Blog Archives

more clay, please...

1/31/2011

Students are working on the planning process of their clay projects.

Before getting any clay, students need to jot down ideas, define some vocab, as well as sketch out some plans for this project.

8th grade students will work with slabs to create their Anthropomorphic vessels and 7th grade will use pinch pots for their clay balloon figures.

For demonstrations today I made a fish, a dinosaur/chicken (chickensaurous), and a pig for the 7th grade students.

I will be sure to post pictures of the pieces to our gallery as soon as they are finished.

scholastic art awards 2011

1/30/2011

The annual West Michigan Regional Scholastic Art Awards ceremony was held today at St. Celicia's Music Society with a reception following at Kendall College of Art and Design.

BCPS had 20 students receive awards at this years even and the gold key winners will go onto the National Competition in NYC. The National Scholastic winners will be announced in April.

"The Blob Adventures: Part 1, " an animation by Matthew Z, Tyler D, and Matt E, will represent BCWMS this year.

I love this time of year and this event that celebrates the talents and imaginations of our kids!

Ethan won a silver key for this self portrait he drew in class.

Molly and I pose together next to her photograph titled 'Mourning Mist.'

Matthew receives his gold key from Dr. Evans, president of Kendall College of Art and Design.

pop art

1/29/2011

Jim Dine may be most known for his popular repeating hearts painted in pops of bright and vibrant colors.

Now through the 8th of May, you can check out his sculptural work which includes these pieces pictured at the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.

This is one of my favorite places to visit year round. The sculptures exhibited as a part of their traveling and permanent collections are both diverse and classic and contemporary.

I highly encourage you to take a day and check out the gardens before this exhibit is over!

the great paul flickinger

1/28/2011

Paul made face jugs for the 8th grade classes.

One of my favorite people and artists came to visit BCWMS, sharing both his talent and skill with my students.

I met Paul several years ago when I took a Ceramics class at Western Michigan University as a part of my Master's. As a teacher, Paul taught me how to do so many fun and interesting things with clay that I now pass onto my students.

Paul has made yearly visits to our school to talk about clay, culture, and various other topics while he throws on the wheel. This year with the help of BCFAB and the Arts Counicl of Grand Rapids, we were able to have him come back again and this time he left some special pieces just for us!

This is one of the two face jugs Paul left for us as inspiration for our upcoming clay project.

modulating color

1/27/2011

This is Leigha's self portrait.

Students modified their blind contour self portraits today by adding additional lines in marker and then colored in various spaces with gradients of colored pencil.

These images are big in personality and color and really express the amount of risk students are willing to take with their art.

This is a great first project to start the semester with because there is no wrong way to do it - blind contour drawings are all about seeing what you can make out of a mass of lines that often create the most abstract of compositions!

To see more examples, please visit our class gallery.

Liz includes a patchwork of color in her background.

party on

1/26/2011

During the first week of class, we always have a portrait party.

A portrait party is an activity I was first introduced to by artist and teacher Rama Hughes. It is a great way to start the semester with laughter and fun as students draw each other and move around the room.

Students learned about line first, doing a line - line dance and then we used blind contour drawings as our method for capturing portraits.

Sean uses his newsprint as a shield as he looks in the mirror to draw himself.

happiness is...

1/25/2011

a box full of goodies due to a grant!

Two large boxes full of materials arrived to BCWMS yesterday due to a project I proposed to the Arts Council of Grand Rapids last semester. Glazes, brushes, sponges, extruders, and boxwood tools were among the array of materials that students were able to use today when finishing their clay bowls and sculptures.

The project proposed will begin next week and students will also be able to use the new slab roller, too!

This activity is supported by the Arts Council of Grand Rapids through the generous support of Amyway, Ted and Brenda Frey, Keller Foundation, Merchantile Bank of Michigan, and Porter Foundation.

Here is the new North Star Slab Roller for our classroom - it is pretty awesome!

clay on the first day

1/24/2011

As we begin a new semester of Visual Arts, it is only appropriate to mark this event with the making of something on the first day!

I have been doing clay on the first day for the past three years and it is always fun! Students like it, I like it, and we are able to talk about expectations for the class while hands are busy creating something out of a mushy mass.

8th graders made mini representational sculptures and 7th grade students worked on the Empty Bowls project (which will take place March 24 - stay tuned for more info and how you can help)!

I love clay and nothing is better than being able to share that with others!

starting over...

1/23/2011

Tomorrow is the begining of a new semester.

Through the doors of my freshly cleaned classroom, I will receive 5 new sections of students eager to get messy with all of the materials and lessons that are in store for them.

On the first day of class, we always work with clay - it is what seems to be a favorite material to most (at least it is one of mine) and I think it is important to make art from day one!

So, here is one last tranquil look at a room that 24 hours from now will be bustling with activity and full of clay creations.

barnes and noble exhibit

1/22/2011

During this snowy Saturday, roughly 100 pieces of student work are on display at the Rivertown Crossings Mall Barnes and Noble for the BCWMS bookfair.

This is the third year student work has been displayed at the store and each year has given students a great opportunity to share their talents with a larger audience.

As a part of the BCWMS Visual Arts Curriculum, in coordination with meeting National and State Standards, it is important that students participate in exhibitions of their work.

The exhibit will be up at Barnes and Noble until next week, when it will then be put up inside of the BCWMS hallways!