Art

The Ratner School Art Program

While I certainly enjoyed having extra time in my studio, the two days missed in art threw the projects off a bit. We continued printmaking in all the grade levels, except for the Kindergarten students. We have washed more trays and brayers from printmaking than we ever have! The drying rack was full every day and everyone increased their printmaking skills exponentially. Let us all hope for a complete and productive week in school.

Kindergarten Art

The students finished the plaster face project with great success. I packed up the plaster project on Thursday and hope that the work arrived to you safely. Please realize that the plaster was formed over a plastic face form and the "mask" should not be placed on a face. The plaster used is not harmful, but would certainly hurt if any dust ever went into eyes!

The control of material was just remarkable for this age group. The students learned the difference between warm and cool colors, geometric and organic lines and we discussed the different emotions the colors portrayed. The students had wonderful comments about how the outside appearance of people are so different from what they may be like on the inside. I love seeing the thoughtful approach they have developed in creating their art. I am changing many aspects of the curriculum to adapt to the level of art they are capable of creating. This is a very creative and skilled group of Kindergarten students, thank you again for allowing me to guide them through art.

1st and 2nd Grade Art

We had a fantastic time printing in art! The students were so excited to see what kind of art they would produce when experimenting. We decided to mix different color inks on the plates and print on different papers as well. They showed remarkable improvement in the application of ink and pressure they applied to the prints. By the completion of the unit, they were totally independent and had pulled several prints on their own. I loved the spirit of collaboration and experimentation they showed in class.

3rd and 4th Grade Art

I am sorry to say that the 3rd and 4th Grade class did not have an art class last week. The Monday holiday and then the Tuesday snow day cancelled their art classes. We will hit the ground running with the sketches and layouts for our next project. We are beginning a longer term painting project focusing on the work of Vincent Van Gogh and his paintings of sunflowers. The students will work from life, creating a still-life set up with flowers in a vase, set on a cloth. This is traditionally one of the favorite projects of both students and parents as it really shows what work the students this age are capable of and they gain several new skills with this project.

Vincent Van Gogh's "Tournesois" (Sunflowers) 1888

5th and 6th Grade Art

The students were printmaking machines! They must have pulled 200 prints in each 40 minute class. The ink was flying and the excitement was obvious. Each student enjoyed experimenting and everyone was willing to mess up several times to get the result they wanted. It was gratifying to see the level of experimentation happening and the willingness to mess up. Some of the best art happens when you do not know what to expect! Printmaking is a nice follow-up to the more intensive cut paper project and I think the students appreciated the different approaches to making art.

7th and 8th Grade Art

The students have shown the ability to experiment and a willingness to explore the medium of print in a different way. While we started with the broad concept of "landscape", many students pushed the boundaries of the theme in a creative and interesting way. The work changes dramatically when the plate is printed on colored paper, the ink is blended or different materials are printed on. Students printed on fabric, printed newspaper and various colored paper. I hope to print for one more week to see what other ideas they come up with. The art room is a mess, but the results are worth it.