from the Artist Workshop:  Art Work To Go Home #1

Students will be bringing home specially created pieces of art to share with families. They are in sleeves for safe travel, keep the art work and return the sleeves please.

These pieces were specifically created to share with you. I would love to hear of any conversations that grew from this sharing experience. You may see something different from what was intended by the artist. Open ended questions are best to start the conversation. When we share at school we use, “I noticed” rather  than “ I like”, and look for shapes, colors, textures.

Becoming skilled at visual art is a process, a personal process, a lengthy process. The skills become refined with experience as well a maturing of fine-motor, and observational skills. Each student is somewhere along that continuum. My responsibility is to find where each is and set them along that path, while allowing each to work where he/she is and to help them along as respectfully as possible. Art is about trying, looking at, and then trying again. When a student says “I messed up/made a mistake”, I have them set it aside and look at it again later. We talk about what the mistake is, why it happened, and if it detracts from the work for any reason.

The Artist Workshop is where mistakes are part of the learning process. I say   “In math, two plus two has to be four, but in (visual) art  choices can be made”.  Runny watercolors sometimes result in thought provoking visual images. Your child will ask you if you like the work; when I answer this, I sometimes first have them tell me what they like. Then I will point out what caught my eye first, and what kept me looking, or what made me ask questions. 

I posted a link about talking  about childrens’ art previously on this blog and will include some ideas on the paper with the art work. Also, I would appreciate feedback through email, and we can schedule a visit  on Tuesdays or Fridays when I am at EKES.

When I explained the AWTGH project to Mr. Tullar, he asked if I’d had any feedback from previous years. I’d love to hear from you. You can  email me or return this page

child’s class  ___________________

Answer any or all of questions, return to school.

1 = least,  5= most

1.    Did you talk about the work with your child? yes / no

2.    Did he/she seem comfortable sharing?  yes /no         1 -5

3.    Did he/she seem excited?                   yes / no         1-5

4.     Were the words used to describe the work art words?  yes /no  _______________

5.    Were you asked if you like the work?   yes/ no

6.    Did you like the work?                       yes/ no     1-5

7.    What did you notice ?  ______________________________________

8.    Was there a sense of wanting to do more?  ___________________

9.    Did you display it?   yes / no

10.                       Was this an informative experience for you ?  yes/ no    1-5

11.                       Other  _________________________________  

msansoucie@sau16.org