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.”

Landscapes, Cityscapes and Booty-Chins

This month at CDESA we have been studying the work of the great American landscape artist Grant Wood and the work of Paul Balmer, a fantastic, contemporary artist from Australia.  The students learned that Grant Wood traveled all over the world, yet he thought Iowa (his hometown) was the most beautiful place he had ever seen.  They learned that when he was a boy, he drew with a burnt stick from his mother's stove.  They also joyfully observed that Mr. Wood has the distinct feature of a clef-chin....otherwise known in certain cultures as a (giggle, giggle) "booty-chin".  They learned that Paul Balmer lives in New York City, actually makes a living as a painter AND is still alive (this was a stunning fact because we usually study dead people).  Mr. Balmer even sent a personalized, hand-written postcard to each student - very cool!  After observing the works of these two great artist, they applied their knowledge to their own landscapes and cityscapes.  Check out Paul Balmer's artwork at http://www.paulbalmer.com/ and notice his influence in our students' cityscapes.

Experience + Discovery = Learning

As a parent, whenever possible, I allow natural consequences to do the teaching.  The experience of forgetting a lunch box leads to the discovery of hunger.  Hunger will be a far more effective "teacher" than a lecture on responsibility.  The same principle applies to the classroom.  Our art students are learning about primary and secondary colors.   After two days of explaining, demonstrating and pontificating about the attributes of primary and secondary colors, the students engaged in an art experience designed to reinforce these attributes.  The project was simple.  The students were given red, yellow and blue paint.  They were instructed to first paint shapes using red, yellow and blue.  Then they were instructed to paint shapes using secondary colors - orange, green and purple.  For a short while the art room was full of contented artists as they painted delightful shapes of yellow, red and blue.  Then it hit.  "Hey, we don't have any purple paint!" " Mrs. Ligon, I can't paint this shape orange because I don't HAVE orange paint!" "Mrs. Bowling, I NEED green!"  Our reply, "Make orange - use what you have to make purple."  Encouraged to press through incredulous skepticism (at having been asked to do the impossible) the students tentatively dipped their brushes in red, then yellow and began to mix.  Delight overtook defeat.  Wonder replaced doubt because a discovery had been made.  "It works!  It works!  Red and yellow really do make orange!"  We had talked and talked about how these fabulous colors work together to create new colors.  We had shown Power Points and given demonstrations, yet they did not really "get it" until they discovered it through an experience.  Art affords experiment and discovery.  Art allows children to create new things with assimilated information.  Art gives children the opportunity to experience, discover and learn!

Up Up and away!

There is a lot to being a teacher.  Much more than I ever knew before I tried my hand at becoming one.  Preparation is as much a part of the package as the actual teaching time.  Susanne and I have spent many hours planning curriculum, gathering supplies and brainstorming about projects and activities for our students.  We have enjoyed the quiet, cool hours spent in our classroom, organizing, cleaning, labeling, and laminating - making a vibrant space where creativity is inspired.  Yet, throughout the summer we have greatly anticipated that noisy surge of energy present in a classroom where children are exploring, learning and creating.  On Wednesday of last week we finally met our energetic third graders.  Of course we had a concise, obligatory discussion of "classroom expectations" and then we got busy!  It is always a good idea for new art students to experience "success" at the first attempts of artistic exploration. This not only builds confidence in their own artistic skills but also their confidence in our ability to instruct them.  This particular activity of drawing and designing hot air balloons always delivers!  At first glance, to capture the alluring brilliance of these floating beauties can seem impossible - down right intimidating.  But on closer examination the students learn that hot air balloons are mostly a simple combination of circles and rectangles.  The rest, the exquisite, colorful designs are whatever the student artists dream them to be - dots, zigzags, stripes and swirls, lightening bolts, hearts, flowers and cars, the solution is theirs to imagine.  This is why children need Art. They need the freedom to create a solution that is always right.  They need practice in recognizing that compliant parts often form the more daunting whole.  It was a productive first day and as imaginations engaged and the feeling of success grew palpable in the room, we knew our school year had finally begun!

It's Raining It's Pouring Our Summer Has Not Been Boring!

We hope you are having a hot and happy summer!  Did you know that this past spring ArtPart started their rain barrel project?  Yes, it was quite fun to see how the efforts of many people in our community came together in such a creative way!  It all started last September when the United Way, ACE Hardware Stores and Chattanooga Coca-Cola Bottling Co. launched a series of rain barrel workshops at the Tennessee Aquarium.  Forty rain barrels were produced for Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy.  We decided to sale the rain barrels in order to raise money for the continuation of art at CDESA.  The 5th grade students helped us paint and market the rain barrels.  They wrote and researched about rain barrels and produced their own hang tag.  The students spent many hours painting the barrels and learning about the benefits of rain barrel usage.  You may have seen us at the Chattanooga Markets over the past few months.  The school has been busy creating sustainable art by decorating these water-saving barrels.
The project to paint the barrels was loads of fun on many Saturday mornings.  We owe a great deal of thanks to Kate Leonard who just graduated from Chattanooga Christian School (CCS).  She rallied many high school students & friends to come and paint in their free time for this project.  Kate volunteered in the art classroom, as well and saw first hand the great need for art in the lives of the students at CDESA.  She wanted to help fund the efforts of ArtPart because she believes so strongly in the value of students learning creatively.  Kate is a real go-getter who knows the power of change and how it can start with the action of just one person!
Now for the best part....You can own your own rain barrel for less than you could purchase one in a store and help support CDESA's art program!  We still have rain barrels left to sell!  Please contact us at today to find out how to get yours!  You can email us at artpartchatt@gmail.com.