The World as Light Box

One holds the horse stead - the other draws

Some say art is about transformation.

That is how I am thinking about the activities of two 5^th graders last week. On day two the Drawing Center “opened.” The various tools, materials, references and resources artists use when they draw were highlighted and a box of animal models was introduced. One artist decided she wanted to draw from the horse model and slipped out the door with a friend to use the sun for some help. Using the cast shadow as a reference, a drawing was made.

What this artist did was transform a three dimensional object into a two dimensional one that was easier to draw on a two dimensional sheet of drawing paper.

Pretty clever.

But it was very hard for her drawing assistant to hold the horse still enough to get a good shadow tracing, so - 

Looking at the shadow cast above, I think a lesson on Lascaux Cave paintings is next...

the next day they came to the studio, I had an old overhead projector set up, with the horse standing by. The two girls who initiated this project knew at once that this apparatus was for them, and began to experiment with it, producing several drawings before moving on to other work.

Planning for Art

 Our classroom, set up as a learning studio, offers opportunity and flexibility for diverse approaches to art to suit many different learning styles and preferences.
The predictability of the art studio facilitates advance planning; students know what materials, tools, time and space will be available for their artmaking.

Students plan for their work in the studio in different ways – some think about art at home and come in with sketches or blueprints to work from. 

Others settle into a corner of the studio and draw up plans or lists to guide their activities.

Some students bring in sketchbooks or journals where they have noted their plans or where previous drawings are stored and used for inspiration and a way forward. 

Each artist has to discover and develop their own creative routines and processes. Some students flourish through collaborative artmaking, others prefer to work alone. 

Some artists work intuitively, taking things as they come and noticing what “looks right” or what “feels right.” Others begin with a plan but allow for alterations depending on how things go or what materials are available.

Our classroom, set up as a learning studio, offers opportunity and flexibility for varied approaches to art to suit diverse learning styles.

And so we begin!

I like to ask a big question at the start of each year (or trimester, in this case). It is interesting to see how student artists respond to big questions. In the past I have asked: “What is Art?” or “Why make art?” Once I asked “What is the purpose of art.”

Some 8th Grade Boys' Responses

This year I realized that the 8^th graders, for the first time in this school, are ones I “raised” from 5^th graders 3 years ago. These are my 8^th graders. And, the incoming 5^th graders have just come from an elementary program where choice-based art was introduced last year. So these 5^th graders are the first batch of kids I have ever received who have had a prior experience in a student-directed studio art setting. Exciting stuff!
 

So the question I asked was easy for my students to answer: WHAT KIND OF ARTIST ARE YOU?

Some 5th Grade responses

Students might say they are a painter or a potter, or maybe a portrait artist or a landscape artist. Some said they were fiber artists and one an abstract expressionist. My 8^th graders have had 3 years to discover the answer to this question, and the new 5^th graders are enthusiastic about developing their skills and ideas around subjects or media that they are exploring.

Some 8th grade girls' reponses



"The Book" is Here at Last!

I am THRILLED to announce the debut of our book: The Learner-Directed Classroom!!!

This is an anthology I have been working on with my colleague Diane Jaquith. It illustrates how learner-directed practice looks and works in real classrooms at all levels. Contributors to the book are experienced teachers interested in learner-autonomy, creativity and a new vision for art education – and education generally. 
Did I mention that I am THRILLLLLLED!!! Thank you Diane for suggesting this project - It is an inspiring collection and a valuable resource. Thank you also to all the contributors - You are my heroes.

The book will be available in September, but you can pre-order now!

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/d6ace4e
Teacher's College Press:  http://store.tcpress.com/0807753629.shtml

Double Negative

A boy in my “AG” (morning advisory group) studied the above sign for some minutes and finally declared: “That’s a double negative.”

I agreed and asked him what that meant as far as the sentiment of the sign – he said “it means; "We agree with splatter painting.”

Which, of course, it does.

With about two weeks left in the school year, some articulate, persuasive 5^th grade girls began an impassioned campaign to get me to change my rule about splatter painting. My rule is: say no as long as possible. But what I say to students is " the rule is: no splatter painting in the studio.”

It only takes a few days, persistent desire and good weather for students to ask: “Can we splatter paint OUTSIDE?”

It also helps that their teacher is a push over and that there is a back door to the art room, leading to wide open spaces.
Now the rule is: Suit up and leave your shoes and socks on the step

Look! An Artist!

I had the immense privilege to attend my former student’s art opening this week at the Hopkins Center in Hanover New Hampshire. Max is a Dartmouth graduate who discovered a love for architecture during his freshman year. This interest led him to fine art and voila! An artist! His work reflects his complex personality and diverse influences and has gained many honors – you can see it  by visiting his webpage: http://maxvanpelt.com/

 

Max makes sculptures and drawings. I was impressed with the variety of materials he uses in his work, and took a picture of one of the labels associated with a very large drawing.

I want to show this to my current students, because I ask them to identify the media they use, and to title their work, when filling out an “artist’s statement.” This information is displayed with their work.  I think they will be interested to see how this is employed in a gallery setting.

ANIMATION 2012!

The “Animation Station” in the studio features 2 “stages,” 2 cameras, 2 tripods, a roll of fishing line and Plasticine clay.

Animators can make characters to populate their films or use other objects from around the room for characters and props. Backdrops can be pinned to the wall behind the stage.

Teams of two work well –one person snapping the pictures while the other moves the characters. Animations with a lot of characters do better when a third team member is added. A rhythm emerges: move, snap, move, snap – like clockwork, until 80-200 photos are amassed and post-production can begin.

Stop action painting/collage project: "The Flood"

After all the pictures are imported, sound effects, visual effects, titles and music can be added.

The important thing about making a stop-action movie? Keep the camera still and make tiny, incremental moves with the characters. That and a clever idea = a winning formula.