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Why not?

4/24/2016

One of the best things to have happened as a result of opening up my classroom through the pursuit of exploring themes, is how many times I say, "Why not."

Want to try printmaking with a tire? Why not.

Want to make a plaster hand pedestal? Why not.

Want to make a hat of cloth donuts? Why not.

Want to have an impromptu photoshoot with a tiny turtle? Why not.

My hope is that in embracing the "why not" aspect of my classroom, students will start to break down the barriers that prevent them from creating innovative pieces and just making "good" art. I want my classroom to act as a space to try new things, explore ideas, and learn from both success and failure.

I also want it to be a place that allows work to be shared with a wider audience. Thanks again to all who voted for Jewel as artist of the week on Artsonia! We are excited to celebrate the recognition and also use the Blick gift cards for new art supplies!

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DAFT and MAEA in Detroit

4/23/2016

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Michigan Student Film Festival

This is our second year participating in the Michigan Student Film Festival that is organized by DAFT. It is a great opportunity for students to receive feedback on their work from an outside audience as they compete with students from across the state.

This year, we had two student groups receive Best of Show and one receive an award of Excellence. The Best of Show videos were celebrated at The Detroit Film Theater at the Detroit Institute of Arts and it gave students, teachers, and parents the chance to see the work on a bigger screen.

Here are some highlights below:

MAEA Top 15

It was with much glee that I learned two of my students would be celebrated at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit on the same day as the state film festival. It was a great day to view and celebrate art and I have to thank all of the teachers that organize this event for our students.

Both students' works will now go on a tour, including a stop at the Fall MAEA Conference in Traverse City!

It was a beautiful day to explore art and Detroit, and I am thankful my husband was able to get this picture of me with "The Thinker" before we left for home!

I know my students and I are excited to get started on videos and other works for both competitions again next year.

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Art Show!

4/19/2016

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Monday was our annual Spring show at the Van Singel Fine Arts Center. It was fun to see the space packed with art and the community celebrating our students. I am so fortunate to work in a district that values the creativity explored in the arts and that helps students foster a passion for finding new solutions to a variety of design problems.

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Working with Objects

4/19/2016

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My is working with origami for her collage.

Students are well on their way to finished works as they select materials and enact plans charted at the end of last week. Because we are focusing on objects, artifacts, and things left behind, solutions for this challenge are more divergent than in past projects. It could also be due to the fact that one of the constraints of the assignment is using a material that they had not yet used.

It has been a lot of fun seeing the progress being made and I am excited to see what becomes of these works as they finish up next week.

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Notes

4/12/2016

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Matthew looks back on past project themes to make connections to the artists being introduced in this theme.

This week marks the first week of the last marking period of the year. We just got back after a lovely Spring Break, and are jumping on our next theme: Objects, Artifacts, and Things you leave behind.

To get those groggy minds turning again, students are asked to work individually or in pairs on a note-taking activity. This is something used in our ELA classes to make connections among and between literature and students' lives, so repurposing it saves time and confusion.

In ELA, they use the chart "Text to Self, Text to Text, and Text to World" for students to connect content in a variety of ways. In my class, we are switching the word "Text" to "Art." Students then look at work by artists Wayne Thiebaud, Audrey Flack, Jim Dine, Janet Fish, and Mitchell Feinberg as they complete the chart. Afterwards, students start brainstorming ideas for their own work by creating at least five thumbnails for planning.

It is a nice activity that takes most of the class period for students to do and eases them back into thinking critically about Art. This theme has yielded the most awards for my students over the years and I am pretty sure this activity has something to do with it.

Hannah looks at the work by Audrey Flack as she completes her chart during class.

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Jewel Won!

4/12/2016

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Thank you to all who voted - Jewel won Artsonia Artist of the Week!

We are very excited for this accomplishment and cannot wait to use the Blick gift card for new supplies in the classroom!

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Vote for Jewel321

4/7/2016

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Please take a moment and vote for this drawing by Jewel. If she wins, she will receive a $50 gift card and our classroom will receive a $100 gift card from Blick Art. I can think of several neat products we could purchase if she wins...

You can vote once per day per device.

Thank you for your help!

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Why not?

DAFT and MAEA in Detroit

Michigan Student Film Festival

MAEA Top 15

Art Show!

Working with Objects

Notes

Jewel Won!

Vote for Jewel321

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Janine Campbell

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