Fall is finally upon us, you guys! This is the time of year that we get to break out our funky scarves, warm sweaters, fun beanies, and most importantly in a choice-based art room ... We get to take ownership of our creative choice of medium!!!
6th period has been working with yarn and the element of line as they designed, created, and are in the final stages of completing their 3D yarn drawings. The second half of this quarter, the students will be trying out their first unit projects using the medium of their choice given only a rubric with standards from a thematic concept and overarching idea as direction. ***Sounds crazy to some, but this is honestly my favorite time of the year! I get to watch these young creative minds use problem solving skills right alongside technique, teamwork, craftsmanship, and their very own unique ideas!
First period is just now finishing up their ceramics projects before they too transition into a strictly choice-based mentality for the remainder of the quarter, and I just had to share their beautiful work with everyone.
Some stuck with making bowls after they had to donate their first round of bowls to the "Empty Bowls" fundraiser for Feeding North East Florida (which I am still SO proud of them for doing!!!), while others went with small scale animal sculptures just to experiment with the material.
This year, Ms. Holloway gave two presentations at conference, and volunteered to donate the flamingo ornaments for goodie bags to all the other art teachers in the state of Florida! So, now there are art teacher folks all over the state who own an original JWJ creation, how cool is that??!?!
Okay, and now we have to take a break to get down to what truly makes my heart swell.
My art club LOVES getting out into the community and showing other people the power art has to uplift, inspire, awaken, transform, and ultimately connect and unite us all. It's true!
These awesome JWJ artists spent their Friday evenings manning face painting booths at TWO elementary schools this quarter. At Chaffee Trail Elementary, we had lines into the parking lot for almost three hours. Young CFE students were so ecstatic about the creative work our JWJ artists painted on their faces that they spread the word about our art club skills to other elementary schools. Two weeks later, we painted the faces of R. L. Brown Elementary's fall festival students too!!
This is the good work that JWJ art club is all about doing. We have a sincere passion for art and for sharing that passion with our diverse local communities. There is such joy in witnessing that "aha" moment on the faces of folks who might not have realized how art could alter their perceptions.
These are the experiences and the memories that pure magic are made from. Thank you art club!!!
I have dozens of pictures from this event and a few from R. L. Brown, but there are just SOOOO many other things to fill you guys in on so we need to move on for now.
Check out the IG account: @mshollowaysartroom if you want to see more pictures! They are great!
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Back in the classroom, 4th and 7th periods have been breaking down facial proportions of the human head in preparations for a self-portrait project starting next week... choice-based, of course!
I always make sure to create lesson plans and projects that are unabashedly cross-curricular. My students have absolutely no excuse to ignore the relevance and influence of the arts in every single subject- be it a 'core' subject or another elective. Notice below the math, social studies, PE, and more
Meanwhile in 6th grade 2D art, we have been delving deep into the elements of line, shape, value, and space. These young artists spent several days working in their sketchbooks until they moved onto their large scale final papers to complete their still life drawings. How impressive are these?!?
For the last AND most definitely the least of all of the LEAST ..... The JWJ art club has been tasked with a most honorable and exciting opportunity this year.
The local and global cargo shipping company Trailer Bridge has requested we create some super rare, original works of art for them. This company operates under a twelve core value system and they have donated twelve skateboard decks to our art club so that the students can create a mosaic masterpiece on each one that reflects each of their twelve beliefs and characteristics. What you see pictured is the beginning of "integrity", "accuracy", "responsibility", and "curiosity". We are super excited to be giving back to the community in a way that will further promote positive ideals through the power of visual art. This project is seriously one after my own heart and I am so proud of the work these artists are doing for Trailer Bridge. There are also a couple surfboards in the works .....
Thank you for stopping into Ms. Holloway's art room and for your support of our young local artists.
One last thing I'd like to leave y'all with is a request. I'm raising funds to pay for students submissions into the National Scholastics Art Competition due December 12th. Each entry costs $7 so even a small donation will help at least one award worthy artwork get that much closer to winning one of the JWJ artists the praise and recognition they deserve! If you are able, click on the link below:
gf.me/u/wcgg4v