Clay Pinch Pots

First grade artists used white clay to create a pinch pot and had the option to add more details with extra clay, many chose to create faces or animals.

Kindergarten artists used red clay to create a pinch pot and could change the shape of the pot.

Complementary Color Patterns

This week we talked about a new color group called Complementary colors. The Rowe artists chose a pair of Complementary colors and used recycled cardboard tubes to stamp patterns.

A Very Thankful Turkey

Each student cut out a turkey feather and wrote one thing they are thankful for and then filled in the rest of their feather with line pattern. The feathers were then glued down around a turkey body and it hanging int he Rowe School hallway.

Art Exploration Stations

Between longer projects, I like to give the students some Art Exploration. I turn each table into a station that we cycle through.

This week the Stations were: Collage, Magnetic Line Design, Texture Rubbing drawings, and free
                                               draw with a few How to Draw Animal sheets if they needed ideas.

Here are some photos of what it looked like:
 

Adventures in Printmaking

Fall is upon us and leaves are all around! Like most artists, we have used our surroundings as inspiration and did Texture rubbings of leaves. 

We continued with the subject of leaves while also exploring new ways of making copies or prints. The Rowe artists first practiced drawing four types of leaves, and then picked one to create a foam plate for block Printmaking.

We also explored Monoprinting with chalk on water and drawing with a q-tip into a painted plate and pulling a single print. 

Here are some examples.

Welcome to the Rowe School Art Room

Welcome to the Rowe Art Blog!  Throughout the school year, I will be posting samples of artwork as well as a quick note about what is going on in your child's art class. 

I collect the artwork until the end of the school year in order to have a wide selection for the Art Show.  You will receive your child's art portfolio during the last week of school. 

We've had a great start to the school year by making our mark and painting ourselves as fish. We read The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds and You Be You by Linda Kranz and talked about "Creating Bravely" while also talking about color and pattern. Both these projects are displayed in the Rowe school hallway.

End of the year Art Show

I have been collecting your young artists' artwork all year and have chosen one piece to matte and hang in the Rowe school gym for the annual Ice Cream Social / Art Show / Book Fair. 

I hope you had a chance to see the gym transformed into an art gallery. 

All artwork will be coming home this week or next in big portfolios. 

Thank you for sharing your artists with me this year! 

Have a great summer!

2-Dimensional and 3-Dimensional Animal Unit

After the Rowe artists practiced drawing 4 animals they chose one to draw as a final painting and also to create a 3-Dimensional clay sculpture of. We talked about the difference between 2-Dimensional artwork and 3-Dimensional sculptures and then got to work. 

The clay sculptures are fragile and would really benefit from a car ride home if you are able to make it in to the Rowe Art room.

Collaborative Creative Chaos with Nantz Comyns

A small sample of animals in progress.

Visiting Artist, Nantz Comyns, has been orchestrating some Paper Mache Magic in the Rowe Art room over the last couple of weeks. 

Kindergarten and First grade artists have worked with Nantz to create over 15 sculptures. 

Goop!

Glittery goop

A few of the finished sculptures livening up the Rowe School Library

Nantz Comyns offers week-long summer camp sessions. During this art camp kids can create their own giant paper mache animals, similar to the giant polar bear. 

If you would like more information on Nantz's camps, her facebook page is under  

Creative Chrysalis.

EXCITING NEWS

Starting next week we will have a Visiting Artist joining our art classes.  

Maine fiber Artist, Nantz Comyns, will be collaborating with all of the Rowe school students to create 5-6 Paper Mache animals inspired by the Eric Carle book The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse. You may have seen Nantz's large scale paper mache animals at the Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick.

Here is some background information on Nantz from an excerpt out of Portland Public Library's Programs:

"As a touring artist, Nantz specializes in developing creative educational programs, based in her process of sculpture. A diverse and energetic artist, Nantz encourages creative collaboration among children to help them learn about their world and their relationship in it. Her birch twig moose and colorful paper mache’  sculptures can be found in hundreds of public facilities and private collections throughout Maine!"

March is Youth Art Month

Congratulations to Gad Tangila mesu! 

Gad's Henri Rousseau Inspired Jungle Painting is framed and hanging at the Portland Museum of Art, as part of the Youth Art Month exhibit. 

Youth Art Month was started in 1961 through The Art & Creative Materials Institute, Inc. (ACMI), Youth Art Month exists to:

1. Recognize art education as a viable factor in the total education curricular that develops citizens of a global society.
2. Recognize art is a necessity for the full development of better quality of life for all.
3. Direct attention to the value of art education for divergent and critical thinking.
4. Expand art programs in schools and stimulate new art programs.
5. Encourage commitment to the arts by students, community organizations, and individuals everywhere.
6. Provide additional opportunities for individuals of all ages to participate in creative art learning.
7. Increase community, business and governmental support for art education.
8. Increase community understanding and interest in art and art education through involvement in art exhibits, workshops, and other creative ventures.
9. Reflect and demonstrate the goals of the National Art Education Association that work toward the improvement of art education at all levels.

Using our Artist Eyes: Animals

We used our Artist Eyes to really study the Shapes in animals and talked about how all things are made up of Shapes.We learned that we all have an idea in our heads about what animals look like and how we need to try to erase those and really look at the picture of the animal.We used the book Zoo-ology by Joelle Jolivet to find images of 4 different animals and practice drawing the shapes.One animal was then picked for the final drawing.

Catch up & Exploration

Due to snow days and holidays, Monday classes still needed to finish their Rousseau Jungles this week. While those were being finished others did some Exploration stations. Here are a few pictures of students exploring different art techniques.

Magnet boards & metal bead strings, Collage, Free draw & Texture plates

Rousseau Jungle Vines

We used our learning on mixing colors to mix more greens and started our Rousseau Jungles. We talked about how to make Vines using a variety of Lines and then added leaves and grass.

NEXT STEPS: Adding Oranges, Pinks, Yellows and Reds to show flowers and fruits.