TEA Art Update May 2018
TEA ART takes the cake at Humane Society of Truckee Tahoe (HSTT) art contest!
There is a lot going on these days in the art room. We have nice weather which allows us to open the doors and let nature in! Spirits are high in spring and we have been using this new energy to bring our final projects to life.
This last month marked the deadline for a K-5th-grade art contest at Humane Society of Truckee Tahoe. The theme of the contest centered around “be kind to animals”. Students had to dig into this topic and think of creative ways to represent this idea on paper. Of course, students simultaneously thought about craftsmanship and elaboration.
Most students from TEA grades Kindergarten through 4th grade submitted artworks. There were submissions from other local schools as well. The categories were K-1st, 2nd-3rd, and 4th-5th.
And wouldn’t you know it, TEA artists won both the K-1st and 2nd-3rd categories! Congratulations to Riley in the Chickadee crew and David in the Echo crew for winning each category respectively. They both will get the choice of a hat or t-shirt from HSTT, their art will be hung in the lobby for a month, and they will be featured in HSTT’s social media feeds. Rock and roll Riley and David!
Congratulations to Riley in the Chickadee crew and David in the Echo crew!
In other news, the students have been busy working on art projects that align with their learning expeditions.
The Kindergarten crew has been working on drawings of frogs and 1st-graders have been illustrating birds. 2nd and 3rd grades are working on a cumulative project for the end of the year. These classes have been invested in illustrating animals for the HSTT and are now ready for something larger. This week we will be outlining some student ideas for a larger collaboration.
Simultaneously, they are working on a project that has them creating a theme for the pictures they make. I can draw 5 pictures that _____. Each student chooses a topic that says something about who they are as an individual. Then they stretch their imaginations to find imagery to both meet the topic and creatively fill the category.
The Sierra Nevada Yellow-Legged Mountain Frog has never looked so good!
They have had to work in small groups, share ideas, and solve problems that arise when opinions differ.
4th grade is finishing up the second large collaboration painting project. They have had to work in small groups, share ideas, and solve problems that arise when opinions differ. The imagery they have chosen for the projects is meant to be inclusive of all painters involved. Whether they are all pedals of the same flower, or fish swimming in the same ocean, the 4th- grade students have learned what it means to collaborate and work effectively as a group.
5th Grade is undertaking a t-shirt project for the emergency service people in the greater Reno-Truckee-Tahoe area. Working in small groups these kids have split into designing a logo for Fire, EMS, and Police. Each image is representative not only of the job involved but also about the place we live and metaphors we created for the people who do these jobs here. These students really look up to our Emergency Servicemen and women, and this respect is apparent in their drawings. After many drafts and revisions, we will choose one to three of the images and have them printed on T-shirts which will be sold at the EMS Bbq in June. Of course, all profits will go to families who have lost loved ones in the line of duty.
One to three of the images and have them printed on T-shirts which will be sold at our Annual First Responders BBQ in June.
With each iteration of this sculpted vessel the craftsmanship and understanding of the medium improves.
6th Grade is having an exciting time working with clay. These students are working with ceramics as a connected topic to their fire expedition. To begin the project we have been working on sculpting small face vases. With each iteration of this sculpted vessel, the craftsmanship and understanding of the medium improves. Once we have built a variety of works and fired them once in the Electric kiln (bisque fired), we will dive into kiln history. There are three types of firings that we will explore.
The ancient pit firing (barrel fire) which is the oldest form of firing pots. Then, Raku firing which is an old Japanese style of firing that was hybridized by Americans in the 80s. and lastly electric mid-firing, which is the most common modern firing usually intended for creating food safe dinnerware. Among the broader topic of ceramics and functionality will be conversations about reduction atmosphere, vitrification, quarts inversion, and chemical properties of materials used to make a glaze.
6th-graders are clearly having no fun at all while working with clay ;)
Along with making art that is centric to their expeditions, our students will dive into a little more community work.
Along with making art that is centric to their expeditions, our students will dive into a little more community work for our beloved Dave Ferrari. Dave has been a huge advocate for the school and allowed us to continue inhabiting his newly build home long past the anticipated deadline.
Dave has been a leader in the Kings Beach community for many years before, so it is no wonder he has been so gracious in supporting the school. We want to say thank you to Dave as we leave the HQ and move to the new campus. To do this, we will be creating one or two original artworks for dave (he is a huge arts supporter) to let him know how much we appreciate what he has done for our students and school.
