Thomas Bland Sculpture of our Guiding Principles
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Texture in Art, Our texture owls turned out so cute!
First Grade just completed a new lesson about texture. We had our texture hunt a several days ago and now here is our artwork. I'd like to thank my art comrade, Katie Collier, for sharing this lesson with me. I absolutely love it and the kids did too! Enjoy!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Professional Development
January 3, 2012
I really enjoy professional development days, I really do. I learn so much about things I'm interested in and often times things I'm not particularly interested in but benefit from knowing, for example: how student fees are allocated, logging onto the district's web site to pay for your lunches, etc. My favorite professional development days are spent with the other elementary art teachers in the district. Today was one of those days! My mouth actually salivates when I see some of the work of the other teachers in my district. I love seeing the different lessons they teach and how they display their student's artwork. Katie Collier's son actually made chandeliers from pizza rounds and paper towel and toilet tissue rolls. She has them hanging in the hallway outside of her room. They are great! Katie's displays have a real whimsical touch to them. I can't stop smiling when I see her bulletin boards. I love the art language Bev Staub uses when she explains things to her students and to us, her art peers. It is clear how deeply she understands the concepts she wants her students to understand. I learn so much when I am with my art comrads. My heart actually sings!
I really enjoy professional development days, I really do. I learn so much about things I'm interested in and often times things I'm not particularly interested in but benefit from knowing, for example: how student fees are allocated, logging onto the district's web site to pay for your lunches, etc. My favorite professional development days are spent with the other elementary art teachers in the district. Today was one of those days! My mouth actually salivates when I see some of the work of the other teachers in my district. I love seeing the different lessons they teach and how they display their student's artwork. Katie Collier's son actually made chandeliers from pizza rounds and paper towel and toilet tissue rolls. She has them hanging in the hallway outside of her room. They are great! Katie's displays have a real whimsical touch to them. I can't stop smiling when I see her bulletin boards. I love the art language Bev Staub uses when she explains things to her students and to us, her art peers. It is clear how deeply she understands the concepts she wants her students to understand. I learn so much when I am with my art comrads. My heart actually sings!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
It's December 21st Already!!!
Hello Maple Glen Blog Friends,
We have been extremely busy here in the art room at Maple Glen and I find myself adding this post while Mrs. Buonanno's boys and girls are watching a Raggedy Ann and Andy video titled "Snowden". First grade has been learning about Johnny Gruelle, the creator of Raggedy Ann and Andy. These dolls have been around since 1920. Johnny Gruelle wrote stories about them long before he and his family made the first dolls. Did you know he was raised in Indiana and a close friend of James Whitcomb Riley's? I would love to have been a mouse in that house! He was also a political cartoonist for the Indianapolis Star. His characters are great for drawing using different lines and shapes. The children also learned how to weave using paper. Their paper weavings allowed them to tuck Raggedy Ann and Andy into bed just like Johnny Gruelle's daughter, Marcella, used to do!
The kindergarten children created crazy lines on their paper by painting with marbles. Yes! Marbles! You'll have to ask them about this experience. We also learned a little about the dripping, drizzling, and splashing techniques used by Jackson Pollock. We turned our marble paintings into a holiday ornament and lastly learned about Andy Warhol and his unusual use of color. You may have recently received a very colorful picture of Satna Clause. Andy Warhol has several wonderful renditions of our favorite elf in red!
Second grade has finished weaving in a circle. I really believe weaving is a life skill. I love teaching the children to weave and they love weaving! Building on their paper weaving experience from last year they used a paper plate as their loom. They each warped the loom and they were off weaving!!! By weaving in a circle they just continue the "over and under" pattern. There is no stopping at the end of their work to decide whether to start as an "over" or an "under". It is easier and wonderfully successful! We added tassels just for fun!
Third grade worked on their Robert Indiana project. They used letters and numbers that were personal to them whether it be their jersey number or their birthdate, their initials or the name of a favorite relative. I had the children work smaller this year. In the past, coloring their paper with markers seemed like an endless exercise. This year the project was much more managable. They have recenlty learned about Wayne Thiebaud. This lesson makes us all hungry right before lunch!
Fourth grade finished their self-portriats this week. I'll hang all the self-portriats on the bulletin board so the children can find each other. I continue to be amazed by their work. They do an outstanding job!
Before I sign off I want to wish everyone a wonderful holiday break. My family and I celebrate Christmas and as of last Monday the 12th, I have a new little grandson to share Christmas with. I am looking forward to Christmas morning when my other little grandson, who is nearly two, realizes that all those boxes under Grammy's tree actually had some pretty nice things in them!
We have been extremely busy here in the art room at Maple Glen and I find myself adding this post while Mrs. Buonanno's boys and girls are watching a Raggedy Ann and Andy video titled "Snowden". First grade has been learning about Johnny Gruelle, the creator of Raggedy Ann and Andy. These dolls have been around since 1920. Johnny Gruelle wrote stories about them long before he and his family made the first dolls. Did you know he was raised in Indiana and a close friend of James Whitcomb Riley's? I would love to have been a mouse in that house! He was also a political cartoonist for the Indianapolis Star. His characters are great for drawing using different lines and shapes. The children also learned how to weave using paper. Their paper weavings allowed them to tuck Raggedy Ann and Andy into bed just like Johnny Gruelle's daughter, Marcella, used to do!
The kindergarten children created crazy lines on their paper by painting with marbles. Yes! Marbles! You'll have to ask them about this experience. We also learned a little about the dripping, drizzling, and splashing techniques used by Jackson Pollock. We turned our marble paintings into a holiday ornament and lastly learned about Andy Warhol and his unusual use of color. You may have recently received a very colorful picture of Satna Clause. Andy Warhol has several wonderful renditions of our favorite elf in red!
Second grade has finished weaving in a circle. I really believe weaving is a life skill. I love teaching the children to weave and they love weaving! Building on their paper weaving experience from last year they used a paper plate as their loom. They each warped the loom and they were off weaving!!! By weaving in a circle they just continue the "over and under" pattern. There is no stopping at the end of their work to decide whether to start as an "over" or an "under". It is easier and wonderfully successful! We added tassels just for fun!
Third grade worked on their Robert Indiana project. They used letters and numbers that were personal to them whether it be their jersey number or their birthdate, their initials or the name of a favorite relative. I had the children work smaller this year. In the past, coloring their paper with markers seemed like an endless exercise. This year the project was much more managable. They have recenlty learned about Wayne Thiebaud. This lesson makes us all hungry right before lunch!
Fourth grade finished their self-portriats this week. I'll hang all the self-portriats on the bulletin board so the children can find each other. I continue to be amazed by their work. They do an outstanding job!
Before I sign off I want to wish everyone a wonderful holiday break. My family and I celebrate Christmas and as of last Monday the 12th, I have a new little grandson to share Christmas with. I am looking forward to Christmas morning when my other little grandson, who is nearly two, realizes that all those boxes under Grammy's tree actually had some pretty nice things in them!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
What a great October!
Hello All!
It has been a terrific month! I cannot believe how fast the school year is moving along! You'll notice our sculpture, in front of the school, has some cute, little, jack-o-laterns in front of it. Thank you Mrs. Poorman and her kindergarteners for supplying a great photo opportunity!
Kindergarten-The boys and girls have finished learning about Vincent vanGogh and the women of Gees Bend, AL. These gals live on a very secluded island in Alabama where a ferry is their only transportation to civilization. Living in extreme poverty, they managed to create wonderfully artistic quilts with brilliant colors and very contemporary patterns. Their quilts have made them famous! The children learned about the women of Gees Bend and how they saved every scrap of fabric to sew their quilts to keep their families warm. Their quilt blocks are part of a paper quilt currently displayed in the hallway outside the art room.
1st grade- Just finished a lesson about Wassily Kandinsky, "The Father of Modern Art". He is called that because he was the first artist who believed that beautiful lines, shapes, and colors were all that are needed to create great artwork. His artwork is non-objective! They did a great job! When I send artwork home that is more process related than product focused I will often apply a sticker to the back of the work explaining what the lesson was about. Please check the back of their Kandinsky paper for a sticker!
We are currently learning how to weave using paper. We'll keep our weavings to add to another project at a later date.
2nd grade-Has finished their lesson about Blue Dog by George Rodrigue. This is one of my favorite lessons because they do such a wonderful job! They were asked to draw Blue Dog copying the lines and shapes as they saw them. It is always fun to see what they have Blue Dog doing or wearing in their artwork. You know....Blue Dog doesn't have to be blue!
We are currently weaving with yarn on our handmade looms and loving it!
3rd grade-Finished their Jonathan Callicutt artwork and they look amazing! We all loved this new lesson and I will be sure to teach it again next year. While working on this lesson, the tenth anniversary of 911 ocurred. This offered a great opportunity to share a little history with the children. After all, they were born in 2001! They know very little about the attacks. Our Veteran's Day program in on Novemer 10th. Their artwork will be on display for all to view!
We are currently studying about Robert Indiana and graphin art. He was born Robert Clark but changed his name to Robert Indiana in the 1970's. This was a trend in some artistic circles. His most famous piece of artwork is the LOVE image. Did you know he could not copyrite that image because the U.S. government said he couldn't copyrite a word? Donald Trump was able to copyrite "You're Fired!" Just think of the royalties he has missed out on.
4th grade-Completed their batiks and they are currently hanging outside the art room. They did a terrific job! I hope some of you frame their work or make it inot a pillow or quilt block. We had such a great time working on this project and the results were fascinating. Ironing the wax out of the fabric left us with some fun surprises. Batiking is not an exact art form. It was an important lesson to learn.
The kids are currently beginning a lesson about drawing the human face. I am teaching them a formula for placing the facial features in their proper place. Next, we will turn this generic face into a self-portrait.
It has been a terrific month! I cannot believe how fast the school year is moving along! You'll notice our sculpture, in front of the school, has some cute, little, jack-o-laterns in front of it. Thank you Mrs. Poorman and her kindergarteners for supplying a great photo opportunity!
Kindergarten-The boys and girls have finished learning about Vincent vanGogh and the women of Gees Bend, AL. These gals live on a very secluded island in Alabama where a ferry is their only transportation to civilization. Living in extreme poverty, they managed to create wonderfully artistic quilts with brilliant colors and very contemporary patterns. Their quilts have made them famous! The children learned about the women of Gees Bend and how they saved every scrap of fabric to sew their quilts to keep their families warm. Their quilt blocks are part of a paper quilt currently displayed in the hallway outside the art room.
1st grade- Just finished a lesson about Wassily Kandinsky, "The Father of Modern Art". He is called that because he was the first artist who believed that beautiful lines, shapes, and colors were all that are needed to create great artwork. His artwork is non-objective! They did a great job! When I send artwork home that is more process related than product focused I will often apply a sticker to the back of the work explaining what the lesson was about. Please check the back of their Kandinsky paper for a sticker!
We are currently learning how to weave using paper. We'll keep our weavings to add to another project at a later date.
2nd grade-Has finished their lesson about Blue Dog by George Rodrigue. This is one of my favorite lessons because they do such a wonderful job! They were asked to draw Blue Dog copying the lines and shapes as they saw them. It is always fun to see what they have Blue Dog doing or wearing in their artwork. You know....Blue Dog doesn't have to be blue!
We are currently weaving with yarn on our handmade looms and loving it!
3rd grade-Finished their Jonathan Callicutt artwork and they look amazing! We all loved this new lesson and I will be sure to teach it again next year. While working on this lesson, the tenth anniversary of 911 ocurred. This offered a great opportunity to share a little history with the children. After all, they were born in 2001! They know very little about the attacks. Our Veteran's Day program in on Novemer 10th. Their artwork will be on display for all to view!
We are currently studying about Robert Indiana and graphin art. He was born Robert Clark but changed his name to Robert Indiana in the 1970's. This was a trend in some artistic circles. His most famous piece of artwork is the LOVE image. Did you know he could not copyrite that image because the U.S. government said he couldn't copyrite a word? Donald Trump was able to copyrite "You're Fired!" Just think of the royalties he has missed out on.
4th grade-Completed their batiks and they are currently hanging outside the art room. They did a terrific job! I hope some of you frame their work or make it inot a pillow or quilt block. We had such a great time working on this project and the results were fascinating. Ironing the wax out of the fabric left us with some fun surprises. Batiking is not an exact art form. It was an important lesson to learn.
The kids are currently beginning a lesson about drawing the human face. I am teaching them a formula for placing the facial features in their proper place. Next, we will turn this generic face into a self-portrait.
Friday, September 30, 2011
A Great September!
September 30,2011
Kindergarten is off to a great start! They have already learned about the many kinds of lines there are in our world. It is important to be able to make these lines too as they begin to observe the world with an artistic eye. Everything we draw is composed of lines. They have learned about the artist Jonathan Lasker whose artwork is entirely made from lines! They are currently learning about the artist Vincent vanGogh. (For those of you who know that he cut his own ear off. I want you to know that I do not address this with the children. It is not important to know this about him or his artwork. I also believe that this information is inappropriate for the elementary level.) Vincent vanGogh is famous for painting sunflowers and other things like "Starry Night"! The children have drawn their own sunflowers and will be turning their drawings into paintings. Learning the painting procedures of the artroom is a top priority right now. Ask the children what people thought vanGogh's sunflowers looked like!
First grade has also been reviewing lines, the painting prodecures, their painting techniques as they learned about why Maple Glen is called Maple Glen. This first lesson allows me to observe how their small motor skills are developing along with their cutting skills and hand preference. There is a maple tree welcoming you into our school full of their wonderful leaves! They experienced the wax resist process during this project. They have also done a little cartooning just for fun. Keep an eye out for this paper coming home today!
Second grade begins their year with a review of lines and shapes only now I want to be sure they remember how to apply the use of lines and shapes as they observe something and draw it for themselves. George Rodrigue and his Blue Dog are our inspiration. Blue dog is a great example of using shapes to begin a drawing and adding the appropriate lines to complete their work. The children love the story behind Blue Dog and they find drawing him to be very successful. Ask them to tell you the story of "loup garu"!
Third grade started their year with Bookmaking as an Art Form. I have many "artistic" books that I share with them and then they make a book that looks like hang tags that marks the price of merchandise at the store. They will draw and write about every art project they complete in third grade and bring the completed book home the last week of school. This project was developed to support our 6 + 1 writing program. Their first "page" was about their favorite summer memory and their second page was about Bookmaking as Art. The children are currently deep in a project about patriotism. With the ten year anniversary of 911 and the Veteran's Day Program fast approaching, this seemed like a great time to introduce this new project. Jonathan Callicutt is the artist who has inspired this project. I stumbled upon his artwork this summer. He is a contempory artist out of Atlanta, GA. He and I have been in touch via e-mail which has been so much fun! He has been very supportive of this project. His work is deeply layered as he paints and uses silk screening techniques to add image upon image. Our artwork is adapted a little bit because we will not be silk screening images as he does. Instead, our artwork will be a mixed media rendition of his work. I am so excited to see how the children process this lesson!
Fourth grade began the year with Batik. Batik is a textile art that originated in Bali. Our Batik lesson is a further extension of the weaving/textile lessons the children completed in 1st through 3rd grades. Hot wax is applied to fabric blocking the fabric from further absorption of color. The children studied animals in art and practiced drawing their animal of choice on paper first. Then they redrew their animal onto a 12 x 18 piece of white cotton. This week they began the application of colored wax (melted crayons) to their fabric. Next week they will complete all wax application, crack their Batik causing little creases in the wax, and then over dye their fabric as the last step in making the Batik is completed. We will remove the wax by absorbing the excess wax using paper towels as we iron the fabric flat.
Kindergarten is off to a great start! They have already learned about the many kinds of lines there are in our world. It is important to be able to make these lines too as they begin to observe the world with an artistic eye. Everything we draw is composed of lines. They have learned about the artist Jonathan Lasker whose artwork is entirely made from lines! They are currently learning about the artist Vincent vanGogh. (For those of you who know that he cut his own ear off. I want you to know that I do not address this with the children. It is not important to know this about him or his artwork. I also believe that this information is inappropriate for the elementary level.) Vincent vanGogh is famous for painting sunflowers and other things like "Starry Night"! The children have drawn their own sunflowers and will be turning their drawings into paintings. Learning the painting procedures of the artroom is a top priority right now. Ask the children what people thought vanGogh's sunflowers looked like!
First grade has also been reviewing lines, the painting prodecures, their painting techniques as they learned about why Maple Glen is called Maple Glen. This first lesson allows me to observe how their small motor skills are developing along with their cutting skills and hand preference. There is a maple tree welcoming you into our school full of their wonderful leaves! They experienced the wax resist process during this project. They have also done a little cartooning just for fun. Keep an eye out for this paper coming home today!
Second grade begins their year with a review of lines and shapes only now I want to be sure they remember how to apply the use of lines and shapes as they observe something and draw it for themselves. George Rodrigue and his Blue Dog are our inspiration. Blue dog is a great example of using shapes to begin a drawing and adding the appropriate lines to complete their work. The children love the story behind Blue Dog and they find drawing him to be very successful. Ask them to tell you the story of "loup garu"!
Third grade started their year with Bookmaking as an Art Form. I have many "artistic" books that I share with them and then they make a book that looks like hang tags that marks the price of merchandise at the store. They will draw and write about every art project they complete in third grade and bring the completed book home the last week of school. This project was developed to support our 6 + 1 writing program. Their first "page" was about their favorite summer memory and their second page was about Bookmaking as Art. The children are currently deep in a project about patriotism. With the ten year anniversary of 911 and the Veteran's Day Program fast approaching, this seemed like a great time to introduce this new project. Jonathan Callicutt is the artist who has inspired this project. I stumbled upon his artwork this summer. He is a contempory artist out of Atlanta, GA. He and I have been in touch via e-mail which has been so much fun! He has been very supportive of this project. His work is deeply layered as he paints and uses silk screening techniques to add image upon image. Our artwork is adapted a little bit because we will not be silk screening images as he does. Instead, our artwork will be a mixed media rendition of his work. I am so excited to see how the children process this lesson!
Fourth grade began the year with Batik. Batik is a textile art that originated in Bali. Our Batik lesson is a further extension of the weaving/textile lessons the children completed in 1st through 3rd grades. Hot wax is applied to fabric blocking the fabric from further absorption of color. The children studied animals in art and practiced drawing their animal of choice on paper first. Then they redrew their animal onto a 12 x 18 piece of white cotton. This week they began the application of colored wax (melted crayons) to their fabric. Next week they will complete all wax application, crack their Batik causing little creases in the wax, and then over dye their fabric as the last step in making the Batik is completed. We will remove the wax by absorbing the excess wax using paper towels as we iron the fabric flat.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
As September Closes.....
Hello Maple Glen Parents,
Thanks so much for "dropping by". If you followed my blog last year you will notice that I am only posting once a month this year. Last year I also posted to tell parents what was happing in the week ahead. I learned, very quickly, that my weeks rarely played out as I had anticipated. Between convocations, large numbers of absences, a slower pace than I and anticipated, and on, and on I found myself needing to rethink my posts. So this year I am posting on a monthly basis and I will talk about what we have already accomplished! As always, please contact me if you have any questions or concerns at siminskib@wws.k12.in.us or call me at 896-4745.
Thanks,
Beth Siminski
Thanks so much for "dropping by". If you followed my blog last year you will notice that I am only posting once a month this year. Last year I also posted to tell parents what was happing in the week ahead. I learned, very quickly, that my weeks rarely played out as I had anticipated. Between convocations, large numbers of absences, a slower pace than I and anticipated, and on, and on I found myself needing to rethink my posts. So this year I am posting on a monthly basis and I will talk about what we have already accomplished! As always, please contact me if you have any questions or concerns at siminskib@wws.k12.in.us or call me at 896-4745.
Thanks,
Beth Siminski
Saturday, August 20, 2011
I'm looking forward to this new school year!
Hello Everyone,
What a great summer it has been! I know so many people felt as though we were given an extra two weeks this summer. I know those two weeks seemed to make such an emotional difference in my summer. It was just enough extra time to complete my list of "have to do's" and "want to do's" and I am so refreshed and ready to begin another great year of Maple Glen art. I hope all of you have had a delightful summer too! If you are a follower of my blog, I thank you so much for taking the time to read each week. I know what life is like with a house full of children and I appreciate the fact that you add checking out this blog to your long list of activities. Please tell other parents about the Maple Glen Art blog so our following numbers can grow. I will continue to talk about it in our newsletters and I added the blog address to the large bulletin board outside the artroom too! There is so much that goes on in the art room each week that you really don't know about and this is my way of sharing as much as I can with you each week. It was so good to visit with the children last Thursday evening and reconnect with many of our parents. Thank you for raising the young artists you send to me every year. I am looking forward to seeing your children again on Tuesday.
Most sincerely,
Beth Siminski
What a great summer it has been! I know so many people felt as though we were given an extra two weeks this summer. I know those two weeks seemed to make such an emotional difference in my summer. It was just enough extra time to complete my list of "have to do's" and "want to do's" and I am so refreshed and ready to begin another great year of Maple Glen art. I hope all of you have had a delightful summer too! If you are a follower of my blog, I thank you so much for taking the time to read each week. I know what life is like with a house full of children and I appreciate the fact that you add checking out this blog to your long list of activities. Please tell other parents about the Maple Glen Art blog so our following numbers can grow. I will continue to talk about it in our newsletters and I added the blog address to the large bulletin board outside the artroom too! There is so much that goes on in the art room each week that you really don't know about and this is my way of sharing as much as I can with you each week. It was so good to visit with the children last Thursday evening and reconnect with many of our parents. Thank you for raising the young artists you send to me every year. I am looking forward to seeing your children again on Tuesday.
Most sincerely,
Beth Siminski
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