ART

As we approach spring, we are starting to think of ideas for the Grandparents Luncheon and entering the Long Island Sound poster contest.  I hope many of our families were able to come see the wonderful art work the students created for the school wide Art Fair to celebrate Catholic Schools month. 

Pre-K had an impressive display of examples of mosaics.  They used many different materials to understand the art form and their classroom was a big array of color and sculpture. Mrs. Kupcho created a large felt American flag and beautiful crosses with glass beads to add to the displays.  

Kindergarten's artwork worked hand in hand with the curriculum Mrs. Kelly was exploring with the students.  In art class we did drawings of Indian chiefs, teepees and clay sculpture which complimented the dreamcatchers, rainstick and large Teepee created in the classroom. 

The First graders learned about different types of Folk Art.  From making squares of a Friendship quilt to checkerboards and dolls; the students learned about this art form.  Mrs. Mastrogiovanni also added to the displays but involving the students in carving soap to create a "Schrimshaw" or carved piece of ivory.  They also worked on button collages and folk art portraits.

The Second grade jumped into expressionism and cubism as art forms.  Recreating the concentric circles of Sonya Delaney and portraits in the style of Picasso got their creative energy flowing.  Still lifes in the style of Cezanne also broadened their understand of art from this time period.  Mrs. Visentin took cubism to a 3D perspective by having the students construct actual cubes from a diagram.

Impressionism was the direction the Third grade went in their studies of art for the Art Fair.  Beginning with the cut paper design inspired by Matisse to Pointillism to pastel drawing in the style of Charles Demuth.  Mrs. Shugrue involved the class in a project that emulated the painting "Water Lilies" by Monet.  Using paint for the background and having the students create a 3D water lily the results were stunning.

The Fourth grade was working in Literature on a book that talked about the painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo. Mrs. Propfe had the students lay on the floor under their desks and get the feel for painting on the ceiling of the chapel.  Each student depicted a bible story in this fashion which was displayed on the ceiling in the classroom.  To follow along with this style of art, in the artroom was continued to explore Greek and Roman art.  Drawing ancient Greek vases, Greek columns and Roman statues, the students got a feel for art from that time period. We also used plaster of Paris to simulate what a fresco painting was like.

In the upper grades, the teachers transformed their bulletin boards, room and hallways into an art world.  The Fifth grade explored Surrealism complete with Calder mobiles and Dali dream pictures. The Sixth grade used "Black and White" art to express themselves. From watercolor to cut paper to pencil, the students saw what they could accomplish with varying shades of gray.  The Seventh grade learned about Art Deco.  The glitz and glamour of this time period was interesting to use in paintings and drawings.  The students also worked on designs for stain glass window with the influence of Tiffany’s.  Modern art took over the eighth grade room.  From Keith Haring's urban art to more classic modern art like that from Jackson Pollock, the students were challenged to create their own versions. The Art exhibit ended with a Modern sculpture garden display with clay pieces placed on a park scene the students created.  A lot of wonderful work by lots of very talented student artists!

                            Mrs. Pazdziorko