For this project, the children looked at the pop art sculptures of food by Claus Oldenberg. He creates larger than life-size apples, sandwiches, and other objects out of vinyl, canvas, and various materials. SFMOMA has a large apple core, I believe it is on the 6th floor. Over a two week period the students worked to sculpt their clay to look like a food of their choice. After firing the pieces were glazed, then fired again. The resulting work is very playful! Are you getting hungry?
Our annual Synergy School auction is March 11th. Every year, classes makes a work of art to be auctioned. This year, the 7th grade created garden markers. They randomly chose their vegetable, rolled out their clay, and used a template to create the shape. The words were created by pressing pasta letters into the clay. They then drew a design. The forms were fired with the pasta imbedded in the clay (they disintegrate under high heat). After firing the children worked a black underglaze into the letters and designs. The excess glaze was wiped off the top and three layers of transparent colored glaze were painted on all sides.
Please bid! These colorful works of art will give your garden beauty and bring you joy for years to come. (Work will be on display in the front hallway very soon!)
Two years ago, most of this year’s 6th and 7th graders performed the play “The Ramayana”. This fall, the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco was featuring the show “The Rama Epic”. Mahala and I decided this would be a great follow up field trip to extend their understanding of the story and culture connected to it. Because much of the exhibit features Indian Miniature Painting, I decided to make it the focus of their next art project.
The children looked at examples of miniature painting by past and contemporary artists. Miniature painting is traditionally an illustration of part of a well-known story. There are certain traditional elements: figures are mostly in profile, certain colors are used, tiny details are painted, and a patterned border usually surrounds the paintings.
In their sketchbooks the students brainstormed their favorite stories, books, and myths. They sketched out scenes and ideas until they were inspired. The final idea was carefully drawn on watercolor paper. Using watercolors from tubes, the children painted their scenes.
The paintings are gorgeous! It was so hard to choose a few for this blog! If you want to see them all, please come to this year’s Synergeyes Art Show on April 28th at 6pm.
This week 7th grade had a special guest! Muralist Sirron Norris. The idea is that each year the middle school will meet one or two working artists to help them think about possible careers in visual arts. Mr. Norris was introduced to me by one of our Synergy parents. He shared images of his murals, talked about his career, history, inspiration and did a short character drawing lesson. Many of the children knew Mr. Norris from his time teaching private art classes across the street from the school (about 5 years ago). They also recognized him as the creator of the characters in “Bob’s Burgers” (animated TV series). To see his work, check out his website: http://www.sirronnorris.com He also teaches cartooning classes at Precita Eyes in the Mission.
Yesterday the 6th and 7th graders visited the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco to see the “Rama Epic”. This trip was chosen to be an extension of their study of the Ramayana from two years ago, when both the Eastenders and Skylights performed the play. As 4th and 5th graders they also played gamelan music, made Balinese shadow puppets and painted Indonesian designs for the backdrops.
This year I introduced the children to Indian Miniature Painting. They are currently working on tiny watercolor paintings in art class. Malala also reviewed the story of the Ramayana with the 7th graders in preparation.
We traveled by BART and were greeted at the museum by four wonderful docents. The children were given an overview of the story and reviewed the museum rules. The students were split into four tour groups. The exhibit was creatively divided into sections by character. The docent in my group walked us through the galleries, telling us the story of Rama and pointing out significant pieces. The children were very engaged and the work was awe inspiring.
Afterwards we came together and took BART back to Synergy in time to enjoy some lunch and then attend elective classes.
I highly recommend taking your children to revisit this show. It runs through January 13.
For Day of the Dead, the 7th graders made paper maché masks. They started with a plastic face mold. The mold was covered with a piece of aluminum foil. The children added 3 layers of paper maché on top; newspaper, paper towel, and plain newsprint. A coat of white acrylic gesso was painted on top.
The students studied sugar skull mask designs for inspiration. They had the option to make the skull half living and half dead. The lines and shapes were drawn in pencil then painted with acrylic paint. Some children chose to use mostly Sharpie marker for their design. Glitter, sequins, feathers, and tissue paper were added for the final touches. They all came out so amazing, I had a really hard time just picking a couple to share on the blog.
4th-8th grade started out their year in art by decorating sketchbooks. They discussed the many uses of a sketchbook: collect ideas, experiment, plan, illustrate what you see, practice, relax, document, sketch, take notes, make lists, write, scrapbook, and so many more. In the art room the children are encouraged to use the pages in order from front to back so they can see their progress, not remove pages but rework drawings if they are unhappy with them, use as much negative space as possible, don’t strive for masterpieces, and challenge themselves.
The middle school received hardbound sketchbooks from Blick Art Supplies. The sketchbooks are to remain in the art room until they graduate! Using acrylic, they painted their name on the spine and added some extra patterns and decorations. Some put stickers on the front or glued cut paper.
The Eastenders and Skylights received starter sketchbooks. Using markers and pencil they drew on the covers and collaged images from magazine cut-outs. They will be sent home at the end of the school year.
This was an open ended project in the area of weaving. The children started by looking at all kinds of weaving, from baskets to tapestries, and using materials from paper to metal. They decided what they wanted to explore and set to work. Some students had a vision of what they wanted to create and did just that. Others started one thing and switched to another, or their weaving evolved into something completely unexpected. It was fun to watch the process. The work on this post is just a sampling of the variety of work produced.
For this playful project, the 7th graders looked at photos of garden gnomes. They brainstormed what kind of gnome they might make (like a guitar playing gnome, alien gnome, baby gnome, etc). The gnome was made out of two pinch pots stacked on each other for the body and head. A slab was rolled and cut into a triangle shape and rolled into a hat. Pieces were attached using scoring and slip. The class took two weeks to form their gnomes. After firing, the pieces were glazed to enhance their gnome theme.
I got the idea for this project from a workshop at the California Art Educators Association Conference last November in Sacramento. I knew I had to try it out with 7th grade.
The students started by cutting pieces of plaster gauze into small strips. They coated their hand with Vaseline and in one class period covered their hand with plaster. The challenge was putting expression into the hand pose while still being in a position to slide the hand out. In the following class the wrist was added by inserting cardboard tubes into the bottom and securing with plaster. Next, the plaster was used to attach the wrist to a small square of cardboard. Once the piece was constructed it was covered with a layer of paper maché to make it easier to paint, and glued to a larger piece of cardboard.
Because this hand is a type of self-portrait, the students were asked to paint it with colors, symbols, images, words and/or add objects that have deep meaning to them. The hands were painted with Jazz brand glossy tempera, making it look like varnished acrylic.
For this project, the students were introduced to the concept of Pop Art, specifically from the 60’s. We looked at how Pop Art was inspired by advertisements, consumer goods, celebrities, photographs and comic strips. Sharp crisp edges were adopted from the commercial world. New technologies and methods were used such as mass production, fabrication, photography and printing. Pop Art was hard for the art world to accept in the beginning because artists were painting cheap everyday objects instead of “serious” subjects like portraiture, landscape, and still life. We looked at the work of Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Wayne Thiebaud, and more.
The children chose a portion of a candy wrapper, and it was drawn larger than life on a black sheet of construction paper. The shapes and letters were drawn with proportion and Prang colored pencils were used to lay in color to match the wrapper. The result is gorgeous! The wrappers are recognizable even though we only see a portion of it. See if you can figure out where these came from!
This project is the follow up to the introduction to Islamic art in September! The students used an on-line graphics app called Geocone to create a geometric design with radial symmetry. The image was printed then traced and turned for repetition onto a transparency with black Sharpie marker. The design was colored with color Sharpies to create a vibrant pattern.
To create a façade for the glass, a shape was drawn on a folded black paper and then cut out. Using a white Prismacolor pencil, the students drew a design that reflected Islamic art values. Some students chose to cut additional designs with Exacto knives, allowing for more of the color to show through. When complete, the glass was taped to the façade. Including the introduction in September, this project took 7 weeks to complete! The finished pieces are now hanging on the windows in the big room!
The first big 7th grade project was learning about Islamic art and architecture. The lesson started with some quick facts about Islam, then we looked at mosque architecture. In a mosque we find minarets or towers, domes, the use of repetitive geometric shapes (arabesque), the focus on interior beauty over exterior, calligraphy, and the absence of the human figure and animals. We had a discussion comparing and contrasting an Islamic mosque with a medieval castle, there were similarities in the elements and a huge contrast in the use of the two types of buildings.
We focused in on the interior beauty for Nasair Al-Mulk Mosque, sometimes called “Pink Mosque” for it’s pink tiles. The building is rich with stained glass and geometric design. Working in partners, the students developed a hypothesis for why Nasair Al-Mulk Mosque features stained glass and geometric designs.
After reviewing the concept of radial symmetry, the students practiced making a geometric design that represented the endless power of Allah, the elements, and they physical world. The children developed an appreciation for geometry and craftsmanship by drawing with pencils, rulers, and compasses.
This art in this blog entry was part of the introduction to the subject. The skills and concepts learned will be applied to a larger project next week.
The first art project of the year started out with reviewing the art room rules and routines. Each student was then given a sketchbook. The assignment was to decorate the cover, personalizing it with drawing and/or collage in any way they like. Each grade level is organized by color; 8th grade is turquoise, 7th grade is purple, 6th grade is blue, and 4th and 5th grade is green. The K-3rd grade students don’t have sketchbooks.
Welcome back everyone! I hope you had a creative and enriching summer. I have been busy getting the classroom ready for this year’s art classes, planning lessons, ordering supplies, and meeting with classroom teachers and other specialists.
The biggest and most exciting change to the art schedule is now that I’m a full time employee, I will be seeing the K-3 students twice a week! The Star Room, Rainbow Room, and Sun Room will come to art at their regular times, and I will see the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade as additional grade level classes. Kindergarten will come as their A and B groups twice a week. One class will generally be a more structured lesson, the second class will be art center time (exploring new and favorite materials, and more).
The middle school rubric has been upgraded to better harmonize with Synergy’s grading system. 70% of the art grade will be based on the rubric below, 30% will be based on individual assignments and projects.
As always I am looking for parent helpers for the Star Room, Eastenders, and Skylights. Additional helpers for the 1st and 2nd grade art classes would be appreciated. If you can’t fit coming to class into your schedule, let me know if you’d like to do some work at home (sometimes I have looms to create, shapes to cut out, things to staple, etc).
Please subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss anything! I will be posting our projects and other fascinating tidbits throughout the year.
Big Cheers!!!
Pam
This will be my last blog post for the 2014 – 2015 school year (unless something comes up that I can’t wait to share over the summer). It is my 108th post of the year!!!
My first year teaching at Synergy has been amazing! I am so grateful! I have loved getting to know all the students and creating cool and creative projects for them. I already have many new ideas for next year and look forward to coming back in the fall. There is so much I could say about Synergy School, but will sum it up by saying I think it is the best school in the United States. I wish I had been a student here growing up, I would have thrived!
Remember to take your sketchbooks, cameras, and paint sets on your summer trips! Try to get to some of our fabulous Bay Area art museums, and even visit a gallery or two.
As for me, I’ll be traveling some, visiting art museums, working on my art, sleeping, and planning new and exciting art projects for the 2015-2016 school year.
Have a restful, creative, and juicy summer!
Hugs,
Pam
For this project, the students looked at over 30 images of famous buildings from around the world. We talked a little about the ones that were unfamiliar. The images were printed out and the children chose one that was interesting to them. The building was sketched on a sheet of newsprint paper. The students transferred the drawing to a sheet of printing foam by tracing their lines. When complete, the building was cut out with scissors and/or an Exacto knife.
On another day they learned the watercolor technique of wet into wet. The paper was saturated with water and wet paint was dropped into it. They folded their watercolor paper, and painted a sky and the water. When dry, the students were instructed to use a brayer, inking plate, and black ink to print their building. I think they look really cool!
This year’s Synergeyes Art Show was a great success. The show was held in a new venue, the walls of Synergy School!
Synergy’s Art Committee (parent volunteers and me) curated and hung the show. I worked with the Committee to select work so we had 2-3 examples from each Synergy artist (1-2 two-dimensional pieces and 1 three-dimensional piece). We also chose work to represent as many projects as possible. For several days before show, the group worked to hang the art.
On the evening of the opening reception, the ceramic sculptures were put on display in the hallways, and tables of treats were set up in the center of the Big Room.
We had a great turn out! Students walked their parents through the halls, showing off their creations and talking about the work by their classmates. At 6:30 I gave a guided tour throughout the exhibition, stopping to talk for a few minutes about the work in each gallery. The tour was repeated again at 7:00. I dare say Synergy never looked as beautiful as it did that night. Many remarked how interesting it was to see the progression of art skills through the grades and the outrageous talent of our students.
I look forward to creating the next Synergeyes Art Show a year from now and making it even more spectacular! A big thank you to all who attended, my committee co-chairs Ana and Laura, the rest of the Art Committee, and the entire staff of Synergy School.
Creatively Yours,
Pam
For this project, the 7th graders watched a short video documentary/interview of artist Wayne Thiebaud and looked at examples of some of his most famous works. They sketched out two or more foods and added shadows to provide depth. The drawings were painted with watercolor paints in a realistic manner. When complete, the lines were traced with bright pencil colors in Thiebaud’s style.
The students were introduced to the large, mixed media sculptures of Claus Oldenberg. Many of his pieces are gigantic sculptures of pop culture foods. The students chose a food to sculpt realistically in clay. One of the challenges was to construct the piece well so parts would not fall off and it would not explode in the kiln. The glaze was also applied realistically. Students mixed and layered glazes for desired effects. They look yummy!!!
Synergeyes (Synergy School's Visual Arts Blog) 