Welcome to Art Teacher Tuesday!

As you can see, it's been awhile since I've posted. I've been stuck trying to figure out the direction to take this blog. I need to F-O-C-U-S. Focus is a juggling act. Am I super mom today? Or art teacher? Or artist? All are an important part of me. A solution was in order. What did "we" come up with?  Art Teacher Tuesday! (Cheesy???? Perhaps, but I'm an elementary art teacher, "Cheesy" is part of my job description).

Summer break is coming to a quick end here in metro Phoenix. Earlier this week, Nancy, my Partner In Crime, and I, met over tacos to plot our blogging adventures. First we did some simple math. Between the two of us we have over 50 years of experience as art educators! Talk about brain picking! In addition, we have several talented colleagues that we look forward to highlighting over the coming school year.

Each Tuesday Nancy and I will be sharing tips on art lessons, classroom management and blogs we might find helpful. We'll also review student art displays and local exhibits.

Today, the 4th Tuesday of the month, we're highlighting our school district office art displays.

 

Each month art teachers from our district set up 2-D and 3-D displays at our district offices. Anyone entering the main board room encounters two 3-D cases filled with the best of our students' art work. Starting out this school year, we get an overview of Ms. H's K-5 student work from last school year.

Let's start with pancakes. Who doesn't like pancakes? Can you imagine an art teacher telling her students they're going to make pancakes in art class? Ms. H did but instead of batter they used earthen clay in the Kinder classes. Little hands rolled and pressed clay. Found objects were used to create designs. Lastly, the flat pieces were shaped by molding around little knees. After firing, the clay pieces were painted with watercolor highlighting the wonderful textures of the designs.

From pressing to pinching. It's always fun to get students to pinch without them getting into any trouble. First graders made nests from pinch pots adding sculptural, feathered friends by rolling and pinching their clay.

2nd and 3rd graders learned about symmetry and organic shapes then created colorful butterflies. Students used watercolor to paint their winged friends after discovering how to mix tertiary colors. The artists were encouraged to choose a color palette of warm or cool colors. I can picture this beauty visiting my garden!

The perfect pinch pot was the goal for these 2nd grade projects. The students were required to test their skills to score, add slip and press their clay, attaching pieces together to build cupcakes with cherry topped frosting,

 

"Bear" bowls

Ducks

and Penguins were also on the 2nd grade menu!

 

Using traditional clay building techniques, 3rd graders rolled coils to their hearts' content, building  these functional vessels. Usually, the coils would be smoothed over. Here the coils were used as a decorative element.

Rolling pins are a fun tool to use that require skill and muscle. Ms. H's 4th graders used their know-how to roll flat slabs of clay to create these fanciful creatures of the sea. The clay slabs were shaped around balled newspapers. Tails and fins were formed, eyes added and textures pressed creating patterned scales.

Do you get the feeling someone is looking at you? Mosey on over to handsheadnheart, my Partner in Crime's blog to read about the 2-D display at district.

It's been a busy spring and summer. While Tuesdays are reserved for the art teacher in me, I have lots of art and more to share with you.

Marissa