Arts & Activities Magazine February 2017 by Arts & Activities

PASSION

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CONTENTS V O L U ME 1 6 1 , No . 1

14 16 24 26

F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 7

GET CREATIVE WITH CLAY

PIG PARADE Rebecca Tarman BIOMORPHIC CREATIONS IN CLAY Brett Wallerstein PENNSYLVANIA-DUTCH HEX-SIGN BOWLS Hugh Petersen CREATIVE COLLABORATION: PUEBLO STORYTELLERS Karen Barmore and Nicholas Catania 28 CREATIVITY EXERCISES AND GAMES WITH CLAY Tara Carpenter 30 CLAY TIPS FROM THE GAMBLE STUDIO: IMAGE TRANSFER Tracy Payne Gamble 38 TRIED & TRUE TIPS FOR ART TEACHERS: CLAY ALL AROUND Glenda Lubiner

YEARLONG ART II CURRICULUM SERIES 12 WHERE THE TECHNICAL MEETS THE CREATIVE, LESSON 6 OF 10: THEME

AND VARIATION Debi West

SPECIAL FEATURES AND COLUMNS 8 STEPPING STONES ... SURVIVING YOUR EVALUATION Heidi O’Hanley 10 ART IS AT THE CORE: JANET FISH Amanda Koonlaba

READY-TO-USE CLASSROOM RESOURCES

19 ARTS & ACTIVITIES ART PRINT: FOLLOWER OF PALISSY, PLATTER Tara Cady Sartorius 37 ARTS & ACTIVITIES STUDY PRINT: FLASK WITH JAGUAR IMAGE Chimú Culture

A&A AT YOUR SERVICE 30 CLAY CORNER 34 WEB CONNECT 36 AD INDEX

DEPARTMENTS 6 EDITOR’S NOTE 32 MEDIA REVIEWS 33 SHOP TALK ON THE COVER

PIGCASSO Clay and mixed media, approximately 6 inches high. By Jesse Grimm, grade 9, Fairfield Junior Senior High School, Goshen, Indiana. See “Pig Parade,” page 14.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: (858) 605-0251; subs@artsandactivities.com. AD SALES: (800) 826-2216; ads@artsandactivities.com. AD PRODUCTION: production@artsandactivities.com. EDITORIAL: (858) 605-0242; ed@artsandactivities.com. FAX: (858) 605-0247. WEBSITE: www.artsandactivities.com. ADDRESS: 12345 World Trade Dr., San Diego, CA 92128.

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editor’s note

Mention the possibility of working with clay to

president

Thomas von Rosen

e d i t o r a n d p u b l i s h e r Maryellen Bridge

almost any age group and excitement will likely soar. Clay is one of the

a r t d i r e c t o r Niki Ackermann

most popular art media available in most art programs, but it is also one

of the most under used, frequently limited to once-a-year status, except in

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

secondary-level crafts or ceramics classes. We would like to see more use of clay at all levels. It’s a wonderful medium for expression, offering innumerable opportunities for working

Cris E. Guenter Professor of Arts Education/Curriculum and Instruction California State University, Chico

Jerome J. Hausman Lecturer, Consultant and Visiting Professor, at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago

three-dimensionally. Whether a kiln is available or not, working with

Barbara Herberholz Art Education Consultant, Sacramento, California

earthen clay, air-dry clay, polymer clay and more, opens up a world of

Mark M. Johnson Director, Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Montgomery, Alabama

sculptural possibilities and inventive forms.

George Székely Senior Professor of Art Education, University of Kentucky, Lexington

The sound of student laughter in the art room

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

can warm your heart and make you smile. When Rebecca Tarman sent

Geri Greenman Art Department Head (Retired), Willowbrook High School, Villa Park, Illinois

her “Pig Parade” lesson to the magazine, she wrote that a highlight for her

Paula Guhin Art Teacher (Retired), Central HighSchool, Aberdeen, South Dakota

was “listening to them laugh when they came up with ideas and names for the pigs.” Intrigued? Want to hear the sound of laughter in your art room? Then turn to page 14 to read more. When Karen Barmore and Nicholas Catania’s “Creative Collaboration: Pueblo Storytellers” was accepted for publication, Karen wrote, “We are so happy to hear that you accepted our manuscript. We thought this project was a wonderful collaborative effort across disciplines — the art/classroom

Nan E. Hathaway Art Teacher, Crossett Brook Middle School, Duxbury, Vermont Amanda Koonlaba Art Teacher and Arts Integration Resource, Lawhon Elementary School, Tupelo, Mississippi Glenda Lubiner Middle-School Art Teacher, Franklin Academy Charter School, Pembroke Pines, Florida Don Masse Heidi O’Hanley

Art Teacher, Zamorano Fine Arts Academy, San Diego, California Art Teacher, Brodnicki Elementary School Justice, Illinois

teachers creating both literature and visual art alongside their students.

Irv Osterer Department Head – Fine Arts and Technology, Merivale High School, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

We all learned a great deal from each other.” Read all about it on page 26.

Debi West Lead Visual Art Teacher, North Gwinnett High School, Suwanee, Georgia

“Creativity exercises and games can help engage

ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT

students with clay, to teach them through experience how the material reacts to different techniques, and to support a positive and collaborative classroom environment,” writes Tara Carpenter about “Creativity Exercises and Games with Clay,” which she developed. “[They are] adaptable

a d v e r t i s i n g m a n a g e r Tracy Brdicko tracy @ artsandactivities.com 800.826.2216 or 888.651.7567 p r o d u c t i o n d i r e c t o r Linda Peterson p r o d u c t i o n m a n a g e r Kevin Lewis production @ artsandactivities.com

for different learners and effective with almost any age. Regardless of classroom circumstance, creativity exercises and games with clay are a wonderful addition to any curriculum.” Check them out on page 28.

HOW TO REACH ARTS & ACTIVITIES Subscription Services To subscribe, renew, change an address or buy single copies,

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Letters to the Editor Letters pertaining to magazine content and art education in

Enjoy this issue. Use and adapt the ideas presented. Most importantly, let the ideas of the authors expand your own personal vision of possibilities for teaching and for your classroom. So, come on … Let’s get creative with Clay!

general are welcomed. Arts & Activities reserves the right to edit all letters for space and clarity. Send to ed@artsandactivities.com

Manuscripts Subjects dealing with art-education practice at the elementary and secondary levels, teacher education and uses of community resources, are invited. Materials are handled with care; however, publisher assumes no responsibility for loss or damage. Unsolicited material must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. For Writer’s Guidelines, visit artsandactivities.com/submit/writers-guidelines/ Address all materials to the attention of the Editor. Simultaneous submissions will not be considered or accepted. Indexes Articles are indexed in January and June issues. Issues of Arts & Activities are available on microfilm and photocopies from: ProQuest Information and Learning, P.O. Box 1346, 300 N. Zeeb Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48106. (Issues beginning with January 1977 are available in microfiche.) The full text of Arts & Activities is also available in the electronic versions of the Education Index. Copyright Permissions Reproduction of any portion of this magazine without written

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The opinions and recommendations expressed by individual authors within this magazine are not necessarily those of Publishers’ Development Corp.

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Stepping Stones is a monthly column that breaks down seemingly daunting tasks into simple, manageable “steps” that any art educator can take and apply directly to their classroom. Stepping Stones will explore a variety of topics and share advice for art-on-a-cart teachers and those with art rooms.

SURVIVING YOUR EVALUATION

BY HEIDI O'HANLEY

or some educators, the most worrying times of your career can be your teaching evaluations. Many of us have heard stories of miscommunication and misunderstandings between administration and educators, so it’s no wonder many become tense during times of observation. As nervous as many of us can be, evaluations are an important element in your job. Our evaluations reflect our professionalism in our career. It helps administration understand our curriculum, measurement of student growth, and gives a chance to share how awesome we are in our classroom setting. There are many types of evaluation tools used in all school settings and the most popular is the Danielson model. With the Danielson framework, there are four domains that a teacher is evaluated on. The first domain is planning and preparation. A few standards within this domain reflect how you demonstrate knowledge and content, knowledge of students, setting instructional outcomes, and designing assessments. The second domain reflects your classroom environment. Even if you teach on a cart or temporary space, you still need to establish class procedures, manage student behavior, and organize your physical space. Domain three involved your instruction. The standards covered reflect engaging student learning, question and discussion techniques, student communication, and assessment in instruction. The last domain covers professional responsibilities, which includes your own reflection on teaching, maintaining records, communication with families, participation in the professional community, and growth in your professionalism. Another popular evaluation tool is the Marzano model. The Marzano model also has four domains that chain together. Domain one is classroom strategies and behaviors (which directly affect student achievement). Domain two is planning and preparing, domain 3 is reflecting on teaching (awareness of instructional practices), and domain four is collegiality and professionalism. Whether you are a first year or experienced teacher, here are some key tips in surviving your evaluations.

GATHER YOUR EVIDENCE. Have you had communica-

tion with a parent over email? Do you have a call log? Save it. Do you set up displays in the hallways or in the local community? Take pictures. Gathering your artifacts helps provide evidence of the hard work you put into your career and how much you support the students you teach. It helps to get in the practice of documenting everything you do from day one. Documents, pictures, newspaper clippings, and articles/blog posts are key evidence pieces to help develop your Evaluation portfolio. 8

CREATE A SYSTEM TO SAVE THE ARTIFACTS. Many teach-

PREPARE AND STUDY THE INS AND OUTS OF YOUR LESSONS FOR YOUR OBSERVATIONS. I know it’s

ers create “binders” to save all their work within each standard to meet in the four domains, while others have folders or digital documents. For print outs and physical artifacts, save a file folder for each domain. Keeping your artifacts in one place makes it easier to find what you need if asked. If you have a blog, Instagram, or social media site dedicated to your classroom and lessons, you have a huge percentage of your evidence shared digitally, which is easy to pull up if needed.

easier said than done, but prepping in advance will save you a ton of stress down the road. If you know which lesson the administrator will observe, hand in a copy of your lesson plan in advance including standards and any photo document of the project. Create your examples, rehearse your objectives, and prepare for any questions that may be asked.

BE PREPARED FOR THING TO GO WRONG. Nothing goes 100 percent perfect, but how you handle the flexibility reflects a lot on your teaching. When you deliver a lesson over time, you instinctively reflect on your successes and failures, which help you to refine your delivery of instruction and enhance your projects.

DON’T STRESS OVER IT. From personal experience,

adding tension and stress causes more problems than needed. As long as you feel prepared and focus on your tasks in front of you, your observations should run smoothly. There have been a few times I was observed and I flowed around the room, forgetting the administrator was even there. The evaluators are there to view how you move about your classes, deliver your instruction, and manage classroom behaviors. Show them how awesome you can be.

YOUR CLASS COMES FIRST. The key thing to note is that you are there to educate your students, so they should always come first. Think about their learning : Are they understanding the objectives? Are they engaged? What are they taking away from your lessons to use outside of the classroom? These are the elements your administrator wishes to observe, so put your focus on your class.

To all you wonderful educators, good luck with your evaluations. I know you can rock it if you put your mind to it. We are in this together to bring art to future generations. n Arts & Activities Contributing Editor, Heidi O’Hanley (NBCT) teaches elementary art for Indian Springs School District #109, in the Greater Chicago Area. Visit her blog at www. talesfromthetravellingartteacher.blogspot.com. f e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7 • 84 Y E A R S

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Art is at the Core offers tips on integrating for visual art teachers and teachers of other subjects. Arts-integrated lessons offer students the opportunity to meet objectives in art disciplines and other subjects. Arts integration strengthens traditional core classes, but does not replace art-specific courses.

JANET FISH

BY AMANDA KOONLABA Janet Fish was born in Boston in 1938 and is a realist painter known for her bright and colorful still-lifes. Below are ideas for integrating her “Lawn Sale” with other subjects.

QUESTIONING THE ARTWORK This artwork is buzz-

ing with activity and particulars. At first, students will usually just see the big picture. However, they will better understand the following activities if they notice the details as well. There are three questions, with a little prodding attached, that can be used to help students notice details in this work. First, ask students to talk about what they see. They should be specific. Yes, they see a lawn sale, but what else? Yes, there are clothes hanging around the image of the sale, but what else? Next, ask them about what they hear when they look at the artwork. They may hear a little boy laughing, but what else? They may hear people arguing over prices, but what else? Finally, ask them what they feel. Do they feel wind or is it humid? What else? Ask these three questions and prod them with “what else” to encourage attention to the details.

Have the students make a class list of adjectives that cannot be used in the game. Let the students have input into the selection of these words so that they will remember them and take ownership of their usage. These should be overused adjectives such as big, little, sad, happy, etc. Allow the students to add groups of words to the list like “all color words.” Record this list somewhere that students can see it and refer to it often. Next, work with the class to create a list of nouns from the artwork. Record these so that students can see them as well. Choose 10 from the list for students to describe. Let them get into groups. Have each student in the group say one word to describe each noun from the list. They cannot use the nouns that were agreed to be off limits in the beginning. After the group members have shared their descriptive words with each other, they can decide on one to share with the entire class. Tell them to tr y to choose one that no other group will think of. After the groups have shared VIVID LANGUAGE GAME

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their descriptive words, have the students write about the artwork using this vivid language. Make the words on the overused adjective list off-limits for conversation for a week to encourage the students to speak with vivid language and a variety of vocabular y.

MONEY MATH Divide the Lawn Sale artwork into sec-

CREATING ARTWORK Have each student bring in

tions and have students work in groups to identify the items that are for sale. Ask them to label the items in their section of the work with a price using small sticky notes. The group members should discuss and agree upon a reasonable price for the used items since this is an image of a lawn sale. When the groups have finished, make a large price list of the items. Have students go shopping at the sale by telling them they have $20 (or other reasonable amount) to spend. One extension to this would be to actually allow the students to use fake money to buy the items and take turns counting back change.

one item that can be resold and set up a table with the items arranged in a visually appealing manner (put a cloth down on the table, arrange the items in baskets, etc.). Have the students draw a still-life from this arrangement. Make sure they create depth in their work by placing objects in the foreground, middle ground, and background. Teach the students about proportion as well. Remind them to think about the size and placement of the items before they actually put their pencil to the paper. These will look nice painted with watercolors and outlined in black permanent markers. For a twist, students can complete the Money Math activity with their own artwork. They can label the items with a price. Each student will probably have a different price tag on the items. Then, they can swap with a partner and spend their $20. A real-life extension for this activity would be to actually sell the items the students brought in. There are probably teachers in your school that would pay 50 cents or a dollar to buy an item from your class if they know you are teaching math with art! Use the profits to buy more art supplies for the classroom or donate to a community organization. n Arts & Activities Contributing Editor Amanda Koonlaba, NBCT, teaches at Lawhon Elementary in Tupelo, Miss. Before teaching art, she was a classroom teacher, and used arts integration as the cornerstone for instruction. Visit her blog at www.tinyurl.com/aekoonlaba

The activities described in “Art is at the Core” may encompass Common Core State Standards for Math, the English Language Arts Anchor Standards of Writing, Speaking and Listening, and the Next Generation Science Standards Performance Based Expectations of Science and Engineering Practices for Analyzing and Interpreting Data. They also encompass the National Arts Standards processes of Creating and Responding. Please refer to particular grade-level standards for specifics.—A.K. 10

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brush up on your creativity

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Yearlong Art II Curriculum Series | WHERE THE TECHNICAL MEETS THE CREATIVE

LESSON 6 OF 10

Theme and Variation by Debi West

s I’ve mentioned, this Art II course is one of my favorites. Why? Because students are learning to take their technical artistic skills to the next level by thinking creatively. This lesson, which I often use as a midterm, is perfect in that it does exactly that! Quite simply, I have my students select an object—either something from the classroom or something that is special to them—and draw it nine times … with nine different views…using nine specific media… and incorporating three art historical styles! Allow me to explain…

the lesson as they see it. They see nine finished pieces on 6" x 6" poster board squares, with one distinct object, or an emphasized subject matter, per square. They then notice that the subject matter is seen and drawn from various views, such as bird’s-eye view, bug’s-eye view, zoomed in, zoomed out, and often viewed in many creative angles. The goal is to teach our kids to SEE, and this lesson requires that they find a minimum of nine views of the same object. The challenge has begun! ONCE THIS HAS BEEN ACHIEVED, it’s

STUDENTS ARE INTRODUCED TO THE LESSON by looking at several student

examples from past years and seeing if they understand what they will be doing. It usually takes a few minutes, but one by one, they begin to describe

time for students to select their media of choice and, once again, they can select nine media. Only one medium is to be used with each view, unless they choose one of their squares to be done in mixed media. Only then

can they add all media to that particular piece. For example, one view can be done in graphite, one in pen and ink, one in watercolor, one in acrylic, one collaged, one stippled using a thin-tip marker, one in oil pastel, one in colored pencil, one in chalk pastel, and so on. The goal is that students are showcasing that they are proficient in at least nine media. AND, FINALLY, THE LAST COMPONENT

—which I added three years ago— is the art-historical addition. Three of their final works must be inspired by an art-historical style. For example students have used Pop art, prehistoric “dirt” paintings (which is also a unique media to experiment with), cubism, etc. Again, this is another area where students have the freedom to get

For this assignment, students select an object—either something from the classroom or something that is special to them—and draw it nine times … with nine different views … using nine specific media … and incorporating three art historical styles!

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LESSON 6 OF 10

ART II CURRICULUM SERIES

Theme and Variation LEARNING OBJECTIVES

MATERIALS

High-school Art II students will ... • learn the importance of drawing from life, creatively. • find a subject matter and draw it from various views using various media, nine times, to create a unique and interesting still life series in miniature.

• • • •

Nine 6" x 6" pieces of white drawing paper per student Poster board Still-life objects of students’ choice Mixed media, glue

PROCEDURES 1. Students will select a subject matter that they will enjoy looking at for two weeks. 2. Students will draw what they see, considering line and shape and recreate the drawing by looking from various views, ie, bird’s eye, bug, foreshortened, zoomed in, zoomed out, cropped, straight on, etc. 3. Students will sketch out each view and select the nine that work the best. 4. Students will select nine various mediums and illustrate their individual squares using

these techniques, (e.g. art stix, collage, paint, watercolor, graphite, charcoal, crayon, oil pastel, chalk pastel, pen and ink, etc.). 5. Students will adhere each square onto their poster board, creatively, to tell a story about their subject matter. 6. This is a strong lesson in that it merges the technical aspects needed in art, with the creative elements. 7. Final artworks will be hung in a class display in the hallway.

ASSESSMENT The goal was for students to show that they were proficient in at least nine media.

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We do in-process critiques using my “2 Glows and a Grow” model: Each student selects a classmate’s work that speaks to him/her and attaches three notes—two with what works, and one with what the artist might want to consider or change. There is also an evaluation form that prompts students to appropriately reflect on the learning at hand and provides space for them to comment on the process and how they feel their final piece turned out. There is also space for me to comment and give them a grade based on their learning and the final work.

extremely creative. They consider all of the art history they have been taught, including many contemporary styles, and incorporate this into one of their squares. The final nine squares are then mounted onto a large piece of black poster board and exhibited for their classmates to enjoy. This lesson is always highly successful and is a great way for kids to critique their work, as well as their peer’s work, using their rubric. The more creative, the better! Up next … ”Large Food Studies— Deliciously Successful!” n A&A Contributing Editor Debi West, Ed.S, NBCT, is Art Dept. Chair at North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, Ga.

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Final artworks were hung in a class display.

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Javen, grade 10. “Hamcakes.”

Pig Parade

ach spring, our school library is filled with a colorful parade of pigs. The students in our Introduction to Art Class display their personalities and imaginations by creating an entry for the parade. We begin by looking at examples of the Cow Parade—a public art exhibit that has been featured in cities around the world. Fiberglass sculptures of cows are decorated by local artists, and distributed throughout the cities in public places. They often feature artwork and designs specific to local culture, as well as city life and other relevant themes. At the conclusion of the exhibits, the statues are auctioned off and the

Danielle, grade 9. “Frankenswine.”

by Rebecca Tarman

LEARNING OBJECTIVES High-school students will ... • implement basic ceramic construction techniques. • consider public art and its place in the community. • create a sculpture to be publicly displayed.

NATIONAL ART STANDARDS

•

CREATING: Conceiving and developing artistic ideas and work. • PRESENTING: Interpreting and sharing artistic work. • RESPONDING: Understanding and evaluating how the arts convey meaning. • CONNECTING: Relating artistic ideas and work with personal meaning and external context.

MATERIALS

•

Clay (about 1.5 pounds per student), slip, clay tools • White house paint, various colors of acrylic paint, paintbrushes • Miscellaneous student-supplied items • Modge Podge®

Calyn, grade 9. “Hedge Hog.”

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Tonya, grade 9. “Hamera.”

Jacob, grade 9. “Styclops.”

proceeds are donated to charity. We are near Chicago, so we focus on that city where, in 1999, Cow Parade made its American debut. We also discuss the purpose of public sculpture and look at examples created by various artists, including Henri Moore, Claes Oldenburg, Pablo Picasso and Auguste Rodin). IT’S TIME FOR THE STUDENTS to start

working on their projects. They are told that they each will be creating a pig. As the basic form of the pig is created, they are told to be thinking of what theme they will use for their sculpture. It can be decorated to fit a certain theme, such as a “Hawaiian Pig,” or created with a play on words in mind, such as “Frankenswine” or “Ham Gogh.” Each student is given about a pound of clay, which they divide in half and then create two pinch pots. I have the students use extra-large Christmas ornaments, wrapped in plastic,

The pigs on display in the library, where ballots were made available for students to vote on their favorite entries. www.ar tsandactivities.com

Melanie, grade 9. “Cupig.”

to measure the diameters of the openings of their pinch pots to ensure they are identical. The two pinch pots are then joined together, forming an egg shape. The students form a coil to attach where the two pots are joined to prevent an indentation from forming around the body of the pig. After the bodies have firmed slightly, the students add snouts, ears, tails, and other details. Using the backs of spoons, the students burnish their pigs to achieve the smoothest surface possible. They also poke a hole in the bottom of the body for air to escape during firing. As the pigs are drying, students put damp paper towels on thin areas such as ears and tails to allow for more even drying and to prevent cracking. Once dry, they are ready to fire. After firing, the pigs are painted

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Mikaela. grade 9. “Pork Taco.”

with a coat of white paint. I have found house paint to be the most cost effective. After the white coat has dried, the pigs are decorated with acrylic paint, and a coat of Mod Podge® is applied. Students are encouraged to bring in items from home to add finishing touches to their pig. Buttons, flowers, toy hats, nuts and bolts are just a few examples of items that have been brought in. Our students look forward to seeing the pigs on display in the library, where our librarian makes ballots available for students to vote on their favorite entries. A prize is given for the pig receiving the most votes, as well as a teacher’s-choice award. n Rebecca Tarman is a fine ar ts teacher at Fair field Junior-Senior High School in Goshen, Indiana. 15

Biomorphic Creations in Clay by Brett Wallerstein

iomorphism is an art movement that began in the 20th century. It models artistic design elements on naturally occurring patterns or shapes reminiscent of nature and living organisms. Taken to its extreme, it attempts to force naturally occurring shapes onto functional devices. In ceramics, we see a great deal of this in both sculptural and functional forms. Incorporating the concepts of biomorphism into a seventh-grade clay project proved to be a fun and exciting

Preliminary student drawings merging two objects into one. 16

venture for both my students and me. It also provided me with an opportunity to show them some of the porcelain sculptures I was currently working on for an upcoming solo exhibition. In making their own biomorphic creations in clay, they were able to explore the process of building a sculpture based on direct observation of a realistic organic object. Adding their creative ideas, students were able to transform their sculptures by morphing it into something new. Some of the ways in which students abstracted their clay representations included changing the proportions of a specific part, combining features from a couple or several different organic objects to make a new one, or choosing an unpredictable color while glazing. The diverse and exciting solutions they developed while working led me to stop the class and lead a discussion on how their lifelike representations were becoming abstract. The group f e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7 • 84 Y E A R S

Brett Wallerstein. “Juvenile,” 2015. Porcelain.

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

MATERIALS

Middle-school students will ... • learn about the “Biomorphism” art movement, and artists Jean Harp, Henri Moore and Barbara Hepworth. • explore how artists get ideas, and investigate the formal influence of said theme in creating a ceramic work • learn about contemporary ceramic artists who are working in the genre of “Organic Abstraction.” • create an idea or theme in more than one medium, interpret 2-D art into a 3-D form, and create multiple solutions to visual arts problem. • combine hand building techniques to create a sculptural form, demonstrate craftsmanship, explore surface decoration. • select glaze for aesthetic quality to enhance sculptural form.

• •

Sculpture clay Canvas mats or boards, newspaper, zip-lock plastic bags • Scoring tools/forks, pin tools, assorted clay tools • Blender slip • Glazes, brushes

Seventh-grader, Haley, adding decorative elements to her clay piece.

NATIONAL ART STANDARDS

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Mike (left) and Jalen working on their biomorphic creations.

CREATING: Conceiving and developing new artistic ideas and work. • PRESENTING: Interpreting and sharing artistic work. • RESPONDING: Understanding and evaluating how the arts convey meaning. • CONNECTING: Relating artistic ideas and work with personal meaning and external context.

“Strawacorn,” by Alyson.

Bisque-fired pieces.

discussion was important in that it helped them understand the difference between realistic works of art and nonrepresentational. It also helped them to grasp the concept of “biomorphic.” DAY 1: The lesson began with a dis-

cussion about the “Biomorphism” art movement and examples by a few of the artists involved—Jean Arp, Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth. We also talked about the ways in which artists, such as Georgia O’Keeffe, take objects from nature and abstract them. I explained how these artists derived www.ar tsandactivities.com

most of their ideas from the natural world and the human body simultaneously (shells, pebbles, bones, etc.). We then viewed a variety of contemporary ceramic artists who worked biomorphically, including the sculptural forms of Mary Rogers, Sandy Byers, Geoffrey Swindell, Lindsay Feurer, and some of my own recent biomorphic ceramic works. The PowerPoint presentation I put together also discussed the biomorphic qualities of my ceramic sculptures, and pointed out the methods of construction that I used and connected them to the

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hand building techniques they would be learning: pinch, coil, slab and draping. DAY 2: On the second day, I shared a collection of organic objects including acorns, conch shells, dried pods, small gourds and so on. Students each selected one of the organic objects to draw and use as the basis of their sculpture. As they drew the organic object from life, the students were encouraged to take another object and merge it into the original one to create a new biomorphic form. 17

DAY 3: I demonstrated how to use the pinch method to form two hollow pots. Students worked while I assisted them pointing out the importance of keeping just the thumb in the center. Having a tendency of leaving the pots extra thick, I assist the students to try to get them to pinch out all the extra clay out of the bottom and the sides of the pots stressing the importance of even walls throughout. DAY 4: I demonstrated how to score

and slip the two pinch pots together. Once they have a basic form resembling that of their organic object, I showed them how to use a small wooden paddle in case they decided to alter their forms further. I then allowed some time for students to work independently while they developed their imaginative ideas further for their biomorphic creations. Some students stuck to their original idea, while others let new ideas spontaneously flow while morphing their forms into something new. Some students expressed interest in transforming parts of their projects into flowers so I taught them how to feather the edges of their pot, a technique I often use in my own ceramic art. DAY 5: I introduced them to the coil

method and we discussed the various ways in which coils could be used for

“Shellacorn,” by Regina.

sections of their sculptures like stems or as decorations on the surface. DAY 6: A demonstration on surface

decoration was given. Using small sgrafitto tools, I taught students how to enhance their form by carefully car ving out small designs or marks, when repeated created rich surface textures. Other students chose to use a pencil or the back end of a paintbrush to embellish their sculpture with texture. Last, students were reminded to make sure that a small hole was put in

ORGANIC POD RATTLES

or students who complete their biomorphic clay creations early, I recommend they try to make small organic pod rattles, which usually only take one class period to build. Based on the sculptural objects of Wisconsin artist, Kelly Jean Ohl, students can create pod rattles like the ones shown to the right. Incorporating organic textures and shapes, students can make these by using the basic pinch-pot method used in making their clay sculpture, or they can try an alternative method. They can make a solid ball of clay and cut it in half with a wire toggle. The two halves can be hollowed out using small loop tools and small pea-size pieces of dried clays can be placed inside. Once the two halves are scored and slipped together, students can carve and sculpt the desired form. Remember to put

an inconspicuous place on their sculpture and that their initials were carved clearly on the bottom of their pieces

a pin hole in the finished form to prevent the work from exploding during the firing process! Once bisque fired, stains and oxides can be used to accentuate the carved textures in the rattle forms. A large textured bowl can also be made to display their beautiful pod rattles!

Pod rattles by Kelly Jean Ohl. Photo courtesy of the artist.

DAY 7: Once bisque fired, students selected colors to glaze their projects. Mayco Stroke N Coat glazes offer a great variety of vibrant colors that the students love. When selecting a glaze, students were reminded to choose colors and paint designs that enhanced the aesthetic quality of their sculptural form. FINAL THOUGHTS ON LESSON: One of the most difficult parts of this assignment for students was coming up with an idea for this project. Although the collection of organic objects that I brought in sparked many new ideas, some students still struggled to come up with a design that they were happy with while drawing. I would recommend that it is important to let those students know that they can still create something ver y unique while they are working with the clay. I would remind them that some artists like to pre-plan their designs ver y carefully while others like to be more spontaneous while they work. There is no wrong or right way to be creative! n

Brett Wallerstein teaches art at Carl Sandburg Middle School in Levittown, Pennsylvania. All photographs by Brett, except where indicated.

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A&A Art Print: Respond and Connect Follower of Bernard Palissy. Platter, late 16th century.

“When I closely examined the shape of the rocks, I found that none of them can take the shape of a shell or other animal if the animal itself has not built its shape.” Bernard Palissy

MAIN VISUAL ART CONCEPTS: Shape

• Form • Unity • Texture

ART TECHNIQUES: Ceramics, casting, relief, modeling, glazing.

•

LIFE CASTING: The creatures and plants on this platter were cast from actual plants and animals. Palissy was known for making lively looking amphibians and reptiles on his pieces. Nobody knows exactly how, because he kept his casting methods secret.

GEOLOGY: Bernard Palissy was a pioneer in geology. His interest in fossils led him to identify relationships between them and species of his time.

• •

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DESIGN WITHIN: Univalves, bivalves, pebbles and stones, mostly white, add visual directional elements to this piece as they move the eye to discover the varied lively looking creatures on this platter.

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BIOLOGY: Notice how many different phyla are represented on this platter. It’s a virtual ecological microcosm. Speaking of MICROcosms, take a look at some pond water under a microscope!

CHEMISTRY: The glaze on this platter contains lead. Lead in a glaze is used as a “flux,” which mixes with the other chemicals in the glaze and causes them to melt at a lower temperature than they would alone. The presence of lead helps produce bright or intense colors in ceramics because the colorants do not burn out at lower temperatures. At the time, detrimental effects of lead were not known.

AGRICULTURE: Palissy was one of the first to identify “salts” and other minerals as nutrients necessary for plant life.

HISTORY: The French Wars of Religion (Huguenots or Calvinist Protestants fought Catholics, 1562-1598) during the second most deadly religious wars in Europe. The most deadly religious war in Europe was in Germany, referred to as the “Thirty Years’ War,” 1618–1648.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Palissy, a Huguenot, converted to Protestantism in 1546. He was imprisoned, but then released by Queen Catherine de Medici, who commissioned him, as “inventor of rustic pottery,” to decorate a pottery grotto in the Tuileries Palace. He was imprisoned again in 1588 and died while in prison in 1590.

FORM AND FUNCTION: This platter was not intended for food service: it is more like a scientific diagram in relief.

INDUSTRY AND ECONOMY: Who really made this platter? Palissy had a workshop of people who created pieces for his business. This platter was made by one of his “followers,” perhaps using some of Palissy’s original molds.

Wherever you see this symbol, it means there are resources related to this article available online. Visit artsandactivities.com and click on this button to explore these topics further. www.ar tsandactivities.com

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FEBRUARY 2017

Platter, late 16th-century. Follower of Bernard Palissy (French, Agen, Lot-etGaronne, 1510â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1590, Paris). Lead-glazed earthenware; 20.5" x 15.625" x 2.812". Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Gift of Julia A. Berwind, 1953. Public domain.

In the Studio: Create and Present Annotations and lessons on these pages by Tara Cady Sartorius, Program Director, Alabama Alliance for Arts Education

GRADES K–6

GRADES 7-12

PRETTY FISHY! Linda Limbach, the art teacher who led this lesson, taught some basic parts of a fish to her second-graders: body, tail, fins, scales, eyes and lips. While the lesson was not intended to be exact science, and the student fish do not depict any specific species of fish, it is likely the students learned the anatomy of fish in general.

“As a young artist, my first great influence was primitive art, specifically Australian Aboriginal art. The bold outlines, patterns and simplified shapes seemed to directly convey the power of the animals depicted. The images were stories, legends. And their energy was there to see.” Bethanne Hill

ARTIST BETHANNE HILL created her acrylic-on-wood painting, Salamander Stream (below), after seeing our featured platter. Hill is well known for her paintings that are loaded with color, motion and narrative. She documented her process exclusively for this issue of Arts & Activities. In what ways can you see the influence of Aboriginal art in her work?

Clay fish by Linda Limbach’s second-grade students at Cedar Creek Elementary School in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.

The textural qualities of the fish, in combination with bright contrasting colors, lend a playful tone to the school of fish. They were fired only once, and the color is not paint or glaze—it is construction paper crayon, which is more opaque than regular crayon. In Limbach’s words, “Students started with two balls of white clay. With the first ball, they flattened it letting whatever shape happened be the body of the fish. The other ball of clay was used to make the fins, eye and lips. We used slabs for the fins, a sphere for the eye and a coil for the lips. The scales were done with the end of a pencil. After they were fired we used construction paper crayons on the bisque ware and they were given a bath with watered-down black tempera for this cool ef fect.” The coloring method is basically a variation of crayon resist, only in relief. This technique might work well with air-dry clay as well, although the pieces will be more delicate. While fish lips aren’t usually identified in diagrams as an official part of their anatomy, the exterior parts of the mouth are important to fish because they often house sensory nerves that affect the ways fish gather food and the types of food they can eat. Students also learned the basics of attaching pieces of clay together through scoring and blending. Strong technical instruction combined with playful inspiration seems to have helped this lesson go quite swimmingly! NATIONAL ART STANDARDS: Grades K–6 ENDURING UNDERSTANDING: Artists and designers experiment with forms, structures, materials, concepts, media, and art-making approaches. CREATE: Experiment with various materials and tools to explore personal interests in a work of art or design. CREATE: Discuss and reflect with peers about choices made in creating artwork.

1. First and foremost, the artist went right to

the source: a real salamander. Students should be encouraged to carefully obser ve nature. 2. Hill works out the major compositional shapes in black paint, and defines their edges more clearly with a lighter background color. 3. She adds smaller elements into the composition, such as the yellow snake in the lower right. 4. Hill layers colors on top of the black forms, almost always leaving sharp black edges. 5. She fills in even more colors and shapes, and adds a lighter color to the areas of water, indicating flow and motion.

Ta da! The finished piece.

Try leading your students in this process, perhaps choosing a subject they are studying in their biology classes. They could also depict objects they bring from home. Or, they could interpret content from books they are reading in their English classes. Each student will have to develop her or his own style. How many elements did Hill use that are on the featured platter? Perhaps your students could use other animals and plants from the platter that Hill did not depict, such as the frog and crayfish. Be sure to visit Hill’s website: www.bethannehill.com NATIONAL ART STANDARDS: Grades 7–12

How to use the A&A Monthly Art Print: Carefully unbend the staples at the center of the magazine, pull the print up and out of the magazine. Rebend staples to keep magazine intact. Laminate the pulled-out section and use it as a resource in your art room. — Editor

CREATE: Apply visual organizational strategies to design and produce a work of art, design, or media that clearly communicates information or ideas. CREATE: Document early stages of the creative process visually and/or verbally in traditional or new media. CREATE: Choose from a range of materials and methods of traditional and contemporary artistic practices to plan works of art and design.

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by Hugh Petersen

Kaylee

Marlee

ack in June 1994, Arts & Activities published one of my lessons titled “Drape-Mold Bowls: Elegance in Black and White.” In that lesson I explained how you could help students create a symmetrical clay bowl using a plaster drape-mold. The students decorated their bowls with a black-andwhite design based on Southwest Native American pottery. I still love doing this lesson, but I wanted to come up with a way to add color to the bowls that would fit the skill level of my students. While driving in rural Wisconsin, inspiration struck in the form of colorful geometric designs painted on many of the barns. Some of them were square, like giant patchwork quilt blocks, while others were a circle shape, like that of a of Pennsylvania-Dutch folk-art hex sign. I immediately connected with the circle shape, knowing that it would work well with the circle shape of drape-mold bowls. TO INSPIRE MY STUDENTS back

at school, we looked at and talked about many samples of PennsylvaniaDutch folk-art hex signs. These circular designs were a way to decorate barns and bring a splash of color for all to enjoy. The most common images used in these designs include stars, compass roses, stylized birds, hearts, tulips or geometric shapes. To boost students’ confidence when drawing their circular hex sign designs, circle graph paper was used (see diagram). A circle graph resembles a target, with a series 24

Trinity

Noah

of concentric circles of receding diameters, about an inch apart. When the designs were finished and colored in, students were ready to draw their designs into their bisquefired bowls with pencils. I was fortunate to have a potter’s wheel in my room, which enabled me to center the bisque bowls and, with a pencil, draw the concentric circles students needed to redraw their hex designs on their bowls. The designs were then painted in with underglazes and, finally, clear glaze was applied to the bowls. The results were something to be proud of that would bring a splash of color wherever they were displayed. n Recently retired, Hugh Petersen taught art at Phoenix Middle School in Delavan, Wisconsin. f e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7 • 84 Y E A R S

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

MATERIALS

Middle-school students will … • be introduced to Pennsylvania-Dutch Hex signs and design their own. • hand build a clay bowl using a drape mold. • paint their own hex-sign designs onto their clay bowls • select and use subject matter, symbols, and ideas to communicate meaning. • know that the visual arts have both a history and specific relationships to various cultures

NATIONAL ART STANDARDS

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• Pencils, color markers, circle graph paper • Clay • Plaster drape molds • Underglaze, clear glaze

REFERENCE RESOURCES Learn more about Pennsylvania-Dutch Hex Signs at the following websites: • www.amishnews.com/featurearticles/Storyofhexsigns.htm • freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~aferm/ pennsylvania/hex.htm

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Circle graph paper.

Haley

Kody

Kaitlyn

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creative COLLABORATION

by Karen Barmore and Nicholas Catania

t is a tradition of Native American cultures to pass on oral stories from one generation to another. To learn about this ancient tradition, students at John B. Gorrie Elementary in Tampa, Florida, collaborated with their homeroom teachers and art teacher to make these amazing Pueblo Storyteller sculptures. The world-renowned Cochiti Pueblo ceramicist, Helen Cordero (1915-1994), first created this art form in the 1960s to depict how her own grandfather would gather all the children from his village together to tell them the traditions and stories of their people. Originally, Cordero depicted male figures made in the likeness of her grandfather who was known for singing songs and telling stories of Native American culture and heritage. He shared these stories with his grandchildren and other children in his village. The female figures were originally known as “Singing Mothers,” but later were called storytellers too. As time went on, the word storytellers evolved to include animal figures as well. Traditionally, when making the storytellers, artists would gather the clay from secret and sacred places. Then, the artists would hand-coil the clay and build the sculptures one Go to artsandactivities.com and click on this button for resources related to this article.

HOW THE EARTH CAME TO BE by Mr. Catania. fifth-grade teacher*

ong before the Earth existed, there was only sky. In the clouds was Skyland, where a sacred Great Tree grew. The Great Tree had branches that pointed to the four cardinal points, North, South, East and West. An ancient chief lived in Skyland. Most called him Sky King because his role was to oversee all of the objects in the land. His wife, Sky Queen, was pregnant with child and she had a dream that the Great Tree was uprooted. Dreams were very important to the chief and his tribe. The chief and his men tried to pull the tree loose, but the tree was deeply rooted. After many attempts, Sky King, using all of his energy, managed to loosen the soil from around the tree. It was uprooted and laid upon its side. However, the tree left a large hole in Skyland. The chief’s wife looked down the hole and saw something glittering in the distance. It resembled what looked to be water. She steadied herself on the branches of the Great Tree. However, the branch snapped and broke and she fell down the endless hole. Two Doves saw this woman falling down towards the water and flew up to help her so as to cushion her fall. They called to Sky Queen, “Do not worry, we will save you! But whatever you do, DO NOT LET GO!” They then realized that the woman was not like them ... she did not have webbed feet or waterproof feathers. This creature could not live in the water. All of the animals decided that she would die if they did not think of a plan to save her.

After much discussion, the animals decided that she was made to live on Earth. However, the only Earth was at the bottom of the ever-flowing oceans and streams. The Duck, the Beaver, and the Dolphin all tried to bring Earth from the bottom to the top of the water, but they all failed. Then the Muskrat decided to try. He took on a determined look and went up and down, until finally he loosened part of the Earth. However, there was one problem; they knew Earth did not float on water. Turtle stepped out from the crowd of animals with his head held high and proclaimed, “This is my duty. I will carry the weight of the Earth on my back for the good of our people.” Turtle volunteered to carry Earth on his back. With help from the others, Earth was placed on Turtle’s back. After Earth reached Turtle’s back, it began to increase in size until it became what we today call Turtle Island (North America). The Swans flew down carrying Sky Queen to her new home. Sky Queen relaxed and opened her hand (that held leaves and seeds collected from the Great Tree). The seeds fell to Earth, planted themselves and many new trees grew on Turtle Island. By working together, the animals learned that they could achieve the loftiest of goals. As time went on, the animals and Sky Queen worked together to nourish the seeds and trees that grew on Turtle Island. And that is how the Earth came to be. * Adapted from “Skywoman Descending Great Turtle Island,” by Arnold Jacobs (Onondaga) ©1981.

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Students did a wonderful job creating the expressions on the listeners’ faces. Listeners and storytellers were “glaze-glued” together in the final firing.

layer at a time. Upon completion of the figures, they would be placed in the ground to be fired the traditional way. Not until more recently were molds and kilns introduced to the world of storytellers.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES Elementary students will … • become familiar with Helen Cordero and her ceramic Storyteller sculptures. • design, form and finally glaze a clay “listener.” • collaborate with other students and teachers to complete the final sculpture. • write a Native American–style Origin Story describing how something in nature came to be. • draft, peer edit, and publish their Origin Stories.

NATIONAL ART STANDARDS

• • •

CREATING: Conceiving and developing new artistic ideas and work. PRESENTING: Interpreting and sharing artistic work. RESPONDING: Understanding and evaluating how the arts convey meaning. • CONNECTING: Relating artistic ideas and work with personal meaning and external context.

MATERIALS FOR THIS COLLABORATIVE PROJECT, each homeroom teacher

attended a special workshop in the art room, where they sculpted their own large-scale storyteller out of low-fire clay. The teachers used the coil hand-building method for the body and made a very deep pinch pot for the head. Fastening slabs of clay into cylinders and folding them into shape created the arms and legs. Each teacher created his or her sculpture to include different details. One teacher used coils and created braided hair, for example, while another created sandals for the bare feet. In art class, each student learned the pinch-pull method to create one of the tiny listeners. After all the sculptures were bisque fired, the smaller figurines created by the students were painted using agreed-upon colors of underglaze and clear gloss over glaze. They were then positioned all around and on top of the larger storytellers created by their teachers. The piece was glaze fired, thereby permanently “glaze-gluing” the listeners to the larger storyteller. A few of the small listeners were fired separately so they could be displayed around the large piece. This display mimicked the gathering of children as Cordero’s grandfather shared his stories. TO ACCOMPANY THIS ART PROJECT, each homeroom teacher and their students wrote a Native American–style Origin Story (see sidebar). An Origin Story explains how a particular natural event or object first came to be. These are the types of stories historians believed to have been shared during story time in the village. Teachers provided a modeled example to share with students and then allowed them time to brainstorm, peer edit and publish their own versions of how particular things came to be. Some of the topics included “How the Desert Came To Be,” “How the Earth Came To Be” and “How the Great Plains Came To Be.” The teacher/student stories were compiled in a bound book and displayed alongside the sculptures on the schools front glass case for all to read and enjoy. n

Karen Barmore teaches art and Nicholas Catania teaches fifth grade, both at John B. Gorrie Elementary School in Tampa, Florida. www.ar tsandactivities.com

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• • • •

Low-fire white clay Wire clay cutter Canvas-covered boards Velvet underglaze in various colors • Bamboo sticks for scoring

• • • •

Plastic knives Soft medium size brushes Detail brushes Newspapers (for clay structure support)

1 and 2: The fifth-grade teachers used coil, slab and pinch-pot techniques to build their storytellers. 3: The students formed the listeners. 4. Storytellers and listeners were bisque-fired. 5: Teachers and students then added under glaze colors to their creations. 27

Creativity Exercises and C

reativity exercises and games are activities designed to quickly engage students with a new medium, skill, or concept. They are ideal for classroom teachers looking to energize lessons. I use them with students ranging from kindergarten through college, often as a warm-up, sometimes to mix things up mid-lesson, and sometimes as an enjoyable ending to the day. I have found this practice to be especially useful with clay. This article will give some background information on benefits and challenges of using clay in the classroom, show how creativity exercises and games can support or negate challenges of working with clay while enhancing benefits, and finally, it will describe four creativity exercises and three games that can all be done with clay. The activity descriptions will provide directions for use, and list some benefits that I have obser ved in the classroom. BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES Clay is

a versatile material that can take on nearly any shape or texture. It can

LEARNING OBJECTIVES K–12 students will … • experiment with clay through the use of creativity exercises and games.

NATIONAL ART STANDARDS

•

ENDURING UNDERSTANDING: Creativity and innovative thinking are essential life skills that can be developed. • ENDURING UNDERSTANDING: Artists and designers experiment with forms, structures, materials, concepts, media, and art-making approaches. • CREATING: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work. • CREATING: Organize and Develop artistic ideas and work.

MATERIALS

• Clay (any firing range) • Water, soap, paper towels • Paper bags, plastic bags 28

be used to create 2-D or 3-D work, and can be shaped into organic, freeflowing forms, or hard-edged, geometric forms. The tactile nature of this medium makes it especially useful for kinesthetic learners. I have seen many students who had difficulty with flat media really shine when they were given the chance to work with clay. And with an average 25-lb bag of clay costing between $7 and $12, the material is literally dirt-cheap. Despite its benefits, teachers are

sometimes hesitant to use clay in the classroom because of its technical challenges. Even when used properly, there is always the risk that works will crack, break, and even fall apart completely if accidentally bumped or dropped. Clay work is messy and takes time. In many cases, projects must be done in stages to allow for hardening and dr ying of the material. In order to turn fragile raw pieces into durable and finished artwork, they must be fired in a kiln, an expensive piece of

Games with Clay (1) BACK-TO-BACK SCULPTING Students sit back-to-back with a partner. Each is given identically sized lumps of clay. Partnerships choose an object or creature to sculpt (house, palm tree, lizard, etc.), then work together to create identical sculptures without ever looking at one another's’ work. They cannot turn around to peek and must use only verbal cues. It helps to repeat this game a couple of times, as students will improve each round. BENEFITS INCLUDE: • Working together is essential to so students help one another and ideas. • This activity helps students to the ability to use descriptive and language for visual objects.

succeed, combine develop accurate

(2) TALLEST TOWER COMPETITION This activity was suggested to me by Brian Snap of the University of Utah while I was a graduate student there. Students all receive an identically sized lump of clay. Depending on the clay and time available, this can be as small as a golfball, or as large as a grapefruit. With this clay, students compete to create the tallest self-supporting tower.

BENEFITS INCLUDE: • Students learn about the strengths and weaknesses of using clay through experience testing the limits of what it can (and can’t) do. • Students naturally experiment with different forming methods. Some try coiling, others pinch, still others stacking. At the end of the competition, it is always interesting to compare the different types of towers created. • This activity quickly engages students with the material. (3) PICTIONARY IN CLAY This game is played much like Pictionary with paper. Students are split into two teams. A representative from each team sculpts a pre-determined object or creature while their teams try to guess what it is. It can be fun to have the students choose a theme (for example, “things you would find in the ocean”) to pick things to sculpt from. BENEFITS INCLUDE: • This game can be enjoyed with just about any age group. • Because it can be played around themes, it is great for integration with other subjects. • It is a wonderful time-filler if projects end early because it takes little-to-no preparation and needs very little instruction to start playing.

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Games with Clay equipment that many schools don’t have on site. Creativity exercises and games can help to support or negate these challenges. ENHANCE CLAY INSTRUCTION Creativ-

ity exercises and games can positively engage students with clay, whether or not a kiln is available. These activities need not be fired to be effective. Clay can be re-hydrated and used again and again for these activities. As an added bonus, re-using clay helps students to be less attached to each individual thing they make. When each piece is less precious, students are

more willing to experiment and push limits. When time is short, exercises and games can be fun and easy ways to get kids involved with clay. In combination with longer projects, these can work well as introductor y activities. When starting out with a new medium or technique, a quick activity is not nearly as intimidating as a long-term (often graded) assignment. Many exercises and games involve collaboration and help students to get to know one another and to be more comfortable working together. This encourages a classroom atmosphere that is more open and engaged.

by Tara Carpenter

Creativity exercises and games can help engage students with clay, to teach them through experience how the material reacts to different techniques, and to support a positive and collaborative classroom environment. These activities are adaptable for different learners and effective with almost any age. Regardless of classroom circumstance, creativity exercises and games with clay are a wonderful addition to any curriculum. n Tara Carpenter is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Art Education area, at Brigham Young University, Provo Utah.

Creativity Exercises (1) Speed Sculpting in Motion Students are given a fist-sized lump of clay and a short period of time (30 seconds to 3 minutes, depending on the project objectives) to sculpt something in motion. Good examples are a bird in flight, a horse galloping, a person jumping, or a tree blowing in strong wind. This can be a fun way to have students generate ideas to sculpt. BENEFITS INCLUDE: • Students don’t have time to get self-conscious. When all they have is a minute to make something, they don’t have time to worry if it won’t look exactly the way they want it to. • Working this way moves student focus from small details to overall form. Many times on longer projects students get bogged down with little details, cramming so many in that their sculpture looks lifeless and contrived. Working fast forces them to think about overall composition. • This exercise also encourages students to think about visual motion in static forms. Incorporating motion makes sculptures more dynamic and dramatic. (2) Paper-Bag Sculpting Place a fist-sized lump of clay inside a brown lunch-sized paper bag. Using only the sense of touch, encourage students to sculpt a 3D form. Encourage students to start with big shapes before working on details. Limiting time on this activity can also be helpful. In the absence of paper bags, blindfolds, or simply holding the clay under the table can achieve similar effects. BENEFITS INCLUDE: • Students will develop a better feel for the material. So much of clay work is done by touch, and pressing more or less hard on the clay can make a big difference in results. • This activity also serves to draw student attention to overall form,

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rather than small details. They can’t see the details anyway, so shape and size becomes more important. • Working this way gives students freedom of exploration without emphasis on the final product. If they can’t see it, they don’t feel as responsible when it doesn’t look a certain way. (3) Plastic-Bag Sculpting This activity is the opposite of paper-bag sculpting. Instead of using their sense of touch without sight, students will use their sight without touching. Seal a golf-ball sized lump of clay in a plastic sandwich bag. Without opening the bag, students press through the plastic to sculpt a 3-D form. BENEFITS INCLUDE: • There is little to no mess when working with clay this way. • Novelty of this activity can help students to look at clay in a different way, inspiring unique shapes and forms. • Bagged clay can be stored for future use. • Activity is great for students with tactile aversions or skin allergies. (4) Smash Sculptures Give students fist-sized lumps of clay. Explain to them that they will quickly sculpt a form, then with a partner, they will purposefully smash their two sculptures together. It is very important to let students know ahead of time that sculptures will be smashed, so that they are less attached in the making stage. It also helps to give a time limit for sculpting, between 30 seconds and 3 minutes. BENEFITS INCLUDE: • Having freedom from responsibility for the final product allows for openness in viewing the results. • Students engage in collaboration with each other. • Many students find the act of smashing clay to be enjoyable.

Clay Tips from the Gamble Studio

Tracy Payne Gamble and David L. Gamble share a renovated church studio and home in Plainfield, Indiana. They have 50 years of experience between them, and teach clay workshops throughout the country.

Image Transfer I

mage transfer using newsprint and tissue paper with underglaze decoration is a technique that can be done when the clay is leather hard. Then, bisque fire and cover with a clear glaze and do the final firing. Or, and this is pictured here, I also like to use this technique on a bisque piece of pottery that has been glazed. The image is transferred on top of the glaze (on white or clear or other color glazes as long as the glaze is a “stay put” glaze. That means it works best on glaze the does not move during the firing. This is a monoprinting-type style of preparing for transfer. That means the first thing you do is the foreground detail, then color, then the background on last. 1

PREPARING FOR THE IMAGE TRANSFER 1. On newsprint or tissue paper use

by Tracy Payne Gamble

6. The image will transfer to the clay or glazed bisque piece, with

some parts maybe not transferring. 4

WHEN PREPARING for the image transfer, part of the technique may take a couple of classes so the underglazes can dry. If it is not dry between each step the underglaze can smear. For younger students the newsprint will be the easiest to use. The great thing about the tissue paper is that it can go on round things easily, like mugs or vases. It can be a bit delicate and may be better for more advanced clay students. START SIMPLE with design and

an underglaze applicator with black underglaze for the foreground detail. This is what I like to do, but there are many ways to do this. Let dry. 2. Brush on some color. Let dry. 3. Then brush on the background color over all the design and a bit past the design. I like to use a fan brush and gently put on one coat of the background color. Let dry.

try transferring only line drawings. Image transfer can be simple or complex. You and your students get to decide.

TRANSFER THE IMAGE 4. Cut out the part of the image to transfer.

5. Place that on the surface to be decorated with the underglaze side against the clay (leather hard or glazed bisque). Hold in place and use a damp sponge to wet the newsprint/tissue paper. Press down and smooth gently with a rib. Re-wet sponge and do this again if needed, before slowly and gently lifting the newsprint/tissue paper from the clay.

Finished pieces by the author. All photos by David L. Gamble.

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f e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7 • 84 Y E A R S

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500 ACRYLIC MIXES: Paint Color WHEN Recipes for Artists; 600 WATERCOLOR MIXES: Washes, Color Recipes and Techniques, by Sharon Finmark. Interweave Books, $22.95. Author Finmark has done it again with an extensive little painter’s guide. Her Interweave book of 2011, 600 Watercolor Mixes, was previously reviewed on these pages. This resource is similar in format, about 7.5 inches square and hardcover. It, too, is a basic reference book for novices. Color is, of course, an extremely important element that must be thoroughly assimilated into the visual arts curriculum. 500 Acrylic Mixes walks the readers through the entire spectrum and actually makes the study of simple color theory interesting. Also, art educators know that young painters are prone to using colors straight from the tube. New teachers will find helpful lessons to assign to high-school students and middle-schoolers. There’s brief coverage on how to arrange the palette and which essential colors to buy. While an entire chapter is devoted to the neutrals, the book doesn’t include specific instruction on mixing skin tones. The latter would have greatly assisted the inexperienced artist. Of 176 pages, only 78 of them are dedicated to color swatches. The many sample paintings (done by the author) are captioned, often with a list of the colors used. Unfortunately, paint colors do var y somewhat from brand to brand, and there is no men-

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tion of which product was used. The final chapter concerns finding a subject. Nudes? Yes, but also landscapes, still life, even a couple of abstracts. This is a sourcebook that both educators and beginners can turn to whenever they need a quick example or a paint-mixing formula. Sharon Finmark lives in London, where she teaches drawing, painting, and more at the college level. She also writes for The Artist magazine.–P. G. MASTERPIECES UP CLOSE: Western Painting from the 14th to 20th Centuries, by Claire d’Harcourt. Princeton Architectural Press, $29.95. Familiarity breeds, if not contempt, then a blindness of sor ts. We’ve gazed at some of the most celebrated images so often that we no longer truly see them. As the title suggests, Masterpieces Up Close picks out small details of paintings (dating from 1305 to 1965), of fering explanator y par ticulars and finer points. The thought-provoking questions are especially enriching. Of additional benefit are the page spreads, ever y six to eight pages in, with even more well researched material about the preceding master works, the techniques, and the times. Finally, each painting is reproduced much smaller (but twice!) near the book’s end, with a flap that kids can lift. Beneath each lies even more art appreciation fun. The book certainly doesn’t stint on facts. This very large-format hardcover is recommended for ages 9–12. Most visual-arts educators won’t object to the small amount of nudity, although some parents or primary school teachers might have second thoughts. As a children’s book editor and the author of two other Up Close books, Ms. d’Harcour t knows her stuf f.–P.G.

f e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7 • 84 Y E A R S

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the curriculum

Art & Reading Puppets

feel most comfortart students they find in secondar y or images er y often, from photographs these drawing experiable drawing do find and Although I to drawing, books or magazines. in the introduction art, it is imporin important role ences play an students interestedlife. images keep from that these lessons in drawing from life in my advanced drawing tant to encourage meanentire unit to a still life of I dedicate an include drawing space, an expresThese projects art course. interior or exterior assignments— drawing an of my favorite ingful objects, really drawing and—one reflective object project sive hand(s) object. The drawing a reflective observation skills. motiFries, in the a student’s the y artist, A.J. challenges exemplifies contemporar His artwork I include a of this lesson. possess. and materials vational section where he received reflective objects N.Y., that beauty he has in Buffalo, Since then, and works Fries lives College in 1995. > Buffalo State Colored pencil. his BFA from

Leslie. “Mask.” pastel. “Fork.” Oil Alexandra.

by David L. Gamble

• • • •

Ben

Carson

•

casting slip One part low-fire white One part underglaze glaze Half-part clear low-fire it will container with what color Mark the outside of the casting slip tends to be when fired. (The gray-colored dominate the color.)

Go to article. related to this

Moist, red, low-fire clay Wire clay cutter Canvas-covered boards, bats or thick cardboard 2-ounce applicators Fettling knife (or ordinary butter knife)

still-life drawing. the compose a as a tool to they see within compositions.

... students will

march 2012

EXTENSION IdEA

several slip and and well-balanced createcasting •• White to find interesting viewfinder

❘

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march 2012

Go to artsandactivities.com and click on this button for links to materials and websites related to this article.

MacKenzie: “Bold Blissful Brilliant Bella.” april 2012

❘

www.ar tsa ndacti

vities.com

Mask for presenting a “Clay The step-by-step procedure on the next page. Workshop” is found

be approach, students could

empty pint jars direct observation.

from draw underglazes and For an “integrated curriculum” object. •• Velvet about their chosen mask and choose a reflective a presentation createqualities still life. asked reflective •• Newspaper on the Internet the to single-object set up aand to enhance it comes. Images found 1-inch •• Half-inch the culture from which dramatic lighting explorebrushes interest. •bamboo be included for visual of their object. effectively. could textures tools pencils or oil pastels • Scratch com ndactivities. • use colored ❘ www.ar tsa februar y 2012

PEERLESS PUPPETS TAKE FORM

“The reading content for our puppets included learning about personification and alliteration, and being exposed to various vocabulary terms.”



Caleigh: “Cheerful Clever Curious Corinne.”

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vities.com

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april 2012

High-school

• •

Rosen by Stephanie

Linda Welling24 is a K–6 art specialist teaching at Cedar Creek Elementary School in Lee’s Summit, Mo. Note: This lesson takes two 40-minute class sessions.

by Kimberly Brown Severance

Lisa–type images of heads, and Pablo Picasso’s self-portrait and cubist image of heads. We completed knowledge of self-portraiture, a review of prior and discussed abstract art, Cubism, realistic and Surrealism and the design principle of emphasis. We also reviewed scissor use, and the proper cutting techniques for rough and fi ne cutting. The reading content for our puppets about personification included learning and alliteration, and being exposed various vocabulary to terms. We defined personifi cation as the act characteristics to of giving human something that is nonhuman. Examples personification are: of the Little Engine That Could; the Little Toaster; and Brave Mr. Potato Head. Alliteration is using words with the same beginning, which consonant at the we would be using for the names of puppets. And, although our demonstrating the the creation of the process is vital to puppets, the students ing and art content also learned readby seeing written directions, vocabulary lists, descriptions of the art on worksheets the names of the and even seeing supplies on the containers. To make the basic first created a storage puppet, we folder out of a 12" x 18" piece of manila oak tag. We folded it in half and stapled it on the two sides. After deciding our puppet could be human, animal or imagi-

out of a refrigerator box.

At this point, my little ones are ready to start drawing. Using the silk sunflowers for reference,MATERIALS • Photocopies of da Vinci we begin by sketching our sunflowersand 9" x 12" manila lightly in pencil Picasso in a loose, •large self-portraits way on a oak tag small piece of blueand or other violetworks construction paper. (two to three pieces per student) • Watercolors and brushes • Scissors With oil pastels, we begin layering Hole punches andand • oranges • Glue sticks, white glue yellows, whites on the petals with as wefasteners Folders small strokes of color, paper listen to the sound of•the pastels on our • Glitter paper. • Dictionaries We use browns, blacks, golds and whites for the center of our sunflowers, then move to longer lines for the background, using light blues, dark blues and white. We look at Vincent’s The Starry Night, to see how he created the background. Students are quick to understand that everyone’s “art style” is a bit different, but all of them are beautiful. They also learn how layering colors and using white to lighten colors creates depth in their flowers. Students, classroom teachers, adminstrators and parents are all stunned at the beauty of the art and this technique. The outcome is amazing! So much so, that many parents have their child’s sunflower drawing framed for display in the family home. ■

by Linda Welling

of images MATERIALS • use a viewfinder thumbnail sketches

• • •

Look of Metal

Angelina: “Astonished Amazing Adorable Angelina.”

Reflect upon and assess the characteristics and merits of their work and the work EXTENSIONS of

Cayenne

create and cultures. learn about masks of various

• •

Capturing the

their to challenge are expected and depth. of view. They including space set it ferent points solo exhibig of composition, with their object, they it with several understandin return to class arts world, T-pins to keep His photorealistic in the visual Once students secure it with been active board and art residencies. and white clearly on a piece of foam exhibits and them to classes. done in black tions, group to explore. life, I require moving between ordinary objects of the still a direct paintings of I want my students for a reflec- from the interest them to use home the objectives To add to and to search at lighting, asking have demonstrate mid-tones are expected with dramatic or it can simply the highlights, My students object. encour- work exaggerate can be metallic, light on the source to The object students are media of cast from the to light tive object. surface. The generally the reflected and with regards of reflective pencils are is interesting to re-create some sort objects shadows and colored opportunity an object that Oil pastels students choose or they students the my Some aged to choose provides surface texture. in the object’s surface, of choice, which shape and with great success. can capture the look way. image their own n what they observe in an interesting to learn they that reflect students reflect light It excites students that simply still-life object, simply by looking! this pick items this single reflective objects drawings of search for metal and School. thumbnail During the difHigh from to create several at Ardsley (N.Y.) have collected) are expected is an art teacher they may com any others vities. Stephanie Rosen for links to websites ndacti object (or on this button .artsa om and click x www 12 arch 20 artsandactivities.c

materials, techniques processes cause and different

the visual arts and disciplines in the other curriculum.

NATIONAL REAdING STANdARd:

and processes. ART AND READING

Masks shown

OBJECTIVES

• Describe how different

responses. • Identify connections between

Evaluating Data Students conduct research on issues and interests by and questions, and generating ideas by posing problems. synthesize data from They gather, evaluate, a variety of sources and texts, artifacts, people) (e.g., print and non-print to communicate their suit their purpose discoveries in ways and audience. that

Understand the CONTENT visual arts inThe art tocontent for relation pets •includes the pupLeonardo history and cultures. da Vinci’s self-portrait and Mona

are from art-teacher workshops in Florida, Georgia and Alaska.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES will ... adult students Colored pencil. Second-grade through “Jewelry.” tools. Katie. Colored pencil. mask with minimal “Heart Box.” with vitreous engobes. • create a clay Sydney. LEARNING decorate unfired masks

skills in the construction of their puppets.

• Students others. develop original skits for puppets. • Students > Seancreate a theater

NATIONAL ART STANdARdS and cultures. arts in relation to history Understand the visual processes. media, techniques and Understand and apply

• •

NATIONAL ART STANdARdS

in sophistication to suit the student’s

learning needs.

Morgan: “Mellow Mindful Mighty Marley.” Nicole: “Nice Neat Nervous Nicole.”

Workshop

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Elementary students will

• be exposed to art and ... • create puppets that varyreading. • learn vital critical-thinking

> >

an art teacher meet the OBJECTIVES needs ofLEARNING the entire learningLower-elementary spectrum? Howstudents will ... can • learn some of the history and background an art teacher challenge of artist, Vincent van Gogh. the students who using pastel • create a drawing techniques need that challenging, produce similar effects to Vincent van while Gogh’s providing brushstrokes. an appropriate • reflect on how emotions play an important part in creating art. learning experience for all? MATERIALS The following • Silk sunflowers lesson will give you some • Vincent Van Gogh: Sunflowers and Swirly ideas about Stars, how by Brad to do Bucks justand Joan Holub that. I •presented Art prints of several of this in lessonthe topaintings my third-grade Vincent includes students—it bothvan art Gogh’s and Sunflower series and The Starry Night reading content and standards. opportunities The divergent Pencils foroil results are innumerable! pastels pets •can varyand Pupfrom • Blue or violet 9" the x 12"basic construction construction—for paper who needs structure—to a learner a wildly creative uniqueNATIONAL and originally concept for the ART STANdARdS gifted student. This is cess when considering the key to sucthe varied abilities • Understand and apply media, techniques of your students.

ost of us have worn a mask at one time or another. Masks represent can so many things, such as emotions (happy, sad, fearful) and power. The “comedy familiar and tragedy” masks, derived from ancient Greek theater, are just one example from mask histor y. the Death masks from uenced ancient Egyptians infl into crethe ancient Romans masks for their similar ating represent departed. Masks can gods or many things: animals, of course, there even past kings. And, and opulent goldis King Tut’s familiar about 1343 B.C. inlaid death mask, from only distinguish difAfrican masks can not signify fertility, and animals, but also ferent tribes, areas have always wooden masks of Mexico social place, etc. The red face of El as the sharp horns and intrigued me—such The masks of a frightening expression. Diablo sculpted with to Lent—have time celebrated just prior “Carnival”—a festive di Venezia), and Venice, Italy (Carnevale their roots in France de Janeiro and New Orleans. and have spread to Rio Good (Lone lled with masks: The My childhood was fi

Clay Mask

Sharing successful creative ideas ...

INTEGRATING

ver y day, all around the countr y, art teachers are contending with large class sizes, shorter class periods and varied student abilities. While the obvious solution might be to standardize, how can

ach year when I get a new group of evolved out second-graders, I pullmask workshop for art teachers on which out the silk sunflow- of a need to have a wet slab form I found ers, the Vincent van to experiment with underglazes. and Queens saying, “Create • Ancient Egyptian Kings Gogh art prints and just giving them clay and underglazes • Ancient Greek Theater Biombo, etc.) the oil pastels. something we can paint • African (Senufo, Goma, in a stagnant topeng) We view and talk on,” left most participants • Indonesia (Balinese out vague dramatic) about many of Vinstate. So I began shouting • Chinese (Tibetan, Shamanic, a simple clay cent’s works as we instructions to make • Japanese (Noh, Kyogen) made of • Superheroes and Villains mask over a hump mold read a book, Vincent (1950s to present) Cre• Lucha Libre Wrestlers a waded-up ball of newspaper. van Gogh: Sunflowers us to ating a mask form allowed and Swirly Stars, by Bad (Green and add Ranger, Zoro), The then paint on underglazes Brad Bucks and Joan (boogeymen clay pieces, Goblin) and The Ugly decoration from add-on Holub (Grosset & we have Spimoist and monsters). Today carve back through the then Dunlap; 2001). to decorate derman and Batman-comic-book underglaze to the clay The children are on the silver heros brought to life the surface by sgraffito. always fascinated with wear masks to screen—all of whom I have been presenting Vincent’s life. Feelalong hide their true identity. these mask workshops ings of empathy are Mutant ring lecLet’s not forget the Teenage with an electric-kiln-fi visible on their faces artistic names: and Ninja Turtles with their ture to both art teachers when they learn how Michelangelo The Leonardo, Raphael, he grew up poor, started painting clay artists for decades. last but not late in life,isand project clay and Donatello. And, how he a great workshop seemed to always be in trouble Mexican and make bad choices. to least, there are the masked They are especially concerned when they that provides an opportunity ), who (luchadores), hear how he cut his ear wet-clay Lucha Libre wrestlers off, and that he sold only one of interject histor y, culture, reflected in his paintings in his lifetime. create performance personas and, most of Students have many questionshandbuilding techniques ■ about Vincent’s life, which the masks they wear. presents a great opportunity into the classroom. in the world, all, fun to discuss how artists create Any culture you study with emotion—as most of his work find masks in the reflects. involved chances are you will David L. Gamble has been lives We view art prints For over 30 years, of Fifteen Sunflowers in a and to make peoples’ past and present-day Vasecontinues and Vase with Twelve Sunfl and businesses, of so many differceramic withowers. Wearts discuss how Vincent picked Though masks are made of workshops in clay sunflowers at his has conducted hundreds them out of clay. My and teach. He home clay artcountryside in Arles,helped ent materials, I make and and particiorganize and France, would paint them all day, and Canada, oftentimes the United States until they gotEurope. photos in Eastern droopy. more children to viewThe notice clay symposiums fivethick inthe lines of paint and learn that his and click on this button pated Go to artsandactivities.com brushstrokes became the signature Clay Mask Workshops. from David Gamble’s of his paintings. We also remark how his sunflower paintings ENGOBE look happy, while many MIXING A VITREOUS of his earlier paintings appear dark only on wet clay) > usedsad. be and (To John

EXPLORE SUGGESTIONS TO

nary, we selected a head, body, arms and legs. We chose photocopies I had from made of portraits from da Vinci and Picasso. I also included items such as a violin, vase, teapot, handbag, chair and clock to serve as addition to wings from da Vinci’s inventions. bodies, in We roughly cut the edges of images, removing them from the worksheets, and glued them glue sticks, conserving onto oak tag using space as possible. were on the oak After the images tag, we finely cut out them out, removing white excess and any V cutting between fingers and other Once students had areas. the idea of where they were going their constructions, with it was puppets. We brainstormed time to add some creativity to the ideas. For instance, human, with two puppets can be arms and two legs; a four-legged animal; puppets can be fantasy, or based on myths, tales or legends. Parts can also be interchangeable: arms can be octopus see PUPPETS on page

35 25

15 activit www.ar tsand

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februar y 2012

MATERIALS

paper satin drawing sulphite or (black, white

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and processes

and functions symbols and ideas • Understand of structures matter, of their • Use knowledge a range of subject and merits and evaluate the characteristics • Choose and assess others • Reflect upon the work of work and

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march

2012

www.artsandactivities.com

f e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7 • 84 Y E A R S

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Flask with jaguar image, 1000-1470. ChimĂş culture, north-central coast of Peru. Earthenware, black pigment; 7.87" x 8.43". Gardiner Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Public domain.

STUDY PRINT

“ … I am the ‘village potter’ — for the global village.” — Adrian Saxe

he month of February brings us Black History Month, Valentine’s Day, Groundhog Day, Mardi Gras, and President’s Day. And, as with other months, there are quirky celebrations like Kite Flying Day, and National Frozen Yogurt Day (one of my favorites). In February, we also celebrate clay, and everything we can do with it and some tips on how you can create some community connections.

tip #1

RECYCLING AGAIN AND AGAIN Is there

anything you can’t do with a paper towel or toilet paper roll? I keep seeing com-

over time. Denise got a “supply” of free scrap pieces from a contractor. Although Tyvek will last longer than tar paper, I just inherited scrap tar paper from a roofer. Anything that is FREE is GOOD! Dry cleaning plastic is also a great free resource, but use with caution. It is very clingy so it sticks to the clay and doesn’t allow any air in, thus allowing your clay to stay moist for days. It works especially well with clay slabs, you can just put a layer of plastic in between each layer, fold under the edges and you are good to go.

tip #4

GLAZE This great tip comes from mid-

tip 2 #

AND SPEAKING OF TEXTURES … Even

students as young as 5 can have fun by adding texture to their clay. Students can add all kinds of noodles to their clay—alphabet, wagon wheels, or bow tie noodles make wonderful textures and designs. Noodles absorb water, so add them at the end. They can also be left in the clay to burn off during firing. Other objects to use as textures are Mardi Gras beads, seashells, and different nutshells. Have your students use a rolling utensil to impress lace or any type of textured fabric into their clay. The outcome is beautiful.

tip #3

HELPFUL HINTS AND TIPS Denise Sch-

lawin from Fox Valley Lutheran High School in Appleton, Wis., has found that Tyvek® is great for cover sheets for clay construction. It’s lightweight, waterproof, and does not break down 38

ubiner

also decide if they would like to use clay for every themed project for the rest of the year.

tip #6

dle school teacher Karyne Molony from

Clay All Around mercials about tubeless toilet paper and I’m starting to stress … what will art teachers do? Paper towel rolls are great as armatures for making almost anything and when the clay is leather hard you can pull the roll off; if you can’t remove it, it will burn while firing.

Glenda L

St. Lucie County, Fla. When dealing with lots of glaze options for students, take plastic cups and label them with the color of the glaze on them. That way no color gets mixed into the wrong jar at the end of the class.

tip #5

CLAY ON A CART Karen Haugeto Hoy-

ack from King Robinson Middle School in New Haven, Conn., has a great tip for using clay on a cart. Karen suggests using multiple stacking cooking cooling racks to store and organize pieces before firing. She also says to have your students write their name and a draw a picture of their work on a small paper plate. These can be used to store their clay and be recycled.

tip #7

“CLAY AROUND THE ROOM” is a seg-

ment that Cynthia Gaub, from North Middle School in Everett, Wash., does in her “exploring materials” unit. She sets up stations with a variety of tools and materials that are best for the type of project they are exploring. Students have one class period at each table to play and explore those skills and tools. She previews each of the tables quickly with basic instructions for her smaller, more advanced middleschool mixed classes. With her beginner classes, she does a demo at each table and students write the vocabulary words. The following class period they start to work at the centers. After working at each center, the students can ATTENTION READERS If you would like to share some of your teaching tips, email them to: tipsforartteachers@yahoo.com

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS Get your

students involved! Have them either volunteer their artistic talents in the community or have the middle and high school students organize art shows within the community. Try the local libraries, grocery stores, banks, restaurants, and local businesses. Having an art show and inviting the local dignitaries is also a wonderful way to get involved. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Takashi Murakami

(Feb. 1, 1962), Adrian Saxe (Feb. 3, 1942), Ansel Adams (Feb. 20, 1902), and Frank Gehry (Feb. 28, 1929). Thank you Denise, Karen, Karyne, and Cynthia for these great clay tips! n Arts & Activities Contributing Editor Glenda Lubiner (NBCT) teaches art at Franklin Academy Charter School in Pembroke Pines, Fla. She is also an adjunct professor at Broward College.

f e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7 • 84 Y E A R S

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Pierced Porcelain Lesson Plan for Grades 5-12

Roll a 1/4” thick slab, brush with cornstarch, and add texture with stamps, mats, rollers, or found textures.

Pierce the patterned slab using various hole cutters, dowel rods, or other tools. Press colored glass seed beads into some small holes if desired.

After the slab has stiffened, form into a cylindrical shape and attach seams.

A modern take on ancient Chinese “rice grain” porcelain! Start with white clay rolled into a slab, then use tools to add patterns and textures. Piercing or puncturing the clay results in a beautiful, modern version of an ancient Chinese art form. DickBlick.com/lessonplans/pierced-porcelain FREE lesson plans and video workshops at DickBlick.com/lessonplans. For students of all ages!

BLICK

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