November has been a month both short, yet sweet! Students have been transitioning to quarter 2 and learning new art topics. This month, first grade artists have been learning about art from various countries. Students explored artists from France and learned oil pastel drawing techniques to create still-life floral vases inspired by Dutch artist, Vincent Van Gogh. Third grade artists learned about the cornucopia symbol as it relates to Thanksgiving and created cornucopia drawings while discussing the food pyramid and learning about how harvest season impacts the foods we eat. Fourth grade artists have begun the new architecture unit, one of my personal favorite types of art! Students compared art from different time periods and cultures. We discussed form, function, and how architects use their surroundings to create structures that fit into an environment. Students in classroom 109 have been getting to know their 5th grade buddies very well. They created fall inspired nature collages using found objects and materials collected on their outdoor walks with Ms. Pappas during P.E. In other news, the Global Art club started last week. Students will be exploring art around the globe. We started the first day learning about art from our own country. We discussed the Ojibwe culture and how some art from this Native American tribe was used to adorn the house. Students created dreamcatchers with yarn, beads, feathers, and markers to bring peace within our own houses.
The upper grades have been working hard on various projects. Sixth grade students learned about landscape art and how artists can manipulate materials to achieve all kinds of marks. Students used chalk pastels to create multiple layers of blended colors, and used oil pastels to show small ornate details in their trees and other landforms. Seventh and eighth grade artists have been learning all about Illuminated Manuscripts. During the Middle Ages, when bound books were extremely rare, special artists and scribes used parchment (animal skin) to create pages of books. The illuminators used gold leaf and pigments to create beautiful illustrated letters. Students are creating their own medieval inspired letters to paint. They will be on displayed during the Specials Showcase next month!
As we approach Thanksgiving and the month of December, I would like to wish all of the Smyser Family a wonderful holiday season! It is a blessing working with such amazing members of our Smyser community, and I am most thankful for my students for keeping me motivated and passionate about art every single day! Thanks for reading!
The upper grades have been working hard on various projects. Sixth grade students learned about landscape art and how artists can manipulate materials to achieve all kinds of marks. Students used chalk pastels to create multiple layers of blended colors, and used oil pastels to show small ornate details in their trees and other landforms. Seventh and eighth grade artists have been learning all about Illuminated Manuscripts. During the Middle Ages, when bound books were extremely rare, special artists and scribes used parchment (animal skin) to create pages of books. The illuminators used gold leaf and pigments to create beautiful illustrated letters. Students are creating their own medieval inspired letters to paint. They will be on displayed during the Specials Showcase next month!
As we approach Thanksgiving and the month of December, I would like to wish all of the Smyser Family a wonderful holiday season! It is a blessing working with such amazing members of our Smyser community, and I am most thankful for my students for keeping me motivated and passionate about art every single day! Thanks for reading!