Hi! Welcome to the ART Room's school notes page!

The school year is moving right along!  Here are just a few reminders:  1.  ALL students need an art smock and there are some students who still have not brought in their smock.  If your child has not brought their smock to school yet, please make sure they have it this week.  They will be unable to participate in any projects that involve potential messes if they do not bring in their smock.  I have told ALL of the classes that if they can not get a smock for whatever reason, simply write a brief note in their assignment book asking me to give them one of the donated smocks, have the note signed by a parent / guardian, and I will provide them with one of the old smocks that are in the Art Room.  I have even written the note myself in several of the books and am still waiting for parent signatures.  2. On the supply lists, I requested Prang watercolor paints for all students.  As I explained to all of the students, I specify Prang watercolors because of the quality of the paints and the colors they provide.  Some parents have indicated that they searched for the paints and were unable to find them.  Usually, they are not located with the bulk of the school supplies, but rather in the permanent supply aisles.  If you had a difficult time finding the Prang watercolors, please send me a short note in your child's assignment book indicating that you looked for the supplies and were unable to find them.  Thanks.

To my 8th graders, we will start working on your yearbook pages very soon, so start collecting your pictures and ideas.  Also, now that we know our Catholic Identity Theme for the year, "Journeying with Jesus... On the Road to the Golden Rule"  you can start working on incorporating the theme into a cover for our yearbook.  I would love for an 8th grader to design the cover again this year.  I think it makes the book more special if you play an active role in its creation!

I have given all of the 7th and 8th grade students their artist presentation assignment.  Their artist selection was due on Monday, September 28th.  Several students have yet to give me their selection.  Their assignment is due in approximately 2 weeks.  Please make sure they are working on their project.  They have more than enough time so that they are not overwhelmed.  Please remember that ALL artists must be approved by me prior to starting the project. I have signed their assignment books if I have approved the artist selection.  As outlined on the instruction sheet, the projects will consist of an oral presentation only this year.  Students can chose to present their artist using a Power Point presentation, a poster board, note cards, a representative piece of work or any other method that the student is comfortable using.  I have also given the students several internet links to help them find information about their artists or to get ideas for an artist if they still haven't selected one.

What else is happening in the Art Room?  All of the students are working on various projects using the Elements of Line and Color:

Pre-K has been working on the letter "F" and have created Fancy Fish and Fishbowls.  They will create Shape Seals this week when we move to letter "S". 

Kindergarten created animals using contour lines after reading A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni;  

1st grade made some "big mistakes" using watercolors after reading The Big Mistake by Lenore Rinder;

2nd grade just finished their abstract collages using different kinds of lines after reading Mirette on a High Wire;

3rd grade had been working on their contribution to the Catholic Identity display case to represent their beattitude: "Blessed are the Meek, for they shall inherit the earth" - ask your child about the wonderful sculpture they created to represent Hispanic Heritage Month and our Catholic Identity! 

4th grade is working on line drawings on cave "rocks" after learning about the Lascaux Caves in France. 

5th grade is creating a quilt using lines to create the "fabric" patterns after reading Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold. 

6th grade just finished drawing their hand in 3-D and are now working on complimentary colors and positive and negative shapes cut using contour lines. 

7th grade will spend this first quarter focused on drawing and have started using the right-side of their brain to draw things that are upside down by focusing on the shape of each line. 

8th grade is reviewing grayscale and drawing a still life that focuses on shading and contrast. 

The next few weeks will continue to be very busy in the art room!  Please feel free to contact me any time you have any questions or concerns.  

Warmest wishes,

Mrs. Sharon Wilson 

Thank you for taking the time to look at my school notes page.  Below are a few of the interesting things happening around the DC area. Enjoy!

Now Open, National Museum of Natural History, The Sant Ocean Hall

Now through November 1, 2009, The National Gallery of Art, An Antiquity of Imagination: Tullio Lombardo and Venetian High Renaissance Sculpture

Now  through November 1, 2009, National Gallery of Art, The Art of Power: Royal Armor and Portraits from Imperial Spain

Now through November 29, 2009, The National Gallery of Art, Judity Leyster, 1609 - 1660

Now through November 15, 2009, The National Gallery of Art, Recent Acquisitions: The Grega and Leo A. Daly III Fund for Architectural Books

Now through January 3, 2010, National Portrait Gallery, Presidents in Waiting

Ongoing, National Museum of the American Indian, Return to a Native Place: Algonquian Peoples of the Chesapeake

Now through October 18, 2009, Corcoran Gallery, Nature as a Nation: 19th Century American Landscapes from the Collection

Now through October 25, 3009, Freer and Sackler Galleries, Writing, Carving and Rubbing: China's Calligraphic Arts

Now through January 3, 2010, Renwick Gallery, 1934: A New Deal for Artists

Ongoing, National Museum of the African Art, African Vision and Highlights, The Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection