Creating a Community of Artists

"Think left and think right and think low and think high.
Oh, the things you can think up if only you try!" -- Dr. Seuss

Creating a community of artists has been one of our many highlights of the year! With the belief that each child is an artist, we have been able to instill a love of art, creativity, expression and reflection in our students which we hope they will carry forward with them as they grow. For originality to be represented in each of our students' artwork, we made sure to teach the technique behind the task and not the task itself. We felt it was important for students to gain knowledge around how to use the materials rather than replicate a modeled example. That being said, each piece of art created by our students is a success and helps them continue to see themselves as artists!

Being involved in making art gives young children a sense of emotional satisfaction. The control the children have over the materials they use and the autonomy they have in the decisions they make gives them this sense of achievement. Providing students with opportunities for feedback from peers helps to build students self-esteem by helping them accept criticism and praise from others (Schirrmacher, 1998). 

By celebrating each artistic achievement as a class, we have been able to recognize each students' unique abilities to practice different art techniques (e.g. contour drawing, blind drawing, water colour, self-portraits, finger paint, wax-resist techniques, observational drawing, etc) and we have enjoyed showcasing their artwork through meaningful displays, framing and documentation in our classroom, hallways, and throughout the school.

Take a look and feel inspired by the work of our Kindergarten class!

Experimenting with Various Watercolour Techniques and Blow Art with Straws (inspired by a picture of a tree)

Observational Drawing and Blind Contour Drawing (inspired by orchid flowers in a vase)

Self-Portraits

Our cubbie area showcases a variety of art pieces selected by students. We rotate the artwork presented in the frames to ensure that each student's art is celebrated!