Here’s some of the work Middle School Students have created in the Trimester 2 Art Elective.
We discussed the history of still life painting, and what it means to make art from observation. Students made still life paintings of objects that are important to them, or chose to sculpt from observation.
Some students chose to make abstract paintings:
We learned about mask making in Africa, and discussed the difference between traditional art forms that are integral to daily life and spiritual ritual within a culture, versus art that we might view in a museum or gallery. Students made masks out of plaster, using their own face as a mold. They were given freedom to design them however they chose, and could make them functional or non-functional.
For our printmaking project, we watched a video about artist Favianna Rodriguez and the political issues she addresses in her prints. Students thought about an issue they care about in the world, and how they might use art to impact it. They designed a block print, carving into a rubber block and printing their image on paper. They created many copies of their print, so they could hand them out or post them up, spreading their activist message.
This is what our classroom looked like while work was in progress!
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