Messes & Masterpieces

Sorry for the delayed newsletter! Finishing the month with Boosterthon was WILD! In case you missed it, I lived my very best 90's kid life on Friday! Getting slimed because our students raised an extra ten thousand dollars for our school!

This month, Kindergarten was focused on drawing self portraits! We worked together to make a list of the different facial features and then body parts that we could need to include in our portraits. This is always my favorite project of the year because the pictures are SO diverse and so precious. We also got to paint in the art room for the very first time! We learned all about paintbrushes and how to take care of them by having them dance on their tip-toes instead of smashing them into the paper. It was messy but so fun!

First grade spent their month learning about self portraits, specifically focusing on the "bust" so head and shoulders only! We looked at lots of examples on how to draw different kinds of eyes, noses, and mouths. We focused on centering our portraits on our papers and proper proportions.

Second grade spent their September learning all about silhouettes. We discussed contrast in art, positive and negative space, and how to slow down and focus on the details, which are so important with silhouettes. We broke out the neon paints and made a giant mess, but it was so much fun. I cannot wait until we start our pumpkin project for October.

I don't have as many pics of the kids working this month because I was photographing them and editing the images to help them create their silhouettes! More pics to come in October though, I promise!

September brought cozy critters to third grade! We read multiple books and looked at images of curled up sleeping creatures in the woods. We used the story Woodland Dreams as inspiration for our project this month. We learned about the word emphasis and used it to create a focal point in our artwork. We went outside and gathered a variety of plants and leaves and used them to print fall leaves all around our circle of light. We are now working on drawing precious curled up critters to put in the center of our print-making piece!

Fourth grade dove into some of the most international art, rooted deeply in history! We learned all about graffiti! We talked about the difference between vandalism and street art, different styles of graffiti and its history. We learned about CornBread, the first graffiti artist recognized in the United States and how he used his graffiti to help make a difference. We studied ancient Roman times and their version of sgraffito, using street art and wall carvings to make announcements and share updates!

Then I pulled out my most favorite of art skills and taught everyone how to create giant block and bubble letters! We practiced altogether before they started creating their own graffiti styles that stay true to their handwriting and personal styles. Next up, printing bricks to make a backdrop for their artwork!

Fifth grade has ventured into the soothing world of Zentagles. We discussed all different kinds of patterns and how zentangles are an extension of the term Zen. Zentangles are small, structured designs made by combining repetitive patterns in a mindful and relaxing way. Each section of the drawing is filled with a simple pattern — like lines, dots, curves, or shapes — that come together to form a beautiful, intricate design. Drawing Zentangles is all about focus and flow. Because the patterns repeat, your mind doesn’t have to worry about being “perfect” — it can simply relax into the rhythm of the lines. This repetitive motion helps quiet racing thoughts, reduce stress, and encourage mindfulness.

This art wishlist is full of amazing items that Ms. Block and I would love to add to our classrooms. Any items purchased from the list will be shared with both rooms and all students. Thank you so much for helping support our art program!

I always try my best to have students wear aprons when working with paint, or other messy supplies in the art room, however accidents and messes do occur! Please see below for tips and tricks I use to get art stains out of all of my clothing (because I am the messiest of them all!)