I decided to have an art show for my two art classes, as they need to have exposure for their art and receive comments from “their public.” So they have had to choose a minimum of two pieces from their portfolios, including one of the sketches they have done. What I hadn’t anticipated was the desire to redo some of their work.

I have been showing them Photoshop, using the Promethean board – now I see why people like the drawing tablets – I can draw much easier on the board than using a mouse. Definitely something to consider for the future. The kids have been doing digital doodles, so they can just play around with the brushes and shapes. One of the students wanted to take his mandala and manipulate it – which turned out very cool. I will need to bring this stuff over to this computer so you can view – or add tomorrow when I have the laptop on line. Others have done some graffiti drawing, which we have taken a picture of in PhotoBooth, and they have started to manipulate it. Overall, some very nice exposure for the kids, and I have had a chance to flesh out having the kids display their work.

Artsonia – an online student art gallery, available to any student with a computer – they can set up a digital portfolio. The kids have been really enjoying looking at other kids’ artwork. I plan to do more of this next semester, as I will have regular internet access.

We had a mat cutter donated, and one of the local businesses will be giving us left-over mat board, plus a demonstration of mat cutting. I am asking one of my eighth graders (who is a closet artist – not cool to let his peers know what he can do) to be my aide next semester so he can learn the mat cutting and pursue his own art.

A lot of my seventh graders want to take the art class again, but I don’t need another prep. One will be my aide for the seventh grade class. I think there have been some very nice gains in exposing the kids to the visual arts – now if we can figure out how to hang on the stone wall at the school, we should have a great show.