5th Grade Legacy Project

5th Grade artists are studying the art of the Totem Pole, which are created by Native American tribes who live in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and Canada. Each student is creating a design that includes their name, the years 2015 - 2016, and an animal or human face that is in relief. Two students are sharing one cylinder piece, and the pieces will be assembled into class totem poles once they have been fired into ceramic form. My plan is to have the three different totem poles installed by the end of May, before our 5th graders graduate from Zilker. The totem poles will be in the fifth grade courtyard, and will be  permanent art sculptures for future Zilker students to enjoy. For now, enjoy the process through these photos!

Kinder and First Grade Circle Paintings

 Continuing our grade level projects, Kinder and First Grade classes worked together to create some amazing cooperative paintings. Wassily Kandinsky was our artist inspiration. We started with basic shapes and painted right onto the large sheets of paper.  After the shapes covered the paper, students connected the shapes with different kinds of lines.

 Students then worked together to add lots of vibrant color.  These are beautiful - please come see them in person on Thursday February 6th at Zilker Family Night!  Our school will be open to visitors from 5:30 - 8 pm....hope to see you there!

 

4th Grade Recycled Art Group Project

It has been over a month since I have posted, and for very good reasons: We have been so busy in the art room, not to mention our TWO unexpected ice days in January!  Family Night at Zilker is on Thursday, February 6th, and Zilker art students have been busy working on group projects to be displayed for our parents and students' viewing. 

Fourth Grade Students studied the artist Louise Nevelson and her relief sculptures.  Here is one that we looked closely at, and discussed her use of shape, form, and shadow.

 We used cardboard that I have been saving from delivery boxes.  Each fourth grade students created a relief sculpture that had variety of shapes and sizes, as well as different textures.  Students also had to arrange the cardboard pieces so that they produced a shadow.  Here they are all together:

 Below is a side view so you can check out how the students created the "relief" part...lots of parts sticking outward to create shadows!

 I love these so much...please come by the Zilker Cafeteria during Family Night to see these in person!