Help me give my students acrylic paint and wood panels to paint self-portraits, and these professional grade materials will give them the opportunity to work on a quality substrate with a flexible medium.
I am often asked if art can be taught, and the answer is more complex than a simple yes or no. Technical skills can be taught; creativity must be nurtured and fostered. We can mimic technical details but must dig deep within ourselves to find a way to use those skills in a new, exciting manner and transform as both artists and individuals.
My students are craving instruction in creativity and have a passion unparalleled in my experience.
Each time I share a new work of art, video of an artist, a new technique, or media, I can sense the frenzy of gears turning and churning. The creative risk-taking associated with new information being shared spreads like wildfire. I am astounded every day at how worldly and clever my students are. They are tech-savvy and longing for real-world applications of the media, styles, and techniques they are learning which will create future leaders in the fields of visual culture and design. We build connections to all the subjects that they study, and I make sure they understand the rationale behind the varied subjects they study in school.
My Project
As we gear up for portrait season the students are practicing and practicing drawing individual parts of the face. They are currently in the middle of an Eye Challenge where students are practicing drawing their eye in as many media and styles as they can. In the meantime I am prompting them to contemplate their place in the universe. Each day of class we converse about different aspects of humanity and how unique it is that in an infinitely vast universe we are able to contemplate our own existence and impact.
The painted self-portraits that the students will produce will emphasize their individuality, not just in appearance, but their connection to their community and peers.
We will draw from their life experiences to integrate a color scheme and setting that will be indicative of their lives. Instead of merely copying an image of themselves, they must develop a more thorough and meaningful self-image.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Landers and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
