Showing posts with label mindfulness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mindfulness. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Penguin Problems
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Mindfulness Mazes
The Morning Mindfulness group met today to work on making mazes. Mazes offer a chance for focus and concentration, both while creating them and while solving them. These mazes were created in a very short time with intense focus and attention to detail.
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Morning Mindfulness Painting to Music
"Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally" - Jon Kabat-Zinn
Our Morning Mindfulness group practiced mindfulness through art by painting to music. We tried to quiet our internal judges and be in the moment while creating. We focused on the process of creating, rather than the finished product. We experimented with different painting techniques that incorporate use of body or breath. Overall, we felt focused, creative and calm while creating beautiful artwork.
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Nature Mandalas, Mindfulness and Process vs. Product
Our fifth and sixth grade Morning Mindfulness group took advantage of this beautiful late-fall weather and took our practice outside. We took a 5 Senses walk around the school, trying to notice at least one thing for each sense. We didn't think we would find anything for taste, but we came across some parsley left over in the garden.
Before heading outside, we looked at the work of Andy Goldsworthy. We talked about how he creates art using entirely natural materials, then watches as nature takes its course. Goldsworthy spends hours creating meticulous works in nature, then watches as the tide comes in to wash away his work, or the sun melts the ice, or wind blows the leaves. Focus on the process of creating, rather than the product, is an important part of mindfulness. Mindfulness helps us be 'in the moment' as we work, rather than focused exclusively on the outcome. Here are some of Andy Goldsworthy's creations:
Click here to see more student work inspired by Andy Goldsworthy.
Here is our Morning Mindfulness group's Nature Mandala:
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Vermont Art Teacher's Association Conference at Shelburne Museum
This year's keynote speaker was Nacy Walkup. She is the editor of SchoolArts magazine and leader of art teacher professional development that focuses on social justice and international folk art. She shared several examples of humanitarian based art projects, some of which I have explored with students in the past. I feel strongly that art is an effective medium for helping students feel connected to their world and feel that they can make a difference, so this presentation spoke to my passion for this. Click here to see Nancy's write-up of the conference on the SchoolArts Blog.
The first workshop I attended connected nicely with the work that Katie Babic and I are doing with a small group fifth and sixth graders around mindfulness. This workshop was lead by artist Gowri Savoor. She taught about the Indian art of Rangoli, which is traditionally a mandala-type pattern created from chalk dust on the ground during the holiday of Diwali. We created our own Rangoli designs using colored rice. The process is meditative and calming and the art is ephemeral- it only lasts for a short period of time. I enjoyed working with other people to create a group Rangoli design. Click here for more examples of Rangoli art.
The first workshop I attended connected nicely with the work that Katie Babic and I are doing with a small group fifth and sixth graders around mindfulness. This workshop was lead by artist Gowri Savoor. She taught about the Indian art of Rangoli, which is traditionally a mandala-type pattern created from chalk dust on the ground during the holiday of Diwali. We created our own Rangoli designs using colored rice. The process is meditative and calming and the art is ephemeral- it only lasts for a short period of time. I enjoyed working with other people to create a group Rangoli design. Click here for more examples of Rangoli art.
The second workshop I attended was about the Panamanian art of Molas. Click here for more information about Molas. During this workshop, we used colored felt to create our own Molas.
Spending a day at Shelburne Museum in the fall in such a treat! In
addition to enjoying the beautiful grounds and exhibits, I visited the
European Art collection to see paintings by Monet, Cassatt, Manet and
Degas. It is quite an experience to be up close and personal with such
famous works of art!
I also enjoyed an exhibit of contemporary and mostly local art called "Eyes on the Land." This is a collection of works that explore how our landscape can be viewed using a variety of arts media. This display is a collaboration between the Vermont Land Trust and the Shelburne Museum. 
Friday, October 2, 2015
Chalk Pastel Landscapes inspired by Wolf Kahn
"The horizon, though in actuality a dividing line, must become, in a painting, a place where sky and land meet and mesh and become seamless."
Wolf Kahn's artwork makes me feel calm and centered. If I can't go out for a walk in the woods, looking at his paintings and pastels of forest and mountain landscapes is the next best thing. Although Kahn primarily lives and works in New York City, when looking at his work it is obvious that he also spends time in Vermont. Kahn has a part-time residence in Brattleboro!
Wolf Kahn is a German-born artist who combines realism with an art style called "color field." Color field painting is when the color is the main subject of the piece of artwork.
First and second graders looked at examples of Wolf Kahn's trees and landscapes. We used chalk pastels to create color field backgrounds, then add trees and other landscape elements.
Here are some examples of first and second grade art inspired by Wolf Kahn. In addition to the peaceful subject matter of these landscapes, many students noticed the effect that blending the chalk pastels had on them. Don't you feel calmer already?
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