This month in Art, Kindergarten to 2^nd Grade were introduced to the work of Austrian artist Gustav Klimt. Klimt was known for his lavish Art Deco style paintings that displayed intricate patterns and gold leafing. After looking at examples of his work, the students focused on the patterns and shapes found in his paintings. On a gold sheet of paper, the students drew floral patterns on one side and cut out simple geometric shapes on the other.

 Grades 3-4 completed a lesson on Optical Art. Op Art is a style in which the artist creates the illusion of movement and space on a flat surface. This is created through the interaction of pattern and line as well as color. Bridget Riley is a contemporary British artist known for creating such works. The students looked closely at examples of Riley’s work and how the artist “tricks” our eyes into seeing bending shapes and vibrating colors. The students drew patterns based on Riley’s paintings and later colored them in using complementary colors.

 Grades 5-6 have focused on the art of Georges Seurat. Seurat is known for his development of the painting technique called pointillism. He discovered that our eyes naturally blend colors from afar. As a result, the artist began experimenting with a series of overlapping dots of color. After looking at Seurat’s painting Sunday Afternoon at La Grande Jatte, the students experimented with the pointillism technique using markers. They were encouraged to build up areas with more than one color. It was an assignment that gave us an appreciation for Seurat’s meticulous technique.

 Grades 7-8 are currently working on a lesson on Surrealism. One of the leading Surrealist artists was Salvador Dali. Dali’s worked displayed unusual dreamlike and fantastical imagery. The students looked at his painting the Persistence of Memory which is often recognized for its melting clocks. Currently, the students are working on a “dreamscape” based on this painting. After drawing a simple desert landscape, they will next add magazine cut-outs to create the surreal dreamlike quality in their picture. The students are off to great start.

Thank you to all the students for entering such beautiful work for the Easter Art Contest! Good luck!

God Bless,

Miss Balinas