Through out the year, sixth graders smashed fears, capitalized on surprises, and explored what it means to be creative. Each project had a traditional impetus with room for students to add a contemporary element, using the Carnegie International as a guiding force. You can follow art_connect_6 on instagram to see the class’s progress from September – March.
After completing a collaborative project focusing on making marks and elements of successful composition, students received a crash course in gesture drawing and charcoal supplies to begin work on a still life. Before their works were completed, they were challenged to create a brand new composition by altering their drawings with new materials, experimenting with solvencies, and cutting or tearing their still life apart.
For their selfie self-portraits, students first executed value and material studies before integrating knowledge about gesture and contour to capture important aspects of the photograph to include in their drawing. In the second portrait of the year, the Natural History’s stuffed animal collection was inspiration for a sculptural mask. Each artwork contains visual symbols to indicate the personal story of each character, which is sometimes an exaggeration of the artist’s own traits.
In a merge of traditional and experimental concepts, students combined fine line drawing and playful watercolor techniques to create mixed media artworks modeled after different environments in the museum.
The museum remained the subject as students invaded reproductions of CMOA artworks with their own drawings, paintings or media gatherings. Looking to CI artists Karen Kilimnik and Jeremy Deller, students also considered how their individual pieces should be arranged to create one cohesive piece.
In their final invasion, students surprise museum audiences with text-based works installed on the top of their exhibition walls. Viewed from high above, these Mel Bochner inspired works use active words, symbols, or language that will prompt the audience to react in thought or action.
This year’s exhibition will include work from all TAC participants grades 5 – 9 and will take place in Carnegie Museum of Art’s Hall of Sculpture May 4 – 19. An Opening Reception will be held on Sunday, May 5, 3 -5pm. The reception is free, you can RSVP by emailing TAC@carnegiemuseums.org.
Jena Schieb 