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