Back to School!

Creative minds are blooming in the art room.  We started school last week and we didn't waste any time.  Students are already exercising their creativity and making great works of art.

Our first activity is based on a book by Michael Hall called Perfect Square

"Be there or be square"
"I won fair and square"
"All squared away"

These are some ways that we use the word square in our speech.  We talked about why we might use a square to mean 'fair', or 'uncool', or 'organized'.

Students now had to find a way to make the square more 'cool' by cutting, ripping, tearing, crumpling, folding the paper square.  Then they used their creative and flexible thinking to turn their pieces into an object or a scene.  We glued these pieces down to paper and used black sharpies to add details.

May Art News

What’s happening in the Mountain View Art Studio?

Kindergarten is learning all about the Elements of Art that artists use in their work.  Students is finishing the year by learning about how artists organize the elements of art in their work.  We have practiced making patterns with stamps. We are now talking about symmetrical and asymmetrical balance.  Students are excited about making symmetrical paper masks.

1^st grade and 2nd grade are working on a textile unit. Paper weaving is highlighted in 1st grade with extensions in yarn weaving.  2nd grade is doing more challenging yarn weavings and experimenting with many types of weaves.

3rd grade is having a blast making bobble heads.  They are sculpting the heads out of air dry clay,  We are now ready to move on to the body and clothing construction.  Look for miniature Barack Obamas,  Babe Ruths, and Albert Einsteins bobbling in our display cases soon.

Students in 4th and 5th grade are working in the art studio and have an opportunity to work in clay (finally!!).  Handbuilding techniques (pinch pots, coil building and slab building) were practiced by all students.  Many students are choosing to make a clay whistle and they are turning out great!  Painting and glazing are finishing options for fired clay.

School—720-972-8429

Email— Jennifer.schmuldt@adams12.org

March Art News

What’s happening in the Mountain View Art Studio?

Kindergarten is learning all about the Elements of Art that artists use in their work.  Students will learn about form.  We will work with materials like clay to make pottery, and 3-D paper collage techniques to make sculpture. 

1^st grade is starting a robot sculpture project.  The students will explore a variety of new and used materials to build a robot in relief.  Students will invent a robot that will do a job they really don't want to do. Balance, texture, form and artist's purpose will be discussed in this unit.

In 2^nd grade, students are finishing clay masks. Look for them in the hallways and display cases. We will start a new project that explores personal identity and art making.

Students in grades 3, 4, and 5 are working in the art studio and have an assignment to create a parody of a famous artwork or image.  From The Mona Lisa to Bart Simpson students are creating, not only funny works of art, but artworks that express something about themselves.  Look for these hilarious parodies in the hallway.

School—720-972-8429

Email— Jennifer.schmuldt@adams12.org

Specials Night January 17th, 2013

Specials night was a great night to make art with students and their parents.  We made Artist Trading Cards.  Although, not much trading was going on, lots of creative cards were being made.  Drawing, painting, collage, fibers, stamping, and basic sculptural supplies were available.

February Art News

What’s happening in the Mountain View Art Studio?

Kindergarten is learning all about the Elements of Art that artists use in their work.  Students will learn about form.  We will work with materials like clay to make pottery, and 3-D paper collage techniques to make sculpture. 

1^st grade is continuing a collage project based on the art and books by Eric Carle. Exploration of media and communicating a point of view are at the heart of this unit. Students will work at creating stories for why their collage animal is 'mixed-up'.

In 2^nd grade, students are creating clay masks.  We discussed why people make and wear masks.  After exploring African masks, we noticed that artists on many African cultures make masks that share some of the same characteristics. They are abstract, geometric, and exaggerated.  Look for 2nd grade's interpretation of these same concepts in their masks.

Students in grades 3, 4, and 5 are working in the art studio and have choices like drawing, collage, painting, fibers, and printmaking and now clay.  Basic hand-building techniques like slab, coil, and pinch as well as joining techniques (score, slip, and smooth) will be explored.  Students will have choice in their final creation.

School—720-972-8429

Email— Jennifer.schmuldt@adams12.org

Kindergarten Textures

Kindergarten worked with clay to create actual and visual textures. They pressed objects including their shoe prints) into the clay to create a radially balanced design.  After the clay dries, it will get fired and then the students will have a chance to paint it and add beautiful metallic rubs to show off those textures.

Paper Sculptures

2nd grade students made sculptures out of paper.  They were limited to paper strips and only 1" depth.  They didn't limit their imaginations though, because they made the most interesting sculptures; snowmen on snowmobiles, panda bears, funny faces, and abstract compositions.  The students were building from previous lessons on contour line, cross-contour line.  Each student evaluated their work while describing how they used line, how they created visual movement, and how their sculpture shows both positive and negative space.

Look for these sculptures hanging in the new wing hallway.