Week Twelve

Short Week

This was a short week. I mean, a two-day kind of short week. So, what do we do with that time to make it meaningful and productive? A couple of things. In addition to students working on Challenge 3 works, students also researched and wrote about artists of their choice (focusing on the use of media and what they can learn from viewing the work) and uploaded images from last week's "speed dating" challenge. 

Here are some highlights of those completed tasks: 

Mixed Media Speed Dating Challenge

Paige S.: While creating this artwork, I learned a lot of new art techniques. This included, adding texture and how to draw things up close. I learned that you can use an ink quill to add details to your art, which I never would have thought could be a art material. Plus, I learned how collaging can also be an art technique. I also learned that it is fine if your art isn't perfect, and it's ok to not have a perfect, planned out, background. Overall, I learned a lot of new techniques and had an enjoyable time creating this work.

Colton S.: During this activity I learned a lot more about different types of media and how to use them. I am very excited to experiment with these materials in new ways for another project.

Brandt. B: I really like this piece I made because of its creativity. I like the material choice I used and how I blended everything together into one picture. I really like the time and value I put into this artwork and the result that came out.

Logan M.: I learned to use many techniques to make art and found out that I should not use the same type of materials all the time.

Braedan H.: This artwork was made with many materials such as gel pens, pastels, paint and a few others. The most used material was a paint, either in sponge form or spray bottle form. My favorite material to use was the gell pen.

Artist of Interest

Our classroom is very fortunate to have access to a lot of resources thanks to grants and donations raised throughout the year. One way I use funding to add resources to my classroom is through the investment of a classroom subscription to Scholastic Art Magazine. I have subscribed to them for years and use them as a way to introduce students to new artists they they get to select from the online archives. 

Once a month, students are asked to go into the website and select an artist to write about using a specific rubric. For this round, students were asked to explain how the material the artist uses impacts they way they view it, to explain how they can learn from this artist in their own work, and to use art vocabulary in the process. 

Thanksgiving and Giving Thanks

My husband and I at the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga, TN.

I am very fortunate for many things I have in my life and the experiences I have been able to have over the years. For Thanksgiving this year, I had the great opportunity to travel to Tennessee and visit Nashville, Chattanooga, and the Smoky Mountains. Along the way, we visited new sites that I was urged to travel to by my fellow Art teachers. 

I want to give a special thanks to Ted, Allison, and Cassie for guiding me to visit super special places like The Parthenon, The Frist, and the Hunter Museum. It was a great time for view works of art and also enjoy nature. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful time this holiday weekend with their friends and family and that you had a moment to reflect on and enjoy the things that give you pause for thanks.