Zoe's artist grandma comes to visit with her AMAZING SCULPTURES

This is Zoe from Kindergarten. When we started our clay unit 2 weeks ago. She began talking about her grandma who is an artist. I told her to let her artist grandma know she was welcome to come share her craft with the class. Zoe apparently went back with my message and was able to set it all up in a week. Within a few days of my invite she was able to connect grandma, Karen Leighty and have her come to our class to share!

Ms. Leighty showed use several sized animal sculptures made from various mediums.
She placed her work on the tables for children to feel them.
Here she shares a bronze horse sculpture she had made.


This one if of a horse on the ground on its back. It looks like a metal sculpture, but we were told it was only painted to LOOK metal, yet it was clay.

Ms. Leighty answering amazing questions.

In then end, Ms. Leighty showed the kids two ways to make a clay bowls; pinch pot and coil method. Notice she is using the Elmo projector allowing all kids to see fine details of these bowl creations.

If you are a crafts person, artist or an art collector in the community and want to share children with your work, please e-mail me at Miriam.cutelis@yahoo.com. Also, thanks to Karen Leighty for coming. This was truly a very rich experience for the kids.

Kindergarten Finish their clay bowls (Welsh)

Kids in Welsh's K class just finished their clay bowls. They first began the unit with exploration, the next day they learned about making pinch pots and created the basic shape of their bowls and added tactile details using clay tools. When dry their were painted in its entirety in wither gold or silver. Last, kids used tiny detail brushes to add small decorative marks. We are now done....These will go home after the break.

Our 3D trees are DONE!!!! Ta da!!

I promised I'd post the pictures of the kids finishing up their tree and here they are. Notice our trees look amazingly sturdy. We painted the brown. We then created leaf printing plates based on real leaf sketches of trees right here at Murch. We then printed, trimmed and glued on these trees....only took six 45 minutes lessons.....but what a journey it's been.

This is a different Murch tree, hence the different looking leaves. After break I will take the kids out to the school and see if we can find our matching tree in the yard. Very exciting stuff!!

We've been asked to help with the set of Little Red Riding Hood, and these trees will be used in the set for two days. I will then have the children vote on where they could be placed on display.

Local Trees- Leaf study

Ms. Friedman's students in 3rd grade just finished a unit in printmaking of leaves of local trees. We got to sketch printouts of trees right on our very own Murch property. They later created printing plates of one chosen tree and printed out several copies to later trim and glue onto our realistic paper mache tree. I will post pictures of the finished tree in just a few hours.

These prints are so bold and beautiful. I love how amazingly different each one of them is. Look out for pictures of our finished tree in a few hours.

Each leaf is a different shade of green. Kids got to learn that they could alter the hue of a color by changing the amount primary color, white or black in that color.

Backdrop for Little Red Riding Hood (3RD)

Since 3rd graders have been working on lesson plans related to the Murch garden or trees on our property, this one particular class studied varied ways to make the color green. Green generally is the mix of blue and yellow. Yet, artists learn that when you tweak that basic recipe and add more blue, you get another color. And when you add more yellow, you also get a new color.

For this activity, these children were given blue, yellow, white and black and told to create as many variations of green as they could.
These explorations will later be used for the backdrop for the play, Little Red Riding Hood happening in May at Murch with some of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classes.

When the class ended, I told them that today they probably invented a new green. I don't think they will ever see any color in a singular way again.

Sumi-e, Japanese Brush Painting- an exploration

2nd Graders have studied landscapes this year and just last week we did an exploration of watercolor and basic proper techniques of this medium. This week, these same students were exposed to various Japanese brush paintings of landscapes. The kids learned how to vary their water/ink mixture, as one would in making food, to bring about varying tonal results.

I encourage all Murch parents to buy ink, watercolor paper and a good watercolor brush and try this activity at home.....You need a bowl to make the mixture and a very little amount of ink will do.
This child met the objective of the day. She was able to create varying tones in her work by adjusting the water and ink ratios.


This is a projection of a Japanese ink painting we looked at to get inspiration.

5th Storytelling class TOMORROW

For those kids who are in the class, we ARE having our 5th storytelling class this Friday (4/8) from 3:30-4:30pm. Please be on time picking up your child for I need to be someplace at 5pm tomorrow. Please text me if you'll be late, 516-225-3403.

Need help building metal shelves

I am seeking help from anyone in the Murch community who might have strong 'IKEA' genes. I have ordered and received three wire metal shelves funded by the HSA (that's you....my awesome parents!!!) and would love some help building them. If you are free the week of April 11th, please contact me at miriam.cutelis@yahoo.com .

5th Grade: Ideas of what to include in your time capsules

5th Graders are creating time capsules and exploring various aspects of their current lives they'd like to remember 10, 15 years from now. I shared with the class an item I loved as a 6th grader and it's changing importance to me now in the present, years later. We will be looking at the work of Joseph Cornell. Click here to see samples of his work.

* A local daily newspaper * A weekly news magazine (Time, Newsweek) __ * Ticket stubs (concerts, movies, sporting events, etc.) __ * Sports trading cards (or other collectibles) __ * A popular toy __ * A sample of product packaging (empty Coke® can, etc.) __ * A popular CD (top-10 music hits) * A menu from a favorite restaurant __ * Items from your school * Letters From Mom, Dad, Grandparents * Travel brochures * Stamps * Stickers * Metro ticket * Receipt * Acorns from tree by your house * Pressed leaves * Photos * Pictures of famous people now * A copy of your report card * A photocopy of your hands * A greeting card from a loved one * favorite candy wrapper

5th Graders that come to art Monday and Fridays are expected to have their items by Friday. All other 5th grade classes must have their items ready for next week's class.

Recycled items needed in the art room

I have updated out list of recycled items needed in the art room....click HERE to go to the list.

What I most need this week are magazines.....if you have any, please send some in with your child. Any type of magazine/catalogs will be fine....we use them for printmaking and helping keep our prints clean. Thanks to all your help in advance

Art show lost and found -Literally

A 5th Grader LOST her coat at the art show....it's a short purple jacket.

Also, on the FOUND part of this post, I found a silver bracelet at the show. If it's yours please email me a detailed description to Miriam.Cutelis@yahoo.com.

Murch Art Show Pictures

Click here: http://2ndmurchartshow.shutterfly.com

then enter the passwords 'Murch' (make sure the M is capitalized).

If you took pictures that night you are welcomed to upload them as well.....

Make yourself a 'member' so that you get updates when someone posts new pictures.

Please contact me at Miriam.cutelis@yahoo.com if you have any questions.

ENJOY!!

Watercolor explorations (2nd Grade)

2nd graders were introduced to watercolor paper, which is much heavier than regular paper. They also used a wonderful technique of creating an instant 'frame' for your painting which I picked up from fellow Murch parent and artist, Regina Holliday.

This is not just any ordinary watercolor palette. This is a metallic watercolor set......the colors were brilliant!!

Children used masking tape to create an instant 'frame' for their watercolor paper.

4th Grade moving bodies figures...a few more samples

Here are a few more samples of our unit on moving bodies. Kids added props to strengthen their message. The goal was to create a sculpture in which the body's position expressed a very obvious message or movement.