Currently in The Art Lab!

There are only a few art projects I repeat. This may change. I have only been teaching art, officially, for 7 years. With approximately 5 projects each semester, and 2 semesters each year, and 3 different levels, that makes 210 different opportunities to teach a new lesson. Block Printing is unique though, and I include it EVERY semester. Of all the mediums, it requires the most planning, much critical thinking/problem solving, and also the most courage.

However, my first year I wrote up this lesson for block printed portraits, and it works so well, I keep doing it. And I always teach it to my 6^th graders. It plugs into the Visual Arts SOLs for their level well, and it just seems to WORK. Print making is the medium I enjoy teaching them the most, at all levels. But this project takes the cake. I have adjusted it in little ways depending on the group of students, and also on an individual basis. Some students do not want to embark on a self-portrait. This semester I suggested they exchange photos with a classmate. A few chose to do so. Some want to honor someone else in their life. Last year, I had a student insist on basing her block carving on a portrait of her and her mother. Possibly I like this project so much because it provides the opportunity to really MEET the new students. Part of this project incorporates choosing words that describe the subject’s personality. It is fun to hear them talk about these with each other. I have them make a list on their own and then switch with a partner and have them add words that describe each other’s personality traits, from a different perspective. 

The students LOVE carving the blocks, at all levels. I find it to be the most all-inclusively engaging medium.  Most all the students become entranced while working on their blocks. I have to snap them out of it when it is clean-up time, and its not always easy!

The 7^th graders are working on digital collages as the material for their blocks. They each created their own digital collage, with a minimum of 3 different images tied together with a specific theme or narrative. This is very challenging for some, but there are always a few that blow me away. One of my 7^th graders this semester combined an image of a businessman, an airplane, and a pedestal, all in a landscape. When I asked him about the theme he described how it was a twist on the way infants are sometimes fed by a pretend game of the spoon being an airplane, flying into an open mouth. Brilliant and witty! 

The 8^th graders our carving two-sided blocks in which they are designing their own playing card, Tarot style card, or “affirmation” card.  The 8^th grade art class is a very eclectic group of students. It is my largest class, and one of my more challenging ones. It’s been a slow going project! I will post an update with images of their blocks as they make more progress.  Their ideas range from intricate design based traditional playing card styles, to designs reflecting the love of sports (replacing the usual spades, hearts, clubs etc.…with softballs or lacrosse sticks) to interesting symbolism inspired by the Tarot tradition (which, by the way, originated as an Italian Card game…so it was not always “ fortune telling”).

It is such a gratifying and rewarding experience to observe my students connecting with their own creativity. Especially when they came into the class claiming they are not artists! Watching them come in and get right to their projects, enthusiastic and focused, is a wonderful thing to see. I am grateful to be their teacher and guide in Walton’s “ Art Lab”.