Wednesday, October 21, 2015

It's Voting Time!

Over 30 entries this year for our annual yearbook cover contest! 
The 5th graders who chose to participate made quite a display with their colorful designs. 
Voting will be done with homeroom teachers and concludes on Monday.
 Mr. Turnbull will announce the winner next week. Here are the majority of entries:





Art Enrichment: Visit to the Princeton Art Museum

Last week on Tuesday, we visited the Princeton University Art Museum. It was a fantastic and fun trip for the forty of us! We had nice, small group tours with the knowledgeable docents when we arrived. We viewed the American art collection and saw European art by Monet and VanGogh. In my group, our docent Martine Elefson, was so warm and kind. She asked really great questions about art production and inspiration. Here we are looking at Monet's "Japanese Bridge/Water Lily Pond". I was thrilled to see this painting and many students could identify it from our 1st grade Monet projects!

Andy Warhol was the first American painter who we viewed work from. My group was interested to hear about how Warhol had so many people creating his artwork for him. Everyone had seen Marilyn's famous face before.

The brushstroke on Monet's poplars required further inspection. I enjoyed inspecting the gorgeous frames that were around all of the paintings.

Here's our lovely docent Martine showing the 5th graders the Japanese Bridge painted during different seasons. Monet painted over 20!

One of my favorite parts of the trip was stopping by the Fountain of Freedom before heading off to House of Cupcakes for a treat. Look at these kids-aren't they great? I'm trying not to think about how much I'll miss them next year since it's only October... But I will!! It's a cycle I am learning to deal with teaching on the elementary level. Teach them, love them, cry when they go. This is my 6th year on the elementary level so hopefully I'm getting better? Hardly.

And one last picture from the morning tour looking at American sculpture.


The Princeton University Art Museum is a gem. If you're local to Princeton and have time to stop by, it's really a great place to visit. 

Thank you to all of the chaperones who made this trip possible- you're incredible!!

Friday, October 9, 2015

A Palette of Pixels: The Evolving Art of Video Games


An exhibition exploring video games as a medium of artistic expression and communication over more than three decades. Featured games include The Banner Saga, The Dream Machine, FLOMM!,
Flower, God of War, Journey, Katamari Damacy, Metamorphabet, NaissanceE, Okami, Passage, Spate, and more.

 

Exhibition Opening Reception

Free and open to the public

Lecture

Friday, October 30, 12:30 p.m., Mayo Concert Hall, Music Building

Concert

Friday, October 30, 8 p.m. Kendall Main Stage Theater

Art Gallery Information

Hours: TuesdayWednesday, and Thursday 12–7 p.m. and Sunday 1–3 p.m.
The College of New Jersey
AIMM Building

 image: Jenova Chen, thatgamecompany, Journey, 2012

Saturday, October 3, 2015

An Awesome Share!

At the end of Art Enrichment on Thursday, we got a special treat. Leah's mom had a special tube under her arm with canvas prints of Perry Milou's.
With the sun setting in the background and my class huddled around to see the art, it felt like a more perfect day than it already was. 

The Art Enrichment classes began drawing and painting their landscapes. There were moments in both classes where my students were so intensely focused that you could hear a pin drop. I left for the weekend feeling energized and excited for next week. I literally can't wait to get back to these landscapes. I understand how the kids feel. To be separated from a project for an entire week feels criminal.

With the weather being what it is today (damp and windy), I am taking the time to do barely anything whatsoever beyond celebrating the end of hectic September. 
We have developed our rhythm in my classes and it feels great to be easing into our second and third projects.