BROWN MIDDLE SCHOOL S ART UPDATE

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1 BROWN MIDDLE SCHOOL S ART UPDATE JANUARY 2015 GREETINGS FROM MRS. ROSEN Dear Students, Teachers and Families, Happy 2015! Welcome to the Brown Art Studio s Art Update. I hope that everyone enjoyed a restful and joyful Winter vacation. We are in our fourth week of the new FAA rotation and the art studio is all a buzz with creativity, inspiration and students hard at work on their first major art projects of the term. All grade levels participated in a Photo-Shoot Day where students explored photography as a vehicle for communicating emotion and personality. Students were given the opportunity to work in teams taking expressive photographs of one another focusing on the power of body language and facial expression. In this issue we are highlighting how our portrait photography can be used as inspiration for artwork. All three grade levels are currently completing mixed-media artwork that incorporates or was inspired by their photographs. Please enjoy 6th grade s Expressionist self-portraits. Check out 7th grade s fabulously unusual and surreal photo manipulations and enjoy 8th grades camouflage unit. This month Annie set design artists are having a blast painting the Annie musical sets afterschool. As always, please be in touch with any feedback, ideas or questions. Warmly, Mrs. Rosen Visual Art Teacher shoshana_freedman@newton.k12.ma.us Top Row: Surreal photo collages by Isabel K. and Sage W. Middle Row: Libby J. collaging away, T. s independent painting. Bottom: Set Designers hard at work!

2 6th I ve Got a Feeling Grade Expressionist Self-Portraits Sixth grade artists are in the process of creating large self-portraits inspired by the Expressionist art movement of the 1900 s. Artists who embraced Expressionism like Munch, Picasso and Basquiat wanted their portraits to be motivated by the moods and inner emotions of the person being drawn or painted. Expressionists feel strongly that a portrait should not reveal the outward appearance of the subject but their inner emotions and moods. The Expressionists used bold and contrasting colors and dramatic facial expressions and body positions to communicate the moods, feelings and emotions of the people within their paintings. Sixth grade artists were challenged in their self-portraits to bring one inner emotion they have experienced or often experience to the surface. Each artist chose one specific mood to inspire their portraits. Using oil pastels, ink and water color they are exploring color blending, stippling, cross-hatching and color layering. Artists are truly bringing their emotions to the forefront! DAILY INSPIRTATION: During this unit students were introduced to street artist JR and his communities for change Inside Out Project. Top: Kendall W., Cruz H, Aidan D. Bottom: Alexa F, Rachel E., Adi N-P And all the colors I am have not been invented yet. Shel Silverstein

3 IMPOSSIBLE ME Surreal Photographic Portrait Collages 7th Grade Can our facial expressions and body movements communicate information about who we are and what emotions and moods we experience? In this project 7th grade artists were asked to consider how others perceive them through their facial expressions and their body language. They were asked to take three photographs posing with different facial expressions and body postures that would convey a message about their personalities or moods. Artists worked collaboratively to photograph their teammates with IPADs. Artists were then asked to transform their appearance using photographic collage techniques inspired by contemporary artist Lola Dupre. Dupre alters the way people are represented in her Surrealist photographic portrait collages where she emphasizes the repetition of features, dicing of the figure and face and exaggerating or elongating certain limbs and features. This project was a real success for artists as they begin to analyze how they are able to transform a standard photo and represent themselves through the visual arts. More works are on display in the lobby soon! Audrey K. Felix H. Eric D. and Zenia M. working in mixed media. Daily Inspiration: Works by contemporary Surrealist collage artist Lola Dupre. Sidney M.

4 CAMOUFLAGE: THE INVISIBLE ARTIST 8th Grade Explorations Why do you think a person might want to camouflage into the world? How do you think being camouflaged would make someone feel? Have you ever wanted to be camouflaged, invisible or a disguised, quiet observer of the world? When and Why? 8th grade artists investigated these prompts and shared personal experiences of when they would have wanted to camouflage or why they wanted to camouflage. Reasons for wanting to camouflage ranged from shyness to wanting to fit in, to not wanting to be in the spotlight, to wanting to observe something from a new angle. Artists were introduced to the work of camouflage artists Liu Bolin, Desiree Palman and Cecilia Paredes who explore the notion of disguise and camouflaging into a variety of environments and surfaces. In their first major project students are in the process of creating work that examines the concept of camouflage. In this project students began with a selfie photograph that was then transferred onto clear acetate. Students are now working to design the surfaces in which they hope to camouflage! Stayed tuned for the February Art Update to see final work BROWN ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Featuring independent work by Skye Tausig and Raquel Fisk Above: Series of paintings by 7th grade artist Skye Tausig. Right: Drawing by 8th grade artist Raquel Fisk. Raquel and Skye dedicate time during their Extension blocks to work independently in the art studio. Both artists are challenging themselves to explore their painting and drawing skills. They are self-directed and designing work that interests them and that they are passionate about.

5 OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL ART ENRICHMENT Mrs. Rosen s Recommendations Many families, parents, teachers and students have inquired about where I recommend they take outside of school art classes. Below is a list that I have compiled for families to begin their search for Winter, February vacation and Spring classes for your student. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston New Art Center in Newtonville The Eliot School in Jamaica Plain Brookline Art Center in Brookline Feet of Clay Pottery in Brookline WINTER ART HAPPENINGS In and around Boston GORDON PARKS: BACK TO FORT SCOTT AT THE MFA Where: MFA, Boston What: Gordon Parks was the first African American photographer to be hired by LIFE magazine in This exhibition represents a rarely seen view of everyday lives of African American citizens, years before the Civil Rights movement began in earnest. TREES AS ART AT THE PEABODY ESSEX MUSEUM Where: Peabody Essex Museum (Art & Nature Center) What: This exhibit explores the way that wood is celebrated and used as a medium for art making. JANUARY ARTISTIC HABITS OF MIND Vision for Artists in the Brown Art Program Artists are eager to return to their art studio to imagine, explore, create and share. Artists are visual communicators - expressing ideas, emotions and experiences. Artists are inventors - they design the new and never been seen before. Artists are self-disciplined - they challenge themselves to achieve creative goals. Artists are sensitive and kind to the community of people around them. Artists are problem solvers both individually and collaboratively. Artists are curious and ask questions - they use inquiry to navigate life experiences and the world around them. Artists are risk-takers in their creative process. TED TALK SPOTLIGHT on artist Phil Hansen and his inspiring talk Embrace the Shake. WATCH IT!