Inspired by Romare Bearden's Jazz Collages

First and second graders learned about artist Romare Bearden. Bearden lived in Harelm during the birth of the jazz age. Many of his mixed media collages show jazz musicians and dancers. We looked at many of Bearden's jazz collages and then created our own using a variety of materials.

Inspired by Van Gogh's Starry Night

Third and fourth grade artists were given the challenge to recreate their own versions of Van Gogh's Starry Night, using only a black pen.  We looked closely at several of Van Gogh's paintings, noting the texture and the brush strokes.  We talked about how we could pretend that our pens are paintbrushes and represent each brush stroke with a pen line.  Check out the great results!

Rainbow Fish

Kindergarten artists read the book "Rainbow Fish," by Marcus Pfister. We talked about the moral in the story and then made rainbow fish using oil pastels, liquid watercolors and shiny paper.

Under the Sea Silk Paintings

Fifth and sixth grade artists chose sea creatures to feature in the silk paintings. We used salt to create bursts of color on the painted silk.

Remembering MLK Jr.

Vermont Community Foundation "Small and Inspiring" Grant for the Bridge Street Art Fair

Bridge Street Art Fair- Saturday, May 18, 2013

We received a $1000 “Small and Inspiring” grant from the Vermont Community Foundation to support our Bridge Street Art Fair.  This event will take place on the afternoon of Saturday, May 18, 2013 and will showcase student artwork alongside professional artists.  It will also serve to connect the community and schools to the businesses and organizations surrounding Bridge Street in Waitsfield.  There will be a craft fair, performances, arts and craft activities and demonstrations, food vendors and community art projects.  In order for this first time event to be a success, significant support from parents and community members is needed.  I am looking to put together a committee that will work to make this event a success.  I am looking for help in several different areas including preliminary planning and organization, soliciting sponsors or contacting businesses, public relations, organizing the craft fair, managing and setting up the student art show, coordinating art fair activities and performances, and taking care of set up and logistics.  Please let me know if you are interested in helping in any way, big or small.  Contact me at Nmcdonough@waitsfieldschool.org

Today's inspiration:

First and second graders made abstract paintings for the backgrounds of their Romare Bearden collages. This first grader's painting was too beautiful not to share.

Creativity is intelligence ...

Inspired by M.C. Escher's Tessellations