The Ratner Montessori School Art Program

I was so excited to have a full week of school! The students were all engaged in each project this week and were glad to have time to create and finish up their work. I am switching projects in many levels this coming week and look forward to hanging up the newly completed work around the school.

 I hope you all were able to enjoy the changing colors of the leaves last weekend, this is one of my favorite seasons for hiking and collecting leaves.

Blue Hen Falls at the Cuyahoga National Park

Kindergarten Art

The students had a great time creating the sand mandalas last week in art. They learned how to control their glue enough to draw with the material, did a fine job (mostly) at keeping the sand separated and tried to not spill the sand. They learned about symmetry and how colors look differently when they are placed next to opposing colors. We continued the work with smaller versions on the designs and greater control was shown with the materials. The work is hanging in the first floor hallways between the toddler classrooms. We will begin a series of self portraits today, one of my very favorite processes to present to the Kindergarten students.

Elementary I Art (1st, 2nd, and 3rd Grade)

We had two very productive days in art this week. Monday's class was focused on completing the color theory painting. The 1st grade students had the most to complete and they showed much stronger control over their materials compared to the beginning of the process. We actually made it through an entire class with no spilled paint. Banner day! The students in 2nd and 3rd grade finished their work and had the opportunity for free work, a favorite treat in the art program. On Tuesday, I presented a new project that was oriented toward the celebration of Diwali. We talked about symmetry and how mandalas were a peaceful and balance work of art. The students were presented a lesson on how to draw with glue and use colored sand to create their work. They showed fine control over the messy material and enjoyed the shorter work cycle for this project. If they completed their work, they could create a free work using the same technique. I also presented the large floor loom work to the 3rd grade students. Several students have begun weaving on the loom and are remembering all the steps to the process. 

Elementary II Art (4th, 5th and 6th Grade)

Work continues on the grid project. The students are probably 70% complete on the project and we will finish the work at the first half of class next week. This process seems to be taking a bit longer than I recall the work taking, but it is probably due to the classes missed than a slower work cycle. I wanted to give the students a break from working on the grid designs, so we did a quick and enjoyable Dia de Muertos project. They drew the traditional skull design with glue on black paper and added colored sand. They enjoyed the break and had learned of the Mexican holiday in Spanish. After half the class had passed, we continued work on the grid designs. 

                            

Middle School Art (7th and 8th Grade)

Work still continues on the candy dispensers. I was really hoping they would all complete the project this week, but it appears we need one more week of finish work. If you have not sent in a glass jar with a lid, every student needs one to finish their work. I am encouraged by some students ability to problem solve and work through their issue without needed support from me. I create these "projects" to try and build their knowledge of tools, basic woodworking techniques, attention to craftsmanship, but mostly to increase their aptitude for problem solving.  

The Ratner Montessori School Art Program

Next week should be the last of our shortened weeks in school and I am looking forward to having a complete week of art with all the students. I am always impressed at the ability of the students to pace their work with whatever time constraints they have. Work continues across all the levels with great variety. I have painting, color theory, wood working, collage work and weaving being created throughout the levels. I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with your children and appreciate your ongoing support of the art program. Thank you!

My Mom is painting birds right now and I found this photograph by Mark Eastment that I loved.

Kindergarten Art

I took some time at the beginning of class to work as a group on scissor skills. Each student had an organic "Matisse inspired" shape drawn on an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of white paper. They tried to follow the line and cut as cleanly as they could. Several students were able to successfully cut the complex shapes and they completed their work. If you have time at home, scissor skills are simple practice work that will help them tremendously in art. We are going to switch gears this week to give them a break with the scissor work, but will certainly collage and cut with future project. 

We will begin our Diwali sand art today in class. I will present radial designs, symmetry and how to "draw with glue." Wish me luck, 18 Kindergarten artists with glue and sand makes for an interesting class!

 

Elementary I (1st, 2nd and 3rd Grade)

I believe about 70% of the students in level 2 and 3 finished the current color mixing project this week. As expected, the 1st grade class is moving at a different pace and needs one more class to complete their work. The students visibly progressed with the ability to mix specific colors and showed tremendous growth with the process. They gained better control over their materials and showed a clearer understanding for color theory. I will try to display their color wheels and the creative line work next week in the hallways or the gallery. They are beautiful.

Elementary II (4th,5th and 6th Grade)

It was great to have the students back in the art room working on their projects. A clear and concise understanding of warm and cool colors is evident with the current project and the majority of the students can now analyze and determine the definition on a difficult range of colors. I believe we will finish this project with 2 more classes. I plan on beginning a Maker Space building project with them for the next unit. They are certainly more settled than the beginning of the school year and I feel like the new students have adjusted well to the expectations of our art program. I have to make sure I feel comfortable with all the students before we begin work with power tools. I will keep you up to date on the progress and let you know what we are working on and what lessons the students have been presented. 

Middle School Art (7th and 8th Grade)

Work continues on the construction of the wooden candy dispensers. All the students have glued their pieces together, drilled the pilot holes and have begun or completed connecting the pieces together with wood screws. They all received a lesson on the hand held drills and the scroll saw and I replaced the belt on the sander, so work is moving quickly now. Next week is unfortunately a week without art classes due to time out of school, but we should complete the project in the next couple of classes. I appreciate the growth of confidence and the attention to safety all the students have shown. I love having the ability to build with this group.

The favorite tool of the students! (Someday we will have one for every student)

The Ratner Montessori School Art Program

We have a series of shortened weeks coming through our school year, but the students are still well focused and attentive to their work in art. I have several Elementary II students that have really taken to weaving on the large floor loom and I am excited to see their progress each day. The core teachers have been very generous to let the students choose the loom as "free work" within their day and they have been respectful of the classes while they weave. This is going to be a visually interesting and looooong table runner by the end of the school year! 

Painting by John Felsing
 ( I do not know this artist, but I love the mood of the painting)

Kindergarten Art

We began studying the work of Henri Matisse last week. The students all looked at several examples of his work and I told them stories of his life and his creative process. We looked at the paper cutout work from his later life as an artists and talked about the colors he used, the way he drew with scissors and how the shapes and colors talked to each other. Each child had a pile of colored paper, scissors, glue and a large sheet of black paper to use as their background. We are working on cutting complex shapes with the scissors and controlling the amount of glue used to create the composition. Work will continue today with more scissor skill lessons and the students will complete their compositions today. 

Elementary I  (1st, 2nd and 3rd Grade)

I presented a new project this week to the Elementary I students. The project is a continuation of the color theory process that we have been working on and ties into the line exploration work we studied at the beginning of the year. Each student had a series of prompts to complete on their work. They had to begin with 5 lines, each line being different, 3 circles, one being concentric, one geometric shape, one organic shape and one complex shape if needed in the composition. After the drawing process was complete, they began painting the individual areas created using only the primary colors. The following class, secondary and tertiary colors were mixed and added to the composition. The project involves a higher level of material control, attention to the relationship of colors and the ability to slow down the creative process and follow a set of instructions and specific guidelines. 

Elementary II (Grades 4th, 5th and 6th)

We continued work last week on the warm/cool grid project. The students have all finished the observational drawing and grid overlay and have begun the color process. Attention to the color temperature and placement of colors are important at this stage of the process. 

                    

              

7th and 8th Grade Art

We had one day of art this week, missing our Monday class due to advisory with Kate. The students continued work in the Maker Space finishing the necessary measuring and final cuts for the candy dispenser. Each student is creating a 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" wooden base with a slide to dispense candy. This is a beginning wood project that covers many areas of basic woodworking skills. The student has to measure accurately, layout a pattern so they can cut the 5 required pieces, use the chop saw, drill press, sander, hand drill and scroll saw to create the stand. They are all being safe, following the strict rules of the Maker Space and enjoying using the power tools. I am trying to instill a heightened level of craftsmanship with their work and am making sure that they are taking the time to measure correctly and sand the surfaces of their dispenser. 

If you have any extra glass jars you can donate to the project, please send them in! Mason jars are the perfect size, but any glass jar with a lid would be helpful.