Seize The Clay Comes To MHA!!!

Today the kindergarten and first graders were treated to a visit from the staff at Seize The Clay.  They had a wonderful time learning the basics of building with clay as they created bud vases out of leaf shapes.  They cut the shapes out of large slabs of clay and then engraved them using tooth picks.  They learned how to score two pieces of clay and attach them together with slip “mud” as they glued their tube to their base and then decorated the tube using the remaining three shapes.   These adorable vases will be on display at the Fall Festival.  Enjoy the pics!

Did you know that you can take a virtual tour of many world famouse museums at http://www.googleartproject.com/.  So take a virtual vacation and enjoy.

Artist in Training

I often like to refer to my preliminary art students as my artists in training.  The Kindergarten and first graders visit the art room each week to embark on a new adventure.   

Each lesson introduces the children to a different artist.  We begin by playing Art Detective as we explore a new painting and try to determine the type of work, the subject and the colors that the artist may have had on his pallet.  Then we begin the project at hand, discussing the supplies and process and how it relates to the artist of the week. 

The students work on the projects at their own pace.  Those that finish before the session in over are encouraged to visit the other centers in the art room.  Our Museum Center features books and ARTifacts related to the project of the week and art related games and toys.  The Drawing Center has markers, plain white paper and coloring sheets related to the current topic.  The Architect table hosts a rotation building toys every week for our students to design the cities of our future.  Visiting the centers allows the students to integrate what they have just learned into projects that they create for themselves with the materials provided for them.

As they go through this two year process of training, they becoming comfortable with the layout of the art room, they learn to master the use of the various supplies, and gain an understanding of the basic concepts of art.  They begin to think for themselvesand start to creatively interpret directions when given a project to produce.   They come to view the art room as an idea center, where they can become the artists of our future.

The Eye Journal

 

In the MHA art room, where everyone is an artist, the Art Journal is an important tool for each student to rely on.  It is the go to book for notes on class discussions, ideas and plans for projects and a testing ground for new ideas.

Being that each journal is a personal tool, every student begins the year decorating their journal to his or her personal taste.  They dig in to the store of countless old books and magazines seeking images that speak to them and inspire creativity.  Then they plunder through the collage collections adding, buttons. Stones, jewels, feathers or whatever catches their imagination.  When the journals are done each one is a work of art ready to collect a year of artistic adventures.