Kasberg K-2: Pattern

Before starting their final projects each class has a project to practice patterning.

Kindergarten: Practicing patterns using line and shape

 First Grade: Adire Wax Resist Patterns

Second Grade:  Line Practice - Straight, Curved, Thick, Thin

Kaseberg Art Residency: Exploring Color and Line

Kindergarten/First Grade
When I begin teaching at a new school I like to start with the Elements of Art to get a foundation established before working on a final project.  With the primary grades my focus is Color, Line and Shape and Pattern.  I usually begin with a lesson on color where the students mix the secondary colors from the primary colors and then create their own color wheels. 

After learning about Color we explored the element "Line".  In the kindergarten and first grade classes we discussed vertical, horizontal and diagonal and then the students explored patterning using colored popsicle sticks.  They were encouraged to work together to create an abstract line "collaboration".  The kindergarteners often have a hard time with the concept of working as a team.  It takes a little prodding sometimes but we eventually end up with the table or carpet covered with a giant abstract design.  When the time is up we take a moment to observe and talk about their work.

Kindergarten Abstract Line Collaborations

Kindergarten collaboration

First Grade Abstract Line Collaborations

After they've had practice making patterns with colored sticks each student made their own abstract line collage using paper "lines".  The kindergarteners used colored lines on black and the first graders had grey backgrounds with colored lines.  They could also add black lines for accents.

Kindergarten Abstract Line Collages

First Grade Abstract Line Collages

Looks like I'm WAY behind on posting.  As I mentioned in a previous post my focus lately has been teaching........four lessons per classroom at Kaseberg Elementary School.  Really enjoyed the school.  Hopefully we can do it again next year!  The past week or so I've been trying to catch up on everything I got behind on.  I'll have a few weeks to get the yard cleaned up, the garden prepped and some spring cleaning and organizing done before I'll start up my next residency.  We're working out scheduling.......  

I'll post some of the Kaseberg student work in later posts but if you'd like to see the projects in more detail you can check out the Kaseberg art blog here

I also did an interview for the High Hand Gallery blog.  Here's a link 

Ooops......

I think I need to slow down. This is what I noticed when I got out of the car as I was racing to my first class this morning. Nothing I could do about it so I had to teach with mismatched shoes all day. The funny thing is only one kid said anything. As he was leaving class he said "Um, Ms Grace, why are you wearing different shoes?" I told him it was because we were studying Picasso......

Back to Teaching

Well it's official.  The transition from artist to teacher has officially begun.  I've completed the first week of my new art residency at Kaseberg Elementary School and it looks like it's going to be a very enjoyable place to teach.  It is however keeping me extremely busy.  I need to get my teaching legs back-literally.  I haven't stood this long since my last residency almost a year ago and I'm feeling it.  I'm sure it has nothing to do with being a year older.

I'm a multi-tasker and I think I'm pretty good at it.  I seldom do just one project at a time but I've come to realize that when I'm teaching I need to let some things go.  I never take a break from being wife and mother but my role as artist, teacher, landscaper, interior decorator, blogger, student and domestic engineer tend to rotate.  Like many women I like to think that I can do it all but even on my best days I've come to realize I can't really do it all well.  As of this moment, my Christmas tree is still up in the other room.

For the next three weeks my focus will be creating and teaching art lessons for students who range from Kindergarten to Fifth grade.  Although I may not have time to create my own artwork for awhile I hope I'll be instilling creativity in some future artists.  Looking at it in the long term I feel like what I do with my students really is my best work so for now the laundry, the backyard, the mending, and my many unfinished projects can all wait.

New Necklaces!

Happy New Year!