Picasso Picasso and more Picasso

I am so in love with my fellow art teachers' blogs! I recently stole a fantastic idea from Dali's Moustashe of these marvelous blue Picasso collaged guitars. Following the African masks and the more recent Picasso collage Cubists portraits we studied the parts of a guitar and created our own abstract guitars.

Picasso Exemplar Images

The students were able to choose the body type of the guitar that they liked best. My fantastic teacher's aid pre-cut out several basic shapes for the students to use out of black and what construction paper as well as newspaper. As finishing touches the students used yarn for their guitar strings and cut paper towel tubs as the inverse of the sound hole- just like Picassos wicked sculptures. They students could not wait to do this assignment after seeing examples on the board.

Student Artworks

Happy St Patricks Day!

I completely forgot that it was St. Patricks Day until my boyfriend made me green eggs for breakfast!

From African Masks to Picasso Collages...

The week after the students completed their African masks we switched gears and looked at Picasso's portraits. We talked about geometric shapes and viewing a face from more than one view. The students practiced drawing like Picasso in their sketchbooks, then created a collage and drew their Picasso faces on top of the collages. The results were mixed like anything other projects that we do here at KDS, but several turned out pretty decent! Check out the final results on our Artsonia account! (Link @ the top of the page!)

Sketchbook work

Teacher Sample and Picasso Artwork

Black History Month

For our schools Black History Month celebration my art classes made collaged African Masks using symmetry. I was really proud of the students creativity and inovation. Check out all of them on our Artsonia!

Getting Geared Up!

I know the conference is 2 months away, but I'm already excited. This will be the third NAEA conference that I will attend, and the first that I will present at! I just read through the schedule and it looks really great. Last year most of the Special Needs (SNAE) Issues Group sessions were overlapping one another, and this year there is about one per hour which is great! I'm also super psyched to see so many of my friends are presenting as well. Certainly ones NOT TO MISS---

Debi West

Donalyn Heise

Mary Silvestri

Pete Curran

Tina Atkinson

Sue Loesl

Debbie Sickler-Voigt

Peter Geiser

Even more exciting... This year will be the first that the SNAE group is putting on a SUPER SESSION! Friday afternoon from 4-5:50 the great Beverly Levett Gerber will be co-presenting with Susan Loesl, Julia Kellman, and Judith Burton.

“Artism”: Understanding Autism through Art Education
4:00-5:50 PM
“Artism” is a term used to describe the “relationship between art and autism.” Explore this relationship as presenters share information on students with autism and the implications for art education.

I can't wait!


Oh and I present on Friday April 16th at 1:00. Please be there! :)

Finally! The students at KDS receive back their Ceramic Pendants! Thanks Cassie!!!

Check out more on the KDS artsonia website!

Valentines Day more than candy and cards.

Today my aid read the book "Saint Valentine" to my students. I find that one of the best ways of teaching students about interdisciplinary topics is to read them a story. Now my students know that Valentine's Day isn't just about candy- but that it started with a saint that cared deeply for others- and in his name we show our appreciation to those we love on the day of his execution.

And by the way- the illustrations also are a great lead into a lesson about mosaics!