Building community through art:

The third grade art class at Calvin Donaldson along with the seventh grade art class from Chattanooga Christian School started out the school year with a very innovative and creative art idea!  

Mr. Shaun Larose (CCS Art Teacher) brought in local artist Rondell Crier to speak to CCS students and share about his career as a professional artist and designer. Mr. Crier showed students how to understand and work with client expectations and create a design based on the client’s written information to create a product of art. The product would be custom designed, hand-painted tennis shoes. All the student’s needed was a client.  So, they turned to a class from nearby neighbor Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy (CDESA).  The third grade students at CDESA also had a day with the artist and gave information such as their favorite color, food and activities they enjoyed. Once this information was gathered and given to the CCS students, they went to work sketching, drawing and painting on canvas sneakers they purchased to give to their clients, the CDESA third graders. After many hours of painting the shoes and designing gift boxes the project was complete. The wonderful surprise outcome was the community building that took place as a result of these creative efforts and study of art. The CDESA students did a walking field trip and came to the fine arts center where the CCS students were anxiously awaiting the opportunity to meet their client and hand off their great, colorful works of art! There were lots of smiles and cameras flashing as the students of both schools shared stories of what they liked and what they had created. This creative project was a powerful experience with many lessons about shared resources, the creative marketplace and most importantly, building community right where we live. This project was made possible by a donation from the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts).   We are so grateful for this support and the impact on both CCS and CDESA students.

Matisse "Creativity takes Courage" CDESA Students!

Matisse

Pattern is all around us. Unwrap a Hershey bar or maybe notice the plaid shirt you are wearing.  What about the zigzag pattern on the floor of your car or even the tread on the bottom of a pair of sneakers? Nature is full of pattern too.  Look closely at the sections of a leaf! The next time you have the chance, just stop and look around and count the patterns you see.  You might loose track!

The students at CDESA have just learned about the life of the artist Henri Matisse. Henri Matisse used much of what he observed from the world around him to influence his art. His parent’s were in the textile industry so much of what surrounded him was fabric and patterns. Matisse painted those patterns right into his still life and portraits. It took COURAGE on his part to be different from the all other painters around him at the turn of the century. (1869-1954)

Works of art take COURAGE!  Our students are using COURAGE to paint what they see. Our students are using COURAGE to cut shapes and design images as they glue them onto paper. Most of all, our students take COURAGE using tools and medium, often for the first time, to cut with scissors and mix paints. What if I "mess-up"? What if I am cutting out a star shape and my scissors cut too far? I cut off a point...I have to start all over again or change my composition to include a different shape. This problem solving process that takes place within seconds of our brain is such an integral part of making art. So much learning takes place in this process.  You are pleased when you do it well, and you are disappointed when you don’t, that is why making art takes courage. Our students are learning through the processes and have opportunities to develop confidence and COURAGE to try even more! This is what Matisse knew all too well and what led him to say, ”Creativity takes COURAGE.”