There’s a story to be told today….
Two-Three weeks ago:
One of the Grade 3 teachers at Matthew Elementary in Bonavista hosts an art club once every (Week? Month?) either way. it’s a space and time for the kids to gather outside of classtime and be creative. Last week said teacher found me wandering the halls (no doubt searching for what I had forgotten what I was searching for) and asked if I had any ideas of what she could do with her students during her next art club. Off the top of my scattered brain, I suggested abstract art. I love abstract art. It’s amazing – students immediately lose their “I can’t draw” mentality. it’s fantastic. Also, I really like abstract art.
I suggested she get her students to bring in different tools to make marks with – like feathers, sponges, vegetables etc….To see what the students could come up with by using a non-trad tool. Again, hoping this would disarm the “I can’t draw” headspace.
She asked for some names of abstract artists so she could look them up – The only one that came to my mind was Jackson Pollock. Admittedly, I’m not overly familiar with the names of many of these artists….. but I did pull Pollock out of my hat, and I was glad of that.
Today:
I walked into Matthew Elementary School today to pick up some things to prep for Arts Smarts next week (Thanks NLAC!).
When I go in, I generally stick my head in a classroom or two to double check a few things. Outside the grade 3 classrooms I found these!
This rocked my world today!
So glad Sandy asked for my input! So glad I had input to give! So enormously proud of these students for doing this work!
How friggin cool is that? I mean really? That’s probably one of the coolest things I’ve seen in an elementary school. ‘Art’ is as broad as the universe. We must take care to keep from pigeon holing it into Representative drawing. Just because you’re picture doesn’t look like a photograph does not mean it is bad art. LOTS of excellent art is created using only shapes, colors and textures.
Today I feel as if I’ve made a solid impact on this school and this community. Just imagine what it’ll look like in 5 more years!
take care of yourselves,
(update on my mental health coming soon – things are ‘oh-so-much-better’)
Have a great weekend.
❤ r
