The Nature of Art

Our area has some fantastic art teachers.  Some of us have joined together to meet and share ideas in a semi-formal Professional Learning Community.  We have been planning a presentation for elementary art teachers in our district.  When we met to plan our event we decided to use the theme of nature as inspiration for the lessons we share.  I use nature as a spring board for so much of what I do in the art room.  I am a habitat steward with the National Wildlife Federation and find that kids are eager to learn about the environment.  I recommend reading Richard Louve's book, The Last Child in the Woods.

This winter I spent some time discussing global warming with my 4th graders.  We did some research on Discovery Education about the shrinking polar ice caps and the effect it has on the arctic habitat.  We were really sad to learn how at risk the Polar Bears are in the Arctic.  We found some great websites and discovered the organization Polar Bears International.  The students wrote entries in their art journals to share their opinions about global warming.

I challenged my students to think about the question:  Can an artist help make a difference in the environment?  They viewed a glogster poster I created as we discussed this question.

http://teachcreativity.edu.glogster.com/arctic-polar-bears/

I found some popular culture items and incorporated them into the discussion.  We made connections to graphic design, commercial art, and animation as career paths for artists.

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We decided one excellent way that artists can help the environment is by creating awareness through their images.  Think of the impact the Coca Cola polar bears have had!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtxJft7B2ts

We made a commitment to create work to help bring awareness of the plight of the polar bear by creating an entry in Polar Bears International's My Planet My Part challenge.  I planned a lesson and we got to work.

The 4th graders had fun creating a wet on wet background using liquid watercolors.  I had purchased some with my Artsonia funds and fell in love with their vivid colors.  Lately I have been making my own by soaking old Crayola markers overnight in water.  Works great and the kids are convinced I am the best recycler on the planet!

http://artendorphins.blogspot.com/

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To create a feeling of the aurora borealis I showed the kids how to create salt bleaching by sprinkling salt on the wet watercolor.

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This year we have really focused on building our drawing skills so creating polar bear sketches was a fun challenge.  We used an excellent youtube video from How2DrawAnimals as a starting point for isolating shapes and constructing a side view of the bear.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDgOJWs5wqc

http://artendorphins.blogspot.com/

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Following my demonstration I allowed students to move at their own pace.  Many chose to work independently while I offered less confident students an opportunity to follow along as I isolated each step.  Everyone was really successful.

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Several students created cubs to go with their adult bears.  When we cut them out and collaged them on our backgrounds we were really happy with the results.

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http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=627133

We submitted our entry on the Polar Bears International Website and it was accepted!

http://myplanetmypart-gallery.com/entry/1724667

The kids were excited to help create awareness for these beautiful creatures.  Pineville artists discovered you are never too young to make a difference for our environment!

http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=627133

http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=627133

http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=627133

Renewal

Yikes!  I have so many photos on my computer that I am about to crash my hard drive!  Anyone else have that problem?  I discovered these workshop photos as I was making an attempt at reducing photo files this weekend and thought I would share them with you.  Hope you find some inspiration.

I am a better teacher when I learn something new or try out a new technique.  I imagine we all are.  When I take a workshop, read a blog, or create my own art I feel a different energy in my work with kids.  I am definitely more empathetic with my students who are hesitant - creating art is work and takes a certain level of courage.  How about you - what is your favorite way to give yourself that proverbial kick in the pants?

Mexican Mask Making Educators Workshop, Mint Museum of Art

I LOVE paper mache and have used it in my classes for years.   I decided to expand my cultural knowledge and had a excellent experience in a Mexican Mask Making workshop at our local art Museum.  If you are in the Charlotte, NC area check out The Mint Museum of Art.  Their education department is wonderful and offers great workshops and resources for teachers.  www.mintmuseum.org/

The Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte NC
This is the Randolph Road location some days it looks like you are walking into the sky...

The workshop was excellent.  We sculpted modeling clay over bowls to create an armature.

Modeling Clay over plastic bowl.

I have always used wheat paste or a homemade flour paste with my classes but we used this product.  *It worked well but I have not used it with students because I have not researched the safety of the contents.  We used brushes to apply the paste but it still ended up on our hands.

Wallpaper Adhesive, http://artendorphins.blogspot.com/

We placed several layers of paper over our armature then let it dry.  *When I paper mache with my students we lay our work on trays to dry.  If there is a need for quick turn around on drying I position a fan so it blows on the work.  A blow dryer also works in an emergency.

Paper Mache in process, http://artendorphins.blogspot.com/

*Brown paper bag paper works best.  I learned this tip years ago from a professional puppeteer friend.  The fibers on the torn edges lock the paper pieces in place to create a smooth finish.

Paper Mache in process, http://artendorphins.blogspot.com/

Here is an unpainted mask from Mexico - WOW what a smooth finish!

Unpainted Mexican Mask, http://artendorphins.blogspot.com/

Once the work was dry we popped the masks off the forms.  The advantage of this technique is that you can make multiples of the mask form if needed.  If you are putting on a school production this could be really handy.

Clay armature & mask pulled from it by Mary Rutherford
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Painting and embellishing really brings the masks to life.

Beginning stage of painting
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Really elegant patterns
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I made a jungle cat and an owl:

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The owl was constructed with a very small amount of clay and a foil technique I have developed.  I used clay on the beak and brows only.  The eyes were plastic bottle caps.  I did this to have a sample that would be easy to repeat without the expense of so much modeling clay on my tight budget.
















Hanging out with fellow art teachers is the best - we have some really fun loving & talented teachers sharing knowledge with kids in our area.  Good way to spend some time - "renewal"credit at it's best!

Graduating Class: Mint Museum Mexican Mask Workshop
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Here is a really complex authentic Mexican Mask shared by our instructor:

Our Class Gallery - Aren't they wonderful?

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