#mursdvisualart

Let It Snow/NO LIMITS

I began posting about the 150th anniversary of the Massachusetts Drawing Act on March 16, 2020, with this post: Drawing Act 150: Let’s Celebrate following a meeting with the Drawing Act Coalition that had been held the week before at the MA State House. That was the week that schools closed because of COVID-19.

Soon after, I began remote teaching my fifth and sixth grade art students. I was committed to making the Drawing Act celebration happen and led the young artists through a series of lessons focused on drawing and the Drawing Act. You can see those lessons that follow the one above here: Light on White and here: Human Made Object.

Needless to say, our focus on celebrating the Drawing Act has been diminished by remote learning and by not being able to hold a school wide art show, where visitors would have been encouraged to make a drawing to be submitted to the state wide celebration. However, everyone can still participate individually (see flyer below), and I expect to lead my students through another drawing unit in the fall, which will culminate in Drawing Act submissions. Until then, I’m still submitting some of the artworks to be included on an electronic display.

Join me in congratulating the following students, whose names are on the artworks below, artworks which are being submitted to the Drawing Act Celebration to be held at the Massachusetts State House and other locations this fall and electronically until then:

(Click on first image to see a slideshow)

Thomas Garefalakis

Grace Sabo

Sean Burchard

Lizzy Scharn

Theo Bates

Ori Murphy

Fionn Fallon

Colt Masters

Anna Labastie

Adam Dubowik

Emma Ramsay

Ben Moon

Bridget Larue

Caelin Flynn

Audrey Gowen

Haydn Flores

Jason Cowen

Max Bennett

Finn Lozeau

Patrick Connolly

Taylor Ferlo

Bryant Corbett

Will Cudmore

Mrs. Gentili

Congratulations to all of these artists! If you would like to submit a drawing to the Drawing Act 150 Celebration, see the flyer here:

NEW 2020 05 Drawing Act Flyer summer edition

The 5/6 Miscoe Hill Art Show Has Been Updated

“The artist’s job is to be a witness to her/his time in history.” – Robert Rauschenberg

The Miscoe Hill 5/6 virtual art show has been updated! I’m always proud to share the creative work of our young artists with our school and greater community. I’m especially proud to be able to share the work created by my students through remote learning in this virtual art show. Click on the photo to enter…

Presenting Photography/Wk10 Remote Learning

“My life is shaped by the urgent need to wander and observe, and my camera is my passport.” — Steve McCurry

When we wrapped up our focus on drawing during week eight of remote learning, it was time for something completely different. Photography. Specifically, a look at photographic composition based on the work of photographer Steve McCurry. I chose Steve’s work for us to study because his…

Couldn’t Make It To Open House 2019?

Couldn’t make it Open House this week? No worries at all!

This is a super busy time of year and one can’t do everything! It was a pleasure to see so many parents and guardians Tuesday night and I appreciate your stopping by to say “hi” and check out the art room. If you weren’t able to make it, please know you can stop by any time. Here is what the room looks like in a 360 Panorama (click on the…

April Showers Bring May Flowers

“Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love.” – Stevie Wonder

For the last few classes, students have been working on drawing flowers. The focus of this project is on drawing from observation, abstraction of composition, and color, light, and contrast. But they have had their mothers in…

“Fostering thinking requires making thinking visible.

Thinking happens mostly in our heads, invisible to others and even to ourselves. Effective thinkers make their thinking visible, meaning they externalize their thoughts through speaking, writing, drawing, or some other method. They can then direct and improve those thoughts. Visible Thinking also emphasizes documenting thinking for later…

Light-Up Artwork with Paper Circuits

“Art history is littered with work that involves light.” –  James Turrell, Artist Following the lead of artist, James Turrell, in the early days of April, we worked on drawings with oil pastel to which we added LED lights, by creating Paper Circuits. We used multi-colored LED lights, copper tape, a battery and a piece of transparent packing tape. One thing I’ve learned about paper circuits is…