My art class has a theme this year, "Encouragement". They made posters to encourage their fellow students, and ribbons during Breast Cancer Awareness month. We want to make mosaics to be placed in several senior centers to brighten up a room.
My students can be considered "at-risk".
Some have troubled homes, or are living with difficult situations, such as teen parenting or even homelessness. We are a unique school in Ohio; a combination of an e-school and a brick and mortar charter school. My kids tend to excel at being creative, utilizing art as an outlet for some of their frustrations. However, I also teach a little Art history. I don't dwell on the "usual" masters like DaVinci or Michelangelo. My students learn about artists like Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dali, and Jacob Lawrence. My students can identify with these artists. This project for the seniors has them very excited, and the facilities where the works will be displayed are looking forward to the donations.
My Project
With the tiles and other mosaic materials, the students will be able to brighten a senior citizen's day with a piece of art. They may, or may not, have a relative in one of the targeted facilities, but they will know that something they created is out there for all the world to see. With the paper, they will be able to do the "self portrait" project, in which I will provide a digital picture of them and they will draw it. They will be able to put their own creative spin on it, such as drawing themselves in one color, or like a Picasso, etc.
This project was supposed to be done earlier in the year, but with budget constraints, I was unable to get the materials.
The kids are asking "When will we do the mosaic you said we would do?" I would like to get this done while the kids still care about it, and not give them another disappointment in their lives.
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