Art Club: Ojo de Dios!

In art club the final project was creating Christmas ornaments out of yarn. First we looked at the tradition of woven art in Latin American cultures. The practice of weaving mandalas with yarn and sticks is often called "Ojo de Dios" or "Eye of God." Once inspired, these little artists set to creating their own!

4th Grade: Taj Mahal Paintings!

In 4th Grade we have just completed our unit on Islamic art and architecture. Students learned that, just like Christian cultures during the middle ages, arabic culture's religion of Islam had elaborate illuminated manuscripts. These manuscripts were filled with bright colors and elegant calligraphy. 

We also took a special look at Islamic architecture through studying the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. Students learned to recognize common features like domes, minarets, and archways. 

Our final art project for the quarter was a painting of the Taj Mahal. Students learned to use rulers, one point perspective, and symmetry to create their drawings. Once they had their drawing they learned how to correctly use watercolor and mix and blend colors on their palettes. I reviewed a little color theory and briefly explained complimentary colors. Students then used purple (the compliment of yellow) to created the shadows in their Taj Mahal. I am so proud of how well these little artists followed direction and explored their own creativity. Here are a few examples of exceptional student work (so hard to choose, they were all so good!):

3rd Grade: Edvard Munch Moonscapes!

At the tail end of the semester 3rd Grade continued to explore Expressionism with Edvard Munch by furthering their skills in oil pastel drawing. This also reviewed foreground, middle ground, and background. Each student did a copy of a moonscape by the artist. Take a look at their beautiful work!