These two works show how one student has been exploring using soft pastels --

2006-01-29T12:47:00.000-07:00

This student first created a stitchery called
"The Jet Pencil" and then decided to turn
it into a pillow.

It's been awhile....

2006-01-29T12:05:00.000-07:00

Now that thanksgiving break and xmas break are over, we begin the 2nd half of the school year and the students continue to explore in different mediums, creating wonderful works of art. The Fiber Station continues to be a favorite and the Weaving Station always has a handful of artists quietly working away on their creations . At the Clay Station, there are a number of students who are practicing their techniques in order to earn the chance to try real clay. The rule is that two practice sessions must be graded before they are allowed to give real clay a try and at present, I have a dozen projects drying and waiting to be fired. The biggest draw has been the Sculpture Station and I am finding out quickly that I don't have enough places for students to store their works in progress. I think it's time to purchase 2 or 3 five shelf units to put along the wall! Then I will have a place for student work as well as somewhere to put boxes of materials so that they will be accessible for my artists... time to hit Target and Big Lots!

Next Steps

2005-11-12T12:08:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, I opened the Fiber Center and I have some students from each class who are working on producing a stitchery piece. I began by telling students they could sew a picture and then put a backing piece on and stuff it to make a pillow. I don't think they understood the process as well as I wanted them to. One girl actually put both piece together and THEN tried to sew her picture! Needless to say, she didn't understand why she ended up with two pieces of burlap sewn together with no room left for the stuffing. The next day, I posted a new menu listing the steps for making a stitchery picture and I will re-introduce the concept of making a pillow later. The hallways at school are filled with examples of drawings, paintings and collage works but it will be great to be able to put up some stitchery projects. Soon, I will offer weaving on cardboard looms for the upper grades and tongue depressor looms for the lower grades. Maybe it's time to start showing students how to weave paper looms first so they can get the hang of the over-under process.

This week, I posted a menu on the many ways for making paper three dimensional. Many students were thrilled with the idea of making a sculpture out of paper - I even have a group of 5th grade girls who are working on making a model of New York City. They completed the Empire State Building yesterday and are now trying to figure out how to make a representation of the Statue of Liberty to put in their model. The younger grades seemed happy to work on what they called an amusement park, complete with stretched out spirals of paper for the roller coasters. I let them take their first attempts home -- can't figure out how to house the 3-D artwork yet. I'm thinking of going to Target next week to buy a plastic 5 shelf unit to put along one wall in the art room. Maybe that will solve my problem. It will be interesting to see the direction my sculptors take as the quarter progresses. I want to move on to cardboard sculpture but I don't have enough recycled material yet to make the center work. Guess it's time to make up a wish list to send home! Then I will have to make a menu on the different ways to attach things together -- I have plenty of glue guns but I want to stop at Hobby Lobby and stock up on Tacky Glue as well.

After Thanksgiving, I'm going to place an order for low fire clay. I have a handful of students who have been working with oil clay and I know they would like to try making their ideas in real clay that we can fire, so I'd better get on that ASAP. It seems that the more centers I open, the more smoothly the classrooms are running. Of course, the flip side of that is that I seem to be busier and busier with each class! The school day passes in the blink of an eye and I'm worn out by the end of the day -- but the kids are happy and loving art more and more...

2005-10-27T12:10:00.000-06:00

Now that the first quarter is over, I am able to sit back and look at how this new pedagogy is working. Being an art teacher for 20 years, I've been known for having great displays of student art work in the hallways but all the products came from teacher driven projects and the displays showed many different variations of MY concept. A great example of that was the unit I did last year when I had the 5th graders do value studies of a still life I constructed -- the display consisted of 15+ drawings of that same still life. Granted, the art work was beautiful but the display was repetitive and led the viewer to pick out which student possessed the greatest skill at reproducing said still life. This year, I have seen many people actually stopping to read the artist's statement while viewing the Art Gallery in the hallway and I have overheard comments like, "This is like going to an art museum!" In the art room, I have been amazed by how much thought my students are putting into their work. Even my kindergarten students catch me by surprise -- a number of times, I have thought, "Now what the heck is this all about?" , only to have my eyes opened as I transcribe their thoughts on the artist's statement form. Scroll down and look at the collage with all the holes in it -- when the little girl brought this to me, I couldn't imagine that she would be able to say what her thought was behind this work (other than that she had discovered the holepuncher in the Collage Center!!). Now, as I pass her work in the hallway, all I can see is rain and a flower - from the mouths of babes...

The Park Lane Art Gallery

2005-10-26T15:16:00.000-06:00

"Whales are my favorite..." and this whale is being friends with the other creatures in the sea.

2005-10-26T15:13:00.000-06:00

This collage was made by a 5th grade girl who is worried about the way people are trashing the earth. It consists of crumpled scraps of paper glued onto the earth, which is spinning through a charcoal drawn universe.

2005-10-26T15:10:00.000-06:00

"This painting represents the two parts of myself -- the good side and the bad side"
This 4th grade student is working on a series of work reflecting the duality of his personality ... now *that'* deep!

2005-10-26T15:08:00.000-06:00

A kindergarten girl described her collage this way:
"It's raining and I added a flower"... the white button on her collage looks like a flower!

2005-10-26T15:07:00.000-06:00

This creation was made by a girl who loves the mountains.

2005-10-26T15:05:00.000-06:00

"I made this collage because it reminds me of my grandmother's house."

2005-10-26T15:04:00.000-06:00

This student spent 3 classtimes working with markers to create his dragon.

2005-10-26T15:02:00.000-06:00

a first grader's view of sunset...

2005-10-26T15:00:00.000-06:00

This is a first grade girl who has just discovered the book on how to draw portraits.
Notice the intense concentration!

1st graders working

2005-10-26T14:56:00.000-06:00

I always get grand construction projects from my younger students.

2005-10-25T13:20:00.000-06:00

"It's the school! It's red and yellow and black and there are two doors.."

2005-10-25T13:11:00.000-06:00

These kindergarten girls didn't even notice me snapping the picture!

The Art Room

2005-10-25T13:06:00.000-06:00

This room is full of kindergarteners, on task and engrossed in their work.

Kindergarten builders

2005-10-25T12:31:00.000-06:00

Last week, I opened the sculpture center with oil clay, blocks and legos.

Choice has begun!!

2005-09-10T16:48:00.000-06:00

Over the past 3 weeks, I have opened my choice based art room at Park Lane Elementary in Aurora, Colorado. I began with the Drawing Station -- I put all the various drawing mediums out on the tables and let students experiment with them. Some of my kids were surprised at how much they liked working with new mediums - ie. soft pastels. I have to remember to buy fixative for them to use when their works are completed.

Next, I opened the Collage Station and that was a big hit! I had trays of "Beautiful Stuff" on 5 on my tables and construction paper and magazines on 2 others. The kids were told to only pick 3 things from the Beautiful Stuff trays but they could use as much construction paper and magazine pictures as they wanted to round out their creations.

Finally this past week, I opened the Paint Station with watercolor sets and block tempera cakes. I spent time with the opening of each center, showing kids how to clean up and put supplies back in order, warning them that if a center was ever left in chaos, then that center would be closed the next week. That seemed to motivate them to clean up well when the art period was over! Even though paint is always a favorite thing for elementary, I had some students at the Drawing Station and the Collage Station in most of my classes - kids who weren't interested in painting. They are really responding to being able to pick a center of their choice to work in.

I must say I was amazed at the lack of discipline problems -- all the classrooms just hummed along with students engaged in art making. Next week, I am going to put off opening another center and will instead concentrate on how their art work will be graded and how each student needs to prepare for the 1st quarter Art Show.