Matisse's Icarus

Henri Matisse was a French painter who became very famous for using extraordinarily bold colors. Later in life, as his health began to fail, Matisse turned to making collages. His last, and most important works were a collection of mixed-media collages. Matisse arranged boldly colored paper cutouts into striking compositions, and added text in his own handwriting to produce a book that has been referred to as "the visual counterpart of jazz music".

Henri Matisse made his famous collages from white paper hand-painted with specially pigmented gouache. (He was sick, so he had an assistant prepare the paper. The pigments Matisse selected were the same pigments he planned to use when printing the book.)

Henri Matisse wrote: "The paper cutouts allow me to draw with color. For me, it is a simplification. Instead of drawing an outline and then filling in with color - with one modifying the other - I draw directly in color... It is not a starting point, it is a completion."

Henri was is also revered as a beloved painter, but his paper cut outs add another interesting chapter to his life.  I show the work of Matisse to my fifth graders and then teach them body proportion.  I focus on the Icarus picture of Matisse's.  Next students cut out shapes out of paper in 3 colors and glue to a background.  Next they cut a figure out of black paper inspired by Icarus.  Last they cut out a few shapes to glue on top. 

Fine Arts Night

My school has a Fine Arts Night every year.  This is a night dedicated just to Music, Art, and Physical Education.  I hang up work in every place I can find, the music teacher puts on a few amazing plays, skits, and performances, and our phys. ed teacher does movement and exercise activities.  Because this is my first year I didn't know what to expect, but was blown away by the turn out, excitement and participation.  Here are a few pics of the artwork I displayed for our fantastic artists. 

NYC

                                Mosaics are everywhere in NY.  Here is a great one at a Subway Stop

                          I have always loved Picasso Three Musicians and always include it in my lesson plans. 

 My favorite thing of the entire city.  I sometimes would stare endlessly at this Roebling Masterpiece. 

 Frank Lloyd Wright's greatest wonder....the Guggenheim.  When I nannyed for a family in NY, the girl's school was a block from this museum.  At least once a week I took a stroll by and always snapped some pics. 

                                                 A Roy Lictenstein in Time Square Subway Station. 

                                                                   Calder Wire Circus

My favorite art in NYC....street Art. 

So, if you don't know by now  I am obsessed with New York City.  I feel so blessed to have been able to have lived in this amazing city filled to the brim with everything....including art.  I was fortunate enough to have lived a "fairy tale" life in NYC of working part time, and in the other "part time" I painted, went to art museums and tried to search endlessly for everything I could find in NY.  Obviously, you could live a life time in this city and never see all of it's wonders but I am going to post some of my very favorite ART wonders.

Frank STELLAAAAAA!

I hadn't taught Frank Stella and didn't know much about him.  When Curtis worked in NYC his office building had a huge gorgeous Stella in the lobby.  When we returned to Ohio I decided it was time.  First the students took a black piece of tag board.  I then wrapped newspaper in bubble wrap for a ball about the size of a lemon.  They chose a color of paint and stamped the bubble wrap on the tag board.  Then I cut up white cardboad (copy machine paper boxes) in all different squares, triangles etc. I let the kids go how wild with permanent markers making "non objective" symbols such as lines, circles and dots.  Next I used scrap tag board of all colors and let them use crazy scissors, and hole punches.  I explained to them what a relief sculpture was and the difference between non-objective and objective work.  They glued all their shapes and pieces on the board for some fantastic mini Stellas.  Above you will see the work in the law office in NYC and some in my "office" in Ohio. 

The Marker Cap Color Wheel

For a few years now I have been semi-trying to think of something fun/creative to do with marker caps,  It always bothered me that the markers my students used just got pitched after awhile and were done.  At the beginning of this school year I was laying in bed thinking that I wanted to make something and wanted to do it now, so the marker caps from this year would be put to a good use.  I had thought of a famous painting done "mosaic" like and then realized you would new a bunch of certain colors and none of other colors.  I didn't want the student to think they should throw away some.....but not others.  So, it hit me.  What more appropriate in an artroom than a HUGE color wheel.  I went to my principal the next morning and asked him If I could hot glue the caps right to the wall and he agreed it would be a great addition.  My principal was a math teach too, so he helped me with the drawing and measuring of the circle.  The kids all hand me caps as soon as they think the markers have no ink, give me some from home, and other art teachers have donated.  This picture was taken in December.....it's much further along now, but not finished!

mural

The walls outside my art room were a little white and blank.  All year long I wanted to add som pizazz but it's hard to come in on the weekend.  I decided this years Fine Arts Festival was perfect timing so with no time to spare I called my mom the weekend before to help me because time was running out.  It was a lot of hard work and long hours but the mural has given the hallway some new life and fun.  Here are a few pics!

Kente Cloth

During African American History Month (February), I like to do a second grade weaving project.  I read kids the book Kente Colors and then have them make their "cloth" out of paper.  I explain to them what each color symbolizes in the traditional African cloth and they pick accordingly to the things they identify with.