Art + Kids = Fun: January 2013

What is art?

Art is a language that artists use to express ideas and feelings that everyday words cannot express.
Throughout time, the arts have been essential to human existence. When people create in images, they discover ways to shape and share their thoughts and feelings with others. The arts enrich quality of life. All students deserve access to the arts through creation, performance and study. The fine arts are fundamental ways of knowing and thinking. In addition to their intrinsic value, the arts contribute to children's development.
Works of art are some of the highest achievements of civilization. In school, students learn the language of the arts and how to interpret visual images. Because the arts are both universal and culturally specific, they are a powerful means of increasing international and intercultural awareness. Through the arts, students gain a greater understanding of their own cultural heritage, as well as a sense of the larger world community.
Source: isbe.net

Monday, January 28, 2013

Learning about the color wheel, and a clown collage!

The last few weeks of art class have been spent learning about the color wheel. We talked about how artists use the color wheel and which colors are primary and secondary. The project began by teaching students to create their own color wheel using only the primary colors and mixing the secondary ones. We also talked about technique in rinsing the brush well between colors and how to mix just the right color. That was week one of this project. During week two, the children cut out their color wheels and used them as part of the body of a circus clown. Pompoms, construction paper and crayons were also used to create the collage. Some children are finished with their clowns (shown below) and will start work on another project this coming week. Other children are still working on theirs and those collages will be posted next week.

Ela

Ella

Graham

Martin

Myima

Violet

Jaylen

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Art on Display at Brooks Middle School

Happy New Year, everyone! This week, we were invited to hang student art work at Brooks Middle School for the Feeder Music Festival. Each child from Mrs. Bernstein's class has one work of art on display on a bulletin board just outside the auditorium at Brooks. The art will be on display until January 18th. I have posted a photo below. I hope you and your family will get a chance to visit the art, and hear a wonderful concert at Brooks.

The children completed their turtle drawings this past week and the results are adorable, and full of personality. Students used their creativity in adding patterned designs to their turtle's shell, and became familiar with a new art medium: watercolor pencils.