Pinch Pots & Colored Dots

1st grade was so excited to work with clay.  They learned how to start with a sphere of clay and work it into a pinch pot form.  After they created and smoothed their pinch pot, they added various textures using clay tools, noodles, etc.  When the pots were dry they were fired in our kiln and the students painted and sealed their forms.  They couldn't wait to take them home and show them to their families.
4th grade learned about style of dot painting from Australia.  The students learned how the aborigines created their own paint and all the different places they created their artwork.  We discussed the symbols used in this style of artwork and how the artwork was used to pass on ancient stories. The students created their own dot painting after choosing an animal as well as several symbols to tell their story.

Printmaking with Dia de los Muertos

5th graders compared and contrasted the Hispanic cultural holiday of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) with Halloween.  They studied the etchings and printmaking of Jose Guadalupe Posada,  most importantly La Calavera Catrina (Catrina the Skull). They focused their etchings on the Calaveras(skulls) observed in their research of this celebration for family members that had passed away. They created their sketch, etched it into foam, then painted and printed to create a 4 square artwork.  This repeating four square print style was also compared to the pop-art styings of Andy Warhol.  We learned so much, covering many artists, artistic styles and mediums.