Week 19- Learning about Mark Rothko & Abstract Impressionism

First of all, Mrs. Luker wanted to let everyone know that student work is currently being displayed on the Pelatonia Blog!  As if you all weren't famous enough being on TV a few weeks ago, now you have your work published.  Great job, everyone!! 

This week, we began our last project of the year by learning about Abstract Impressionism and specifically, Mark Rothko's work.

We listed to a recording of Christopher Rothko talk about how his father painted.  I asked the students what struck them as unusual or interesting about Mark Rothko's technique.  They thought it was interesting that he laid his canvases out on blocks and used a pulley system to move it up and down. He also painted from all angles, sometimes moving the painting different ways, so that people weren't sure where the top and bottom were, as the paint drippings were going in all sorts of different directions.

We then viewed a powerpoint presentation to further discuss Rothko's work and get some insight into what Abstract Impressionism is.  Abstract Impressionism was an art movement in the 1940's and 50's, and arose after World War II.  Many people refer to Abstract Impressionism as "action painting", with artists of the movement depicting strong emotion or expression.  Mark Rothko tried to express some of his feelings and emotion in his work, by using large blocks of color, and line.

Students worked in groups brainstorming emotive and expressive words that came to mind while viewing Rothko's work.  Each table in the class got a print of one of his color block paintings and a stack of Post-It Notes.  Each student was to come up with 3 or 4 descriptive words for their particular painting.
Here are some of the more notable descriptive words students came up with:

• Yellow-y
• Gloomy
• Sad
• Happy
• Sorrowful
• Bright
• Smiley

Next week, we'll start a collage using tissue paper and illustration board depicting expression and emotion in an abstract manner.  See you then!

Week 18- Drawing for the Pelatonia Blog

This week we continued on our Pelatonia Blog drawings of bikes and bicycle themes.  Mrs. Luker noticed last week, that the kids were focusing more on the cancer aspect of the concept rather than the race itself.   So, we had to redirect their attention to bike race themes instead.  Mrs. Luker had multiple photographs to use as references.    Once they had a new direction, they were off and running with scenes of bike races, patterns, and even a still life of bike elements.  

Next week we'll start our last project of the year, an abstract expressionist inspired collage.  See you then!

Weeks 16 & 17

We wrapped up our video project during week 16's class.  It was a whole lot of fun and creativity going on in art enrichment class, with kids getting their faces painted, wearing wigs, and coming up with great concepts for our 3 words video project.  Mrs. Luker is going to put the video together using Flip Video software.  I can't wait to see the finished product!

During week 17, I was in Washington, DC for Parenting Magazine's Mom Congress.  Mrs. Luker started a new project, involving Pelotonia.  Students were asked to being drawings for the Pelotonia blog.  Pelotonia is a 180 mile bike race that starts at Ohio State University, goes down to Athens, the back up to OSU.  Riders raise funds which are all donated to cancer research at The Arthur G. James Cancer Center.

A friend of Mrs. Luker writes the blog for Pelotonia and has asked for student artwork to include in the site.   We viewed the blog and images from last year's race.  Then, we brainstormed ideas for sketches of bikes, riders, helmets, the finish line, etc.  All of the finished drawings will be featured on the Pelotonia blog.  What a great opportunity for our students!!