Veggie Fence Mural

 So there is this wonderful collaboration going on with our school and a local business/restaurant named "Odd Duck."  They have donated time and money to expand the gardens we have had for a long while that have been primarily taken care of by former Zilker parent and neighborhood legend Jabo.  Here is the amazing sign that PTA created for the area ( I LOVE the rake as the sign post!)

 Each class planted an area with veggies, and are taking care of their plots.  Here is an over view of the whole area.

And here's a fenced-in PPCD play area that is just begging to be "Zilkerized!" Not to worry: my art students will be painting some great veggie designs so we can jazz up this area and connect it to the awesome learning they are doing in the classrooms about plants, food, gardening, and healthy eating.  Stay tuned: I am in the process of gathering supplies and writing lessons so all the grade levels can contribute to this community project.  I am hoping to be finished by late Fall 2015.

Blog Posts Paused because......

......the Zilker Student School-wide Art Show is opening in less than two weeks!  

I am super busy getting artwork mounted to banners like in the photo below:

I'm also mounting artwork and adding names to other works that will be on bulletin boards.  Ms. Wilson, our traveling art teacher, is hard at work too.

I haven't forgotten about updating our blog....just busy getting all of the outstanding art ready for the art show!! Almost 500 students is A LOT OF ARTWORK!!

 The Art Show Opening is Friday, April 10 at 5:30 pm, coinciding with Zilker's Talent Show, so I hope to see a lot of you there!

Kinder Fish Sculptures

Remember this post from a few weeks ago? 

http://zilkerelementaryart.blogspot.com/2015/01/winter-happenings-in-art-room-kinder.html  

Check out the finished Kinder Fish Sculptures that are brightening the Art Room Hallway!!

AustinISD District Art Show Participants

 March is Youth Art Month, and in AISD we celebrate by displaying student art in the District wide Art Show!  This year we were able to display in our brand new Performing Arts Center building. It is always so difficult to pick just a few artists to represent Zilker, and that is why I have a School-wide Art Show in April every year, so I can display EVERYONE'S Art!  I wasn't able to see every student who made it there on Sunday, March 8 (it was so crowded!), but here are a few of the amazing artists who represented Zilker this year in the district art show:

A big thank you to families who made it out to the Opening despite the rain!

2nd Grade Kandinsky-inspired Weavings

Second grade artists learned about the Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky and looked closely at his use of line on his abstract artworks.  Then students took a line "for a walk" and created a linear design with a black crayon.  We added textures with texture rubbings after deciding upon a cool color or warm color scheme.  Then we created a loom for weaving by carefully cutting five slits into our papers.   Students began weaving the opposite color scheme into their looms with strips of paper.  Using a white crayon, students added texture to a black piece of construction paper, and glued their paper weavings to this to create a frame.  Last, students added more lines around the border with oil pastels.

1st Grade Abstract Paintings

First Grade art students are learning brush techniques in painting.  Students first learned about the different parts of a paintbrush:

Students practiced just using the "toe" of the bristles to create a very thin line.  Then we practiced painting with the heel and toe, gently pressing down all the bristles to make a really thick line.  Students were amazed that they could paint such different lines with the same brush! After practicing painting different kinds of lines, students then practiced painting large shapes with solid colors.

Next, students tried out painting shapes or lines on top of colors.  It was a fun experiment to see which colors could show up on top of the painted backgrounds. The final touch was adding a few lines around the border, and painting their names.  To see them all, check out our online students art gallery at Artsonia:   http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=926366

4th Grade Sewing

Fourth Grade artists are busy finishing up their Radial Design sewing.  Students have learned at least five different kinds of stitches: running, straight, cross, satin, as well as decorated or fancy running stitch.  Students designed their work to have a symmetrical balance, and a few have radial balance, which is two or more lines of symmetry.  We are sewing into burlap, which is loosely woven, and makes it a little easier to line up the design because of the grid-like pattern the fibers have.  These will be on display for our School-wide Student Art Show in April!

5th Grade Contour Line Bicycle Drawings

5th Grade artists are studying contour line, and drawing from direct observation a common, everyday object: a bicycle! I brought in my bicycle, and students drew parts of the bicycle using a viewfinder to help them frame their composition.

Contour line can be tricky because you have to look at the object you are drawing more than down at your paper, which is what we automatically want to do.  You are also not supposed to pick up your pencil, instead making a long continuous line, but I allowed students to take their pencils off of the paper, as long as they placed it back on the line when they began drawing again.  I call it "modified contour line."  The view finders can be seen sitting on the tables in the below photo.

                                                     

After practicing at least five contour line drawings of different parts of the bike, students chose two different views of the bike to make into their final watercolor.  To further abstract the work, students are adding imaginary colors to both the positive shapes of the bike, and to the negative spaces behind and around the bike shapes.  Students are also using different brush techniques to add the color.

These are turning out spectacular...I just LOVE the bright colors!  Be sure to look for them in the hallway in April for the School-wide Art Show!