Art Loft Love

And have you danced your way through it? (Cue Earth, Wind, & Fire, of course.) This month has flown by in the Art Loft! We have been busy bees creating sketchbooks and new projects, and our Bellflower Artsonia Gallery is off to a great start!

As always, please contact me any time you have a question, concern, or creative idea! The best way to contact me is by email - burnettc@mentorschools.org. I look forward to partnering together with you to make this a successful year.

Enjoy your weekend!

Ms. Burnett

Bellflower artists started the year with a collaborative piece, and the mystery artwork is slowly being revealed! When our gallery display is complete, we will have a piece from every student in the building. It's amazing to see each of our small pieces come together so beautifully!

Grades 4/5 completed radial designs for our background, grades 2/3 created the red hearts for the cardinal, and K/1 left their stamp on the beak with fingerprints. Go Cards!

We couldn't wait to dive into PAINT! Kinders have been exploring all different types of lines, just like the adventures in the book Harold and the Purple Crayon. We're having lots of fun learning to twirl the tips of our brushes and taking them for a walk in the water bins.

Monday, Monday, we've finally got Mondays! First graders have completed their self-portraits that we will use for comparison at the end of the year. Students are also exploring the art loft on a scavenger hunt to find textural objects for crayon rubbings. We are working our way through a cityscape full of TEXTURE!

2nd Graders have knocked their sketchbook cover designs out of the park! We are using them to practice for our new project - Van Gogh Trees. We looked at several famous landscapes and we've begun our own seasonal trees inspired by Van Gogh's textural style.

Can you draw a face with just one line? Third graders are learning to create using a continuous contour - drawing without lifting your tool! We are using the abstract style of Paul Klee to inspire our partner portraits. Students also explored a digital version of this method using their journals on Seesaw. The results are both silly AND sensational!

Fourth graders have been Stepping. Up. Their. Art. GAME this year. We breezed right through radial designs and onward to sketchbooks, but they still keep coming 100% and then some to our School Supply Still-Life Drawings! I am so proud of how they are slowing down to observe details and shapes, and can't wait to see the final results!

My favorite thing about 5th grade this year is how much they LOVE art! They have been looking forward to making these memories for a long time, and I hope this year is everything they hoped for and more. We are currently working through abstract portraits, refreshing our understanding of Picasso and learning about the style of Cubism. Students are having fun twisting the features on these faces and getting those brushes in some paint!

• Thank you for your overwhelming interest on the Google Form that was emailed out!
  
  
• Membership is capped at 20 for the after school group (first come/first serve); notifications were sent for anyone who returned the form by 9/20. Our roster is now FULL.
  
  
• Fall Art Club dates:
  September 29 / October 20 / November 17
  After school until 3:15
  

Your student has a digital portfolio! This collection shows growth throughout the elementary art program. When projects are completed, we will photograph and reflect on our work, and it will be posted to our Artsonia gallery (link below).

Due to the collection of artwork for this and elementary show(s), most of our physical work will be sent home 2-3 times during the year, as opposed to when it is completed. Please reach out if you have any questions!

Drawing with Mr. J is an excellent series of videos that link bite-size silly drawings into building social-emotional skills. Worries are a frequent check-in topic with my own kids, and I really like how this drawing chat breaks down easy ways to cope when we start to worry or feel overwhelmed. Enjoy!

Elementary Art students’ assessment is based on the following:

• Knowledge and use of art concepts including the elements of art and principles of design

• Craftsmanship (control of tools and materials)

• Creative Expression (The ability to use memory and imagination for visual expression)

• Demonstrates and understanding of artistic concepts

• Demonstrates artistic techniques appropriate to grade level

O Outstanding 9.5-10 pts. out of 10

The student:

• Applies elements and principles of design in a highly effective manner.

• Shows superb craftsmanship

• Demonstrates a high level or creativity and originality

• Uses previous knowledge towards new lessons

• Demonstrates ability beyond grade level

S+ Above Average 8-9.4 pts. out of 10

The student:

• Shows some awareness of applying elements and principles of design

• Shows an effective level of craftsmanship

• Demonstrates creativity

• Makes connections to prior learning

• Demonstrates above grade level ability

S Satisfactory 7-7.9 pts. out of 10

The student:

• Demonstrates an average understanding in the application of the elements and principles of design

• Shows an adequate level of craftsmanship

• Demonstrates some creativity

• Begins to make connections to previous knowledge

• Demonstrates grade level ability

S- Below Average 6-6.9 pts. out of 10

The student:

• Demonstrates less than grade level understanding of the elements and principles of design.

• Shows limited craftsmanship

• Shows a low level of creativity

• Has difficulty in making connections to previous knowledge

• Demonstrates below grade level ability

NI Needs Improvement 5.9 or less out of 10

The student:

• Has not adequately completed art work

• Needs improvement in skill and technique application

I believe that we are all born creative, and I love building relationships through the language of art and expression. Art class is valuable for its impact in allowing us to slow down and appreciate the world around us. I follow the Studio Habits of Mind framework for instructional planning because I believe that the skills and mindsets we develop in art class truly extend far beyond these walls.

Email: burnettc@mentorschools.org
Phone: 440-255-4212
Twitter: @artcburnett