Students in the Write

Joan Miro (1893-1983) was a Spanish painter and sculptor who produced vivid abstract works of art during much of the 1900s. His works often have very descriptive titles. Joan Miro's name is pronounced “hoän mro.“ Students worked individually drawing and coloring Miro-style. We used many of the skills we learned earlier this year when we made Cubist paintings. Finally, we used the crayon-resist technique, coloring our shapes with primary colored crayons and then creating a background with watercolor and large wash brushes.

On Friday, May 4th, the second grade at W.L. Morse Elementary school celebrated Cinco De Mayo, the 5th of May. Ms. Franco, the Spanish teacher, with the collaboration of the second grade teachers, created and planned fun activities that immersed the students in the Mexican culture.

Third graders have finished their own canvases after studying the Poppy Field Landscapes of Claude Monet (see gallery). Students were introduced to the concept of space and landscape perspective by learning how to define and create: foreground, middle ground and background. Their paintings were executed on canvas as were Monet’s, applying paint in thick dabs of paint.

Second grade artists created illustrations based on "The Hatseller and the Monkeys" using a paper batik technique with hand-coloring. Students designed beautiful patterns to create the frames for their pictures and were inspired by West African Kente cloth.

Every January, after studying masks from around the world, third grade students each cast, design and decorate three-dimensional masks. In anticipation of an upcoming visit from the Ishangi Family Dancers from West Africa, students paid particular attention to the mask-making tradition of Africa.

Every September third graders begin their year in the art studio by designing and executing Cubist paintings. Along with our discussions of art history and shapes, students were able to develop their understanding of color theory.

The third grade looked at van Gogh’s wheat field paintings that he did in the last years of his life. Then they sketched their own wheat fields onto canvas board and used brushes and palette knives to apply the paint. Just like Vincent!

Visit the gallery and see these amazing second grade tributes the great modern master Joan Miro.

Ms Barrett, Art Teacher at Morse school, in collaboration with the Computer Teacher, Mr. Calvert, created this effective 2nd grade lesson on perspective using the SMARTboard and Matisse's "Red Studio."