VIVA LA FRIDA!!!

My new 8th grade reading/writing/math/ART class recently studied the artist Frida Kahlo.  We used the free worksheets from Art with Jenny K to introduce students to working in a grid. (Thanks Jenny K!)  We studied the writing concept of Ex Votos and then wrote special notes of thanks on the mats of these projects.

Students then worked in small groups on 20" by 24" Fridas that I enlarged for them.

This group incorporated several of Frida's quotes into the background.

Starry Van Gogh

This year, a new class of 8th grade students have been working on studying a different artist every few weeks using reading, writing and math concepts.  We studied Van Gogh and the Starry Night recently.  Students enlarged their own version using a grid and 1:2 ratio and finished it in marker, chalk pastels, or oil pastels.  They then worked in small groups to create a song about Van Gogh using Twenty One Pilot's song Heathens and Don McLean's Vincent as inspiration. Students then turned their song lyrics into a "font poem" creating a visual display for their work.  

I added this group enlargement from a few years ago to fill the display.

Screaming for The Scream

The Scream, Edvard Munch, 1895, pastel

Above and below: Student samples using oil and/or chalk pastels.

I hung the students' projects with the 8th grade collaborative Scream from a few years ago.  It was good to see the different personalizations of The Scream and the additions of the interpretive poems! Students really took to the assignments!

Halloween Scrappn'

I love Pinterest for all of the images people share, especially the inspiring vintage Halloween!  Once again this year, I borrowed a few images from various sources (find these images and sources here) to make samples using decorative papers, ephemera, stencils and stamps sold at my favorite art store Mrs. O'Leary's in Wichita.

Here are a few of my ideas:

In the two samples below, I used Mrs. O'Leary's 

line of rubber stamps called Artful Illusions.  

My friend Faron helped with the itty bitty ephemera additions on the sample above. She is really good with all of that extra stuff. Thanks Faron!  You can see more Halloween artfullness here.

Fall Sunflowers

Sunflowers are some of my favorite things to photograph.  This year, I found a new field south of Wichita. They were very well behaved!  I was able to play with depth while taking the pics and then played with color and tone afterward. Here are just a few of my faves...