Fine Arts
As a soup teacher and believer that things are better combined, I trust finding a way to bring layers of meaning to art is one of the best ways to increase student engagement. If every subject is an ingredient, then the arts should be the broth that connect and lift those ingredients together. Not only a connective ingredient, art is also a means of expression in and by itself. Art provides an amazing way for students to express their thoughts and feelings. It makes them better critical thinkers, and teaches them how to solve problems a different way. Integrating arts into other subjects is a passion of mine!
Another passion of mine is teaching students they have no limits, which you can attest to by checking out the projects below...
Another passion of mine is teaching students they have no limits, which you can attest to by checking out the projects below...
Como Lake Gardens Mural
The Como Lake Garden Mural was completed in the Spring of 2016 with Grade 9 York House Students.
Como Lake Gardens is a YWCA community housing for low-income women. The complex offers a full-time manager and counseling sessions teaching the 30 resident women skills such as how to be more assertive as well as conflict resolution. It features a community kitchen, a park, a laundry room and a play area for the 40 children currently living in the complex. The building is new and very modern, but it wasn't very welcoming to the children. This is where the students came in; they spent months brainstorming, designing, planning and voting for the design that would change the main wall at the entrance of the building, which is adjacent to the common play area. They did an amazing job, really taking the lead on this project and making all the right decisions with a tremendous level of maturity. They painted the mural in one day, and the result is something they were all very proud of:
Como Lake Gardens is a YWCA community housing for low-income women. The complex offers a full-time manager and counseling sessions teaching the 30 resident women skills such as how to be more assertive as well as conflict resolution. It features a community kitchen, a park, a laundry room and a play area for the 40 children currently living in the complex. The building is new and very modern, but it wasn't very welcoming to the children. This is where the students came in; they spent months brainstorming, designing, planning and voting for the design that would change the main wall at the entrance of the building, which is adjacent to the common play area. They did an amazing job, really taking the lead on this project and making all the right decisions with a tremendous level of maturity. They painted the mural in one day, and the result is something they were all very proud of:
|
The Yorkie Mural
Besides working with a group of students towards an AP Portfolio for 2-D design while at York House School, with excellent results (all students completed their portfolios on time and passed, and three got a 5), I also completed two murals with my students; one of them can be seen below. Students from grades 11 and 12 (and a couple of grades 8 through 10) completed an amazing mural in 2016 measuring 11' by 11', which is currently hanging on the foyer at York House School. To see individual pieces as well as my students' thoughtful reflections, please visit the website here.
I have also guided students through projects that help them develop useful skills, to become stronger visual communicators. Below, some examples of Grade 9 student work. We were working on book cover design and illustration:
"Dead Fish I", by Melinda T., Grade 11
|
Gyotaku
Nothing like shaking things up a little and bringing some dead fish to engage students!
As part of the Senior ceramics club, we also did some printmaking exchange with the boys from St. George's, who came to visit us at York House school and experimented with this wonderful, ancient Japanese technique. Below, you can see some of the set-up as well as some of the resulting artwork, completed early 2016! |
The Sparks Mural
The project above, Sparks Mural, was designed to help explore or develop a passion. It stands 7'X24' outside Wodlands Secondary in Nanaimo. Students had to do an inquiry about their Spark, complete a sketch about it, then paint a tile based on their spark, all the while remaining within the colour and design constraints of the bigger eagle design. People who have a spark - a passion - are less likely to become depressed, feel stronger about themselves and develop a higher self-esteem. From this project, I decided to create a website, in the hopes that other schools would become interested in it and embrace it themselves. For more information on the Spark mural, please click here.
Most of the tiles above were painted in less than a month, during my first year practicum; only a few remained to be completed during my last practicum. If you are wondering how we managed to get so many tiles painted in such a short amount of time... humor helps.
Most of the tiles above were painted in less than a month, during my first year practicum; only a few remained to be completed during my last practicum. If you are wondering how we managed to get so many tiles painted in such a short amount of time... humor helps.
Fine Arts Portfolio
Below, a sample of my own fine arts portfolio.
Most of these were done in pastel on paper, while some were done digitally. Can you tell which ones?
Most of these were done in pastel on paper, while some were done digitally. Can you tell which ones?
These are the posters I researched, designed and created in order to serve as an aid for teaching the elements of art.
For more samples of my artwork, you can visit my complete portfolio here.