April, 2011

Please join us Thursday, April 28th for our Annual Art Show and Book Fair in St. Matthew's MPC. All classes are hard at work preparing for this event. Here are some of the art projects we have been working on the last few months:

Grades K and 1 learned about a modern day artist and children's book illustrator, Eric Carle. We experimented and made a variety of papers, and then set about creating our own collage in his style. Now we are learning about still-life paintings of Paul Cezanne and Vincent Van Gogh. Wait till you see our still-life paintings at the art show! They are fabulous!

Grades 2 and 3 looked at invention sketches in Leonardo DaVinci's sketchbook. We were amazed to see sketches for the helicopter, army tank, parachute and bicycle. We compared his sketches to Paul Klee's work, Twittering Machine, and then created our own invention drawings in Klee's style.

Grades 4 and 5 learned the difference between Real and Abstract Art. They drew realist self-portraits and profiles of students in their sketchbook, working on accurate facial proportions. Then made copies, cut and then rearranged their portraits to create an abstraction much like Picasso's Cubist style.

Grade 5 is busy creating the art information sheets you will see throughout the art show. These are posters describing each art project. Descriptions are written in Word and then combined with graphics created in Illustrator. This is a great way to incorprate art and technology!

Grades 6 and 7 completed printing units and are now working on landscape paintings and 1 point perspective. Mixing our own colors is challenging but fun!

Grade 8 also completed a printing unit and is currently learning repousee techniques in copper and aluminum metals.

See you at the Art Show!