We have been busy making a lot of art! Third grade is just beginning their paintings inspired by Wayne Thiebaud’s desert paintings. In Fourth grade, we are working hard on the portrait collages that take many pieces to construct solely from magazines. In Fifth grade, we are using collage to create a book cover for their Civil Rights books.
Fourth graders have practiced drawing their self-portrait by looking into mirrors and making gesture drawings. Now, they have finalized a portrait and have begun to magazine collage the hues and values of their face, hair and clothing. This exercise teaches them to look for value to create shadow and highlight where it can be seen on the face. These portraits will be expressive and textural!
Third grade has been studying balance and harmony through the practice of cut paper design. We look at examples of Japanese Notan (black/white harmony) for inspiration. Students have practiced this technique in both black/white and two different colors. They experiment with shapes and designs that are hand drawn and then cut and glued.
Third grade is creating Japanese Notan design using cut paper. This design principle is based on the idea of harmony using only two colors such as black and white. The idea comes from negative and positive space. The balance is created by using only one square where all designs are derived from. Designs are carefully drawn, cut and then flipped from the square revealing a nice balance.
The 4th grade is learning the different techniques to draw a self-portrait. They start by learning about the proportions of the face to understand how spacing is involved. Then we move onto some quick gesture drawings where they are not allowed to look at the paper at all! This is often a source of humor after we look down to see our characters. Next, we do timed drawings in one minute, five minute and nine minutes. All this practice helps take away some of the pressure we feel when attempting to draw portraits. We will spend the next several weeks working on a larger self-portrait project.
Last week in art we learned about the complex geometry and math involved in creating Islamic tessellation. You can watch the video here to see the process we did to make our designs using a compass and ruler. These tiles will be printed using two different colors that overlap. Students will get to make multiple prints and see how their tile reveals new shapes and patterns when it tessellates.
We are getting ready for the Chapel performance to celebrate El Dia De Los Muertos. Every year, 7th grade makes paper mache masks with sculptural elements and then they paint layers of intricate detail to express the celebration of life. This tradition is honored by the school with an offrenda altar with pictures of loved ones that student, faculty and staff choose to share.
We are finishing up our monochromatic paintings. Students have been working for several weeks on drawing, practicing mixing values, and layering paint to create depth. It has been great to see them experiment and do what works for them. In painting, there are many approaches one can take and they’ve tried many! Next, we will be creating artwork for the Diwali Chapel coming up in a few weeks!
Third grade has finished their Georgia O'Keeffe paintings and are now studying color. They start by drawing an animal and then divide the space for six colors. Using color sticks of primary red, yellow and blue, they mix the secondary colors of purple, green and orange. They will fill in the rest of the paper with the opposite color in the white space. This is a fun way to understand how color is made. The transformation happens right before your eyes.
Our Rhythm: May 2019 - August 2019
The opening of St. Paul’s art exhibition, Our Rhythm at The Alice Collective turned out to be a fun and lively event. Our talented music teachers played while students danced and parents mingled, talking about the art. The Alice Collective generously supported our event and donated a large spread of food for all to share.
Exhibition Statement:
Our Rhythm is an exhibition that brings together two grade level projects from the fourth and seventh grade at St. Paul’s Episcopal School. These artworks carry a sense of rhythm through pattern, movement, and repetition. Upon closer inspection, the rhythm is more than design; these works are personal and represent the diverse interests or values each student holds. Looking at the shields, you will find a remembrance to a pet turtle, references to family, specific memories, and personal identity. The shields represent holding and protecting what is important to them. In seventh grade, students worked collaboratively in groups to create hand printed cloths that were inspired by the work of East and West African mudcloth design. These larger works combine messages that are shown through symbolism and text. Some messages are easy to decipher while others are abstract using simple shapes to represent concepts such as equality and the transformation that takes place when we grow while learning from other’s perspectives.
In the Spring of 2017, we were contacted by an Art Murmur representative and curator who was working on a high school political art exhibition in conjunction with Barbara Lee's office. She was walking by our Middle School and saw our framed 8th Grade silk screen posters hanging throughout the front of the school. Next thing we knew, 10 of our socially and politically oriented posters were selected for Youth To Power, a gallery exhibition this August at Warehouse 416, blocks from our school!
