End of the year wrap-up!
I have finally been able to put up the last projects of the year for everyone to view, along with pictures and details from the art show! Hopefully everyone is having a wonderful and relaxing summer, and I look forward to starting up this digital portfolio again in the fall with a brand new crop of projects and pictures! Click on the projects tab above to see these final project galleries, or go to the art show tab above to view the show. Have a great summer vacation!
Stewart Davis-Inspired Collages
The 2nd and 3rd graders studied the painting style of Stewart Davis. He was an American painter whose collage-style work was reminiscent of the golden age of American advertising. He would incorporate letters, numbers, and pieces of images to create ostensibly chaotic worlds which were in fact carefully planned and organized. After viewing some of his work, the students created collages out of construction paper. After the pieces were glued down, the artwork was laminated to recreate Davis's signature poster-look. The students then painted with tempera on top of the laminate to highlight different areas of their work. The results were colorful, dynamic collages that Davis himself would be proud of. Click on the example to view the gallery.
Beijing Children's Opera visits Unquowa
On Wednesday, we were treated to a special visit by the Beijing Children's Opera thanks to Creative Connections. After a wonderfully energetic performance which included dance, martial arts, sketch comedy, and song, the children of the troupe visited with Unquowa students. It was a remarkable experience considering the huge language barrier, but everyone found that art and music were definitely universal. The students took part in origami classes, kirigami paper cutting lessons, martial arts demonstrations, and music lessons. After spending lunch together, each student at Unquowa was given a pin with the name of their school written in Chinese--a beautiful gift to remember the experience. We also treated the visitors to tshirts with the Unquowa logo to take back with them. Click on the picture to view more of the day!
7th and 8th graders reveal their "Alter Egos"
We each have an alter ego, our true natures that we usually keep hidden under our "normal" exteriors. The 7th and 8th graders explored their alter egos and created bright and vibrant versions of their "true selves." Starting with a digital picture, they traced the basics of their images as a beginning point. They then transformed themselves into whatever they felt would best express who they are by adding illustrated backgrounds, thematic elements, and interesting details. The images were then transferred onto clear acetate with black permanent marker to give a "block-printed" look. The students flipped the acetate over and painted on the reverse side, much like glass painting, to keep their colors vibrant and solid and their lines clean. The resulting portraits are striking and unusual, and certainly give a different insight into the minds of our Upper School. Click on the collage at the left to view them all!
May Day Celebration!
May Day has long been a celebration at Unquowa that helps usher in the start of Spring! From songs and revelry to the traditional dance around the May Pole, Unquowa students dress their best to enjoy the day. This year was no exception, and the beautiful weather we had made the day even more perfect. Click on the picture to view a gallery of the festivities!
An Octopus's Garden Gallery Now Available!
2nd and 3rd graders have been swimming happily under the sea, creating their fantastic octopus mobiles and all the creatures who inhabit the scenic underworld of the ocean floor. They drew and painted whimsical octopus shapes, suckers and all, before moving on to the exciting task of populating an undersea garden. Fish, shells, lobsters, crabs, and even a few mermaids were all spotted roaming around the Art room thanks to the students' creative hands. Using watercolors, markers, crayons, and even salt, they carefully cut and colored their aquatic friends. Click on the colorful underwater specimen at the left to view the entire oceanic community!
Unquowa Celebrates Earth Day with Animals, Art, and Activities
Unquowa's Earth Day celebration was once again an opportunity for our community to come together to learn about our environment and educate others about living a "green life." Students watched videos on coral reefs, learned about maintaining the health of vernal ponds, and even met a few animal friends from the Beardsley Zoo. After a shared lunch on the field with older students paired with younger "buddies," we came inside to work on a huge mural to commemorate the day and also to give visual meaning to the important lessons and tips we learned. With beautiful sunny weather, it was truly a day to enjoy and appreciate the Earth, and everyone involved had a fantastic time. Thank you to Ms. Sullivan and the entire Earth Day committee who put together an environmentally-friendly and fun day! Click on the picture above to see a gallery of Earth Day pictures!
6th graders take Pop Art personally...with Warhol-inspired Self-Portraits!
The 6th graders studied Andy Warhol and his impact on the Pop Art movement of the 1960s. They were fascinated by his use of ordinary images and themes to create art pieces that were as much social statement as they were legitimate art. Warhol called his studio "The Factory" as he had workers churning out screened images of iconic Campbell's Soup cans, and Marilyn Monroe. He disliked the pretentiousness of the art world at the time and wanted to rebel by bringing fine art down to the level of the masses. The 6th graders were intrigued by looking at his prints and the bright color choices he made. We then created our own self-portraits in the style of Warhol by taking digital pictures and enhancing them to a black and white print (no gray values.) The students then traced their image being careful to only trace the strange shapes that they saw and not what they thought an eye or a mouth should look like. This was a difficult concept to master, as it was hard to envision that these strange globular shapes would ever look like a face, and certainly not a striking likeness of our own faces! Once the colors were painted, the students were astonished to see their portraits emerge...with incredible accuracy! This was a perfect lesson for learning that it is the unique variations of features, and the way that shadows play off those features, that make us individual and recognizable. Click on the portraits above to view the entire class!
7th & 8th graders are pieces of the puzzle at the Student Diversity Leadership Conference
On Sunday, April 6, twelve Unquowa 7th and 8th graders participated in the 6th Annual Student-Adult Diversity Leadership Conference which was held at Choate Rosemary Hall. Several of the 8th graders were returning participants from last year who were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go again. The conference is sponsored by CAIS (Connecticut Association of Independent Schools) and is a learning, networking, and social event for 7th through 12th graders in independent schools. The morning started off with a keynote speech/performance by Jimmy Locust, a nationally recognized choreographer and dancer whose credits include working with Janet Jackson as well as performing in movies and music videos. Jimmy's dance ensemble, No Hate But Harmony, performed their effective combination of dance and drama to expose and discuss issues that many students face today. The afternoon was spent in workshops where each group further explored the meaning of diversity and its implications in the independent school system, as well as in their own lives. Mrs. Burton facilitated a workshop with Kurtis Lamkin who performed for Unquowa Students a few month ago. Their workshop, Words & Images, challenged returning High School students to recognize the power of their words and their impact on themselves and others. The poems the students created were definitely powerful, personal, and moving. The day ended with a performance for the entire conference by Mr. Lamkin. It was an important day for everyone involved, and many thanks go to Mrs. Burton for bringing this opportunity to our school community. To view more pictures from the conference, and Mr. Lamkin's workshop, click on the group photo above.
Creative Clay Designs by the 8th grade (and a few 6ths!)
What do the Eiffel Tower, an anchovie pizza, and a penguin wearing a bowtie have in common? They were all carefully actualized by the 8th graders in clay! They chose the themes, then meticulously assembled the projects. A few 6th graders finished their whistles early and chose to create their own independent clay projects as well. Click on the full-size replica (well, maybe 1/1000 scale) of the Eiffel Tower to view them all!
Thiebaud Desserts and Clay Vessels by 4th and 5th grades
Wayne Thiebaud is an American painter famous for his delicious Pop Art paintings of bakery desserts. From pies, to cakes, to ice cream sundaes, he captured the essence of America's love affair with sweet treats. 4th and 5th graders created their own delicious clay replicas of their favorite foods. By the time they were glazed and fired, we had to stop ourselves from drooling! Those who opted for a more traditional clay project created a vessel of their choice: bowls, cups, mugs, even a desk caddy! Click on the mouth-watering cupcake box (a wonderfully inventive combination of both projects!) to see the entire gallery.
Visual Eye Candy and Music to Your Ears: Clay Whistles by 6th & 7th grades
The 6th and 7th graders finished their clay whistles with great success! Each whistle is unique and charming in its own way, and the myriad of styles and themes represent each student well. From tiny lizard toes to striking painted detail, the students worked diligently to create fantastic works of art and sound that will be treasured for years to come! Click on the whistles to see the entire gallery!
Create your own Jackson Pollock masterpiece...online right now!!
I just found this wonderful website which lets anyone paint an abstract masterpiece a la Jackson Pollock!! Simply click on my picture above to try it out! (Hint: click your mouse to change colors, and press the space bar to start over.)
2nd and 3rd graders capture Calder's Circus...in a jar!
A visit to the circus will certainly spark a childhood sense of wonder and amazement, and Alexander Calder was no exception. He became fascinated with the circus after he published illustrations of Barnum and Bailey's circus. The 2nd and 3rd graders learned about Calder's unique personality and joie de vivre by watching the short film, Calder's Circus. Thanks to UbuWeb, you can watch the movie online by clicking here. We then talked about the times we have each caught fireflies and frogs and wanted to take them home with us in a glass jar we carefully decorated to recreate their habitat. How wonderful it would be to have such an ecosystem enclosed in a jar in our room! We then moved on to talk about the circus and how exciting it would be to have our very own miniature circus in a jar! Each student's eye's lit up when he or she imagined waking up in the middle of the night and looking over at his nightstand to see a tiny circus in full operation! (More than a few even began to hum the famous circus fanfare!) From there it was an exciting task to detail every aspect and entertainer in their circus, from the tightrope walkers and acrobats to the lion tamers and ring leader. We then gave our crayoned drawings a light blue watercolor wash to give the look of translucent glass and created a tiny stage in which to place our finished jars. What an exciting project, and what fantastic and creative finished results! Needless to say, each child will certainly enjoy "viewing" his circus hanging on the wall for years to come. Click on the framed circus above to view the gallery!
6th-8th grade social at the Easton Community Center!
Who knew the 6th graders could breakdance? It was an amazing night at the Easton Community Center for the 6th-8th grade Hawaiian-themed Spring social. Between the pool table, ping pong, dancing and foosball, everyone had a great time! Click on the picture to see the entire gallery!
Unquowa 4th and 5th graders at the forefront of Contemporary Art
The New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York City would have been thrilled to have displayed works by a group of cutting-edge contemporary artists for its recent exhibit, Unmonumental: The Object in the 21st Century. Combining string, ribbon, brass rings, and glazed clay totems, the artists created round assemblages that would rival any of the pieces on display at the museum. How amazed and amused museum-goers would have been to learn that none of the artists in this collective has even reached his or her teens. 4th and 5th graders recently completed a study in assemblage, or three-dimensional collage. Using a variety of materials and techniques, they wove, wrapped, threaded, and dangled yarn around a central hoop. The guidelines for the project were to create a weaving and then incorporate a clay totem (an animal spirit guide in Native American folklore) into the design. The directions that the students then took the project were astonishing. Some concentrated on the clay animal and hung yarn and feathers around it. Some focused on the hoop itself and wrapped the multicolored strands around so many times that they actually built up a pillow in the circle. One thing is certain, that the projects were a huge success, and a feast for the senses. Click on the example to see the gallery of these exceptional works of contemporary assemblage art.
2nd and 3rd graders boldly go to space and beyond!
For a brief, one-day project, 2nd and 3rd graders created fantastical spacescapes using black construction paper. They were amazed to discover that oil pastels (which they had used on white paper in the past) showed up on the black paper as bright, bold colors...perfect for an outer space scene! They learned how to create the illusion of dimension by picking two similar hues (a pink and a red, for example) and layering them to produce a light side and a dark side of a planet. Rings, meteors, black holes, and a supernova or two dotted the imaginary scenes and made that outer realm of our galaxy come to life. Click on the example to view more of these outer worlds and take a trip to infinity, and beyond!
6th graders create mandala for Brigham's Kidspeak contest
The 6th grade participated in a contest sponsored by Brigham's ice cream called Kidspeak. They had to think about a problem in the world that they wanted to help change and then illustrate it by creating an art piece out of ice cream lids. As part of our ongoing discussion of mandalas in Art class, the class spent two weeks working as a team to design, assemble, and paint their own ice-cream lid mandala which represents the struggle of Tibetan children living in exile in India. They also had to research the issue and the meaning of mandalas in Buddhism and write an essay detailing the situation and what they would want to do to help. Winners of the contest will receive a grant for their school to help made a "lid'l" difference in the issue they chose. In addition, all finalists win an ice cream party for their school! Click here to read the 6th grade's inspiring essay for the contest which they hope will help them help the Tibetan children and maybe even enjoy some ice cream! Great job everyone!
2nd and 3rd graders enjoy a tea party in the Art Room!
We finally were able to put our works of art to the test during the 2nd and 3rd grade tea party! After creating clay teacups and painting and glazing them, the students enjoyed a fun-filled Art class where they actually used their cups to drink iced tea accompanied by munchkins and a viewing of Ratatouille. Everyone had a great time sipping from their cups which magically made everything taste better....ahh...the sweet taste of success! Click on the collage above to view more images of the parties, and click here to see a gallery of all of the tea cups!
2nd Annual Academic Fair
The 2nd Annual Academic Fair was once again a huge success and a fabulous representation of the interests and talents of our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. Each topic was carefully and thoughtfully chosen, and each research paper was thoroughly planned and executed. The projects were visually brought to life through colorful and informative backboards and displays which were interactive, revealing, and even dynamic. The Fair itself was a wonderful culmination of a month of hard work by the students, and it was also an opportunity for them to demonstrate their newfound knowledge and love of their topics. With topics ranging from scientific studies on exotic animals or the history of flight to current events such as global warming and green living, the students were impressive and poised as they explained their research and educated interested parents, students, and teachers. Great job!! Click on the picture to see a gallery of some of the fantastic projects.
Student Docent-led tours are a huge success!!
Congratulations to all of our Student Docents!
I cannot even begin to express how impressed I was at the tours the Student Docents led on Thursday. They gave two separate tours of six of the Aldrich's current exhibitions without a break and without losing their high level of energy and excitement. Needless to say, their enthusiasm to share these exhibits with their groups was contagious, and the way they confidently led them through the Aldrich made it clear that the docents felt comfortably and appropriately at home in the museum. They were anxious to share everything they had learned over the course of the four training sessions with their peers, teachers, and parents. It was remarkable to see each group of students engaged and participating in an exciting exchange of ideas and opinions of the exhibits. The ability of the docents to elicit conversation about contemporary art and even ask tough but inspiring questions of their groups was truly an experience that made a lasting impression for everyone. I couldn't be more pleased with their achievement as they proved themselves exemplary representatives of the museum and of Unquowa. My greatest thanks to all the docents for your hard work and inspiring performance. You have definitely led the way and set the bar high for future students to be a part of this incredible program. Click on the picture of the box above (Did anyone correctly guess what was in there?) to see a gallery of pictures from the tours, or click on the Student Docent tab up top to see a slideshow.
2nd and 3rd grades create works of art fit for a Queen!
All grades from 2nd to 8th have recently been working on a ceramics unit in Art. 2nd and 3rd graders have been having an especially fun time preparing for their Tea Party by creating whimsical tea cups in bright colors and bold shapes. Starting with a simple pinch pot, they then added handles, animals, stripes, and polka dots to adorn their unique and lovely cups. After an initial bisque firing, the cups were painted and a clear glaze applied to seal the surfaces and transform the students' creations into vibrant, glossy works of art. Once all of the cups are double fired and finished, the students will enjoy a Tea Party in class complete with kid-friendly teas and scones fit for the Queen herself! Stay tuned for pictures of our high tea!
Clay Whistles: A euphony of sound!
6th and 7th graders are in the process of forming the first-ever all-whistle band! With a few pounds of clay, some glaze, and their imaginations, they are learning how to create real working whistles out of clay. It starts with a hollow sphere and a mouthpiece formed around a Popsicle stick. The opening for whistle must include a wedge shape which acts to split the air as it exits the mouthpiece, creating the sound as it spins through the chamber. There were quite a few shocked "Oh! I got it!"s as the first sounds were sung. It's a delicate process, whistle-building, and the slightest movement can put one out of whack. Patience, trial-and-error, and sheer persistence led to almost everyone's whistle working by the end of the day. Look for us whistling around the building and maybe even in an upcoming assembly....!
6th grade Offset Printing–Oh, the possibilities!
What can you do with a rubber block, a few sharp carving tools, and a dozen or so tubes of ink? Well, looking at the 6th grade's Offset Printing designs, more than you can imagine! The assignment was fairly simple: design two 6" squares, carve them to create printable stamps, and then find the best combination of color, pattern, and placement. Some students wanted to plan out the end result from the start. By choosing coordinating patterns or designs, they carefully aligned and carved to create amazing prints. Other students attacked the project by developing two random yet appealing designs. The magic then occured during the printing process. They chose colors and then printed their designs directly on top of each other, slightly to the side of each other, on the diagonal from each other, and even layered three or more colors! This printing exploration exposed the students to the process of traditional offset printing and expanded their idea of the creative possibilities of block-printing techniques. Click on the wonderful example above to view the work of the entire class!
2005-2006 Project Archive is available now!
What projects were you working on 3 years ago? Want to see how much you have grown artistically? Take a stroll down memory lane by visiting the projects gallery from 2005-2006. Sample works by each grade are represented for all to view. You might even see some of yours! Just click on the Projects tab on this page and then scroll down to 2005-2006. Enjoy!
Student Docents continue training at the Aldrich.
On Wednesday, the Student Docents had their third training session at the Aldrich Museum. This time the students led all of the gallery discussions with their classmates by themselves. It was tremendous practice for them to experience how a docent fields questions and comments and moderates a group. We had the opportunity to view an exhibition by Marti Cormand who won the Aldrich's 2007 Emerging Artist Award. Cormand draws and paints with a realism that challenges traditional photography, and his landscapes feature hidden surprises that play with the viewer as they reveal themselves. We also viewed Easton native James Prosek's exhibit, Life and Death, a Visual Taxonomy. This exhibit is unusual in that it is composed of paintings on circular canvases, paintings directly on the walls, and actual birds preserved through taxidermy and displayed as a central focal-point in the gallery. This viewing was important for the docents to learn how to maintain their professionalism and ability to mediate conversation even in an exhibit that might make them, or their audience, uncomfortable. With only one more session left before the Student Docents present these works for their classmates on the 6,7,8 grade trip to the museum, I am thrilled to see their progress and performance. Each student is learning so much and having such a remarkable experience by participating in this program, and I am so happy to facilitate that for them and for our school.
Adinkra Fabric Printing by the 7th grade
The Upper School had the opportunity to learn about fabric design and the Adinkra symbols of West Africa during Mrs. Burton's Kwanzaa presentation before Winter Break. Mrs. Burton spent over a decade living in Ghana and designing fabric and clothing inspired by the traditional colors and patterns of Africa. The students learned the meanings of different symbols and played a "symbol-search" game to find the designs hidden in the colorful fabrics. The 7th graders delved deeper into this art by creating their own symbol stamps, either based on traditional Adinkra symbols or designs of their own. They carved at least four blocks and then planned out their fabric swatches on a 4 x 6 grid. After choosing a background color and design colors, they divided their fabric and began printing. The end results are a kaleidescope of pattern and color; each piece is meaningful to the artist because of its symbolism and careful execution. Click on the gallery to view all of the fabrics.
8th graders experience Mandalas through printing.
The 8th grade explored the ancient spiritual concept of the mandala through block printing and radial symmetry. Traditionally, a mandala is a Buddhist or Hindu tool for focusing meditative attention on the cosmos and a sacred space for oneself. It has been used as the basis for elaborate sand paintings by Buddhist monks to symbolize impermanence and a place of peace. The students were given one eighth of a circle to design a pattern to be carved. If the pattern was not symmetrical, they carved the reverse of their design on the back of the block. They then printed a series of 8 prints to complete the circle with either their single design, or by alternating the two mirror patterns to create a radial image. Once finished, they embellished their mandalas with colored pencils to further enhance the pattern and design. Stop by the front gallery to view their work, and perhaps experience a precious moment of inner peace. Click on the gallery to view all of the mandalas.
Second Student Docent training session.
The Student Docents took their second trip to the Aldrich Museum on Wednesday to continue their training. They learned what not to do as a docent through Museum Educator Laura's "World's Worst Student Docent" game. Seeing what they would look and sound like if they ignored the audience or spoke too softly made it very clear what does and does not work. We then went into a room which houses Charlotte Schulz's "An Insufficiency in Our Screens" exhibit: bold, black and white charcoal drawings that blur the line between dream and reality. The Student Docents found that many of her pieces contain intricate details which reveal themselves upon intense observation. Two students then had the opportunity to lead the others through a viewing of one of Schulz's pieces with fantastic success. Their experience inspired the entire group and excited them to lead their own discussions in the following sessions. We can't wait for this week's training!
Student Docents explore the Aldrich Museum.
The Student Docents went on their first trip to the Aldrich Museum in Ridgefield to view the current exhibitions that they will be presenting to their classmates in February. First, and most importantly, they learned how to ask open-ended instead of "leading" questions to give everyone's opinion a fair voice. We then sat in the Camera Obscura, a darkened room whose only light source is the lens of a pinhole camera and viewed the scenery outside the museum as it was projected onto a wall. Next, we explored an exhibition called Voice & Void, and the students got a taste of what that implies in viewing Julianne Swartz's "Open," an interactive piece which invites the audience to do just that. Look at the box in the picture...what do you think is inside? Chances are, it's not what you imagined. We also got to see a shadowy installation which is the current home of two live parrots. The story and meaning behind the work is simply fascinating. The students were all very excited and offered great insights and asked important questions. We can't wait until next week to see more of the museum! For more information about the Aldrich museum, visit their website.
Heraldic Coats of Arms adorn the "royal" dining hall.
The finished Coats of Arms are now hanging up in the dining room. They were hung just in time for the annual banquet following the Winter Festival. To see all of the finished projects which grace the walls, click on either of the images below.
5th grade Tinfoil Castles
Adorning the Winter Festival castle walls this year was also a metal tooling project by the 5th grade. With the same basic concept as the 4th grade Tinfoil Knights project, focusing instead on Medieval castle design, the 5th graders designed their castles and created fantasy landscapes with tempera paint. Click on the castle below to view the entire gallery!
2nd and 3rd grade Snowflake Prints
Click on the snowflakes above to view the gallery!
4th grade Tinfoil Knights
The 4th grade learned an exciting technique to create their own Medieval Banners using a heavy-weight tooling foil. This foil, thicker and more sturdy than regular tinfoil, was used to make a heavy-metal knight. The students looked at various pictures of suits of armor and then created their own design using traditional elements like chainmail or devising their own. They then transfered the designs onto the tooling foil with a pencil, leaving an impression in the material. The knights then got an india ink bath and, once dry, were sanded down with steel wool to create a burnished metal look. They carefully cut own the knights and added weapons if they desired. The final step was to paint the banners for the knights to be displayed on, and a brief lesson in Heraldry followed. The fabulous finished products were displayed in the gymnasium "castle" for our Winter Festival! Click on the example to view all of the knights.
Winter Festival Pictures!
Now that the Holidays are over, I finally have time to upload pictures from the 27th Annual Winter Festival! As always it was a magnificent success; the students performed in colorful Medieval costumes combining an effective mix of old traditions and new additions. Mrs. P. outdid herself by creating an energetic and updated version of our classic all-school celebration. Parents and friends delighted in seeing standards such as "The Lord of the Dance," and "The Twelve Days of Christmas," performed along with wonderful revisions of the Hanukkah song and even a modern line-dance version of the Morris dance. And the students got a big kick out of seeing their teachers bust out their best moves as we strutted down the "Soul Train" line to Sly and The Family Stone's "We Are Family." To so many families the Winter Festival has become the official start of the Holiday season, a tradition they look forward to with anticipation and excitement. This year did not disappoint, and undoubtedly has become a celebration that the many new members of our school will anticipate come the chilly weather of next year. To see more pictures from this year's Winter Festival, click on the adorable "cows" to the left.
Poet Kurtis Lamkin performs for Unquowa students
On Wednesday, December 12, Unquowa was honored to have noted poet, Kurtis Lamkin, perform and engage students in the art of words and song. Lamkin plays the kora, a 21-stringed West African instrument he built himself out of a gourd and deer skin, while he recites his richly layered poetry full of colorful images of the levity of childhood and the sacrifice of adulthood. He showed us how to play the kora whose beautiful melodies are reminiscent of a dream. Lamkin has performed internationally and has been featured on PBS. He has recorded several CDs and his poems have been published in countless books. It was an exciting experience for our youngest students and a moving one for those slightly older who could grasp the importance of his words and his message of brotherhood. Lamkin's visit was especially wonderful for Mrs. Burton and her children who know him not only as a poet, but also as a dear friend. To learn more about Lamkin and to hear him recite his poem, "Jump Mama," click here.
Heralds at Unquowa.
The school is buzzing with anticipation and preparation for our annual Winter Festival. The Art Room has been especially vibrant with students in grades 6th-8th working furiously to finish their Medieval Coats of Arms. Heraldry has always been a theme here during the month of December, and this year Upper School students delved further into tradition to learn all about the culture of this art. During the Late Middle Ages, "heralds" were in charge of developing the rules and regulations concerning coats of arms and often wore their masters' symbols on their overcoats. The students were interested to learn the meanings behind many of the symbols commonly used on these Crests such as the fleur d'lys, the symbol of France. Some students even researched their own heritage to find their family coat of arms which added a special personal touch to their designs. Some of the finished projects will hang in places of honor when our cafeteria is transformed into "The Great Hall" for our Medieval Banquet after the Festival. Look for them, along with 4th grade's magnificent metal knights and 5th grade's glorious castles. The countdown begins!
2nd and 3rd graders make it snow!
One of the coolest and most enjoyable techniques to learn is printmaking and there are so many different ways to do it. We had already had the experience of printing leaves for our Bird and Branch project so we were all set to learn a more advanced version. In the spirit of the season, (with Winter all too apparent to ignore now!) 2nd and 3rd graders used the traditional fold technique to cut intricate snowflakes out of paper. But instead of stopping there, we took the project one step further by tracing our snowflakes onto a rectangular sheet of paper. This forced the students to choose a layout...the size of the snowflakes was larger than the paper, allowing them to incorporate several "pieces" of snowflakes into the design. The finished designs were then transfered onto Styrofoam sheets and "magically" our images appeared after inking and printing. Look for their finished festive designs around the castle during Winterfest!
Holiday ideas for your child's artwork
One of the cool things about uploading pictures to Flickr is the ability to download full-size images without being logged in. By clicking on a picture and then on "all sizes" at the top of the menu bar above the image, you can download the original file size as a print-quality JPEG. A parent told me that she downloaded her child's artwork which was linked on this site and then uploaded the picture to a photo sharing website such as snapfish.com or shutterfly.com and had note cards made with the picture. I thought this was such a neat idea, and it makes it so easy to share artwork with friends and family that may live far away. Please feel free to download your child's artwork and let me know if you have used it in a unique or clever way.
