What’s Happening in Studio 307

This past week in Studio 307, the fourth graders and I have been exploring and expressing the beautiful Arizona landscape we call home through ART!!!!

First we watched a fun little power point that I, Ms. H., put together, so we could learn the names for many of the cool cacti we see in our environment every day.

Can you tell the difference between a saguaro, a barrel, a beavertail, an ocotillo, a claret cup, a totem, and a cholla cactus? We can—& if you click on each cactus name, you will be able to identify each one too!

Each young artist chose their favorite cactus and broke it down into simple shapes and patterns, and then used fun, juicy oil pastels to create a funky drawing. From there, they picked up the brush and began to paint over their drawings to create a watercolor resist effect!

As you can see here on one of my art bulletin boards, the fourth grade kiddos also created an Arizona sunset drawing using chalk pastels and construction paper.

Exploring your environment with your own kiddos can be a great way to grab some inspiration and start creating some fun art time together!! Why not search what plants are native to the region where you live, either online , at the library, or by actually getting outside for a hike. Look for the simple shapes these plants make and start to notice nature’s love for pattern. But most important–don’t be afraid to play with color and have fun!

Happy Creative Juicy Living!!!

Peace & Love.