Nick Cave: Sound Suits

Spring break activity!

The Peabody-Essex Museum in Salem has a great exhibit going on until May 27th. It may be something to do during your spring break!
Here's the link: http://www.pem.org/press/press_release/236-the_nick_cave_experience_at_pem

Artistically yours, Ms. McCarthy

Got 100 years of Art?

April 24th, 2013
Come see art from the past 100 years created by the students of NMES!
There will be a note and invitation to follow.

Come see student art, staff and faculty art, artsonia and partake in an art scavenger hunt!
Fun night for family and friends of all students grades 1-5!

email me at jmmccarthy@plymouth.k12.ma.us if you'd like to volunteer that evening or help hang work. Your help creates an amazing show for our students.

Artistically yours,
Ms. McCarthy

100 years of Art 1913-2013

During the past month students have been creating art with the last 100 years in mind. Our school, NMES, is turning 100 this year. And to celebrate this, the school community is creating lots of projects around the past 100 years. In art we are learning about influential artists of the past century. Each grade is focusing on a specific 20 years. Here is the list:
5th Grade: 1913-1933
4th Grade: 1933-1953
3rd Grade: 1953-1973
2nd Grade: 1973-1993
1st Grade: 1993-2013

Each grade will focus on artists from their time period. We have been busy learning about all sorts of artists, I am compiling a list below. So check back often to see who your child is learning about!

5th Grade: Charles Burchfield, Pablo Picasso, Edward Hopper, Frank Lloyd Wright
4th Grade: Edward Hopper, Alexander Calder
3rd Grade: Louise Nevelson, Andy Warhol
2nd Grade: Jim Dine, Red Grooms
1st Grade: Zaha Hadid, Daniel Liebskind, Wayne Thiebaud

Please be sure to stop back, I will be posting the date for our NMES grades 1-5 art show soon!!!

Weaving!

Enjoy our weaving show!!!
Click on the above to see some of the third grade artist's work.

What the Arts teach us.

Art isn't just learning how to draw and paint. Yes, it is a big part, but if people think art is just about those technical skills, it is time to revisit the art room. Look here at a great, concise list of how arts education benefits us all:

1. Creativity – Being able to think on your feet, approach tasks from different perspectives and think ‘outside of the box’ will distinguish your child from others. In an arts program, your child will be asked to recite a monologue in 6 different ways, create a painting that represents a memory, or compose a new rhythm to enhance a piece of music. If children have practice thinking creatively, it will come naturally to them now and in their future career.

2. Confidence – The skills developed through theater, not only train you how to convincingly deliver a message, but also build the confidence you need to take command of the stage. Theater training gives children practice stepping out of their comfort zone and allows them to make mistakes and learn from them in rehearsal. This process gives children the confidence to perform in front of large audiences.

3. Problem Solving – Artistic creations are born through the solving of problems. How do I turn this clay into a sculpture? How do I portray a particular emotion through dance? How will my character react in this situation? Without even realizing it kids that participate in the arts are consistently being challenged to solve problems. All this practice problem solving develops children’s skills in reasoning and understanding. This will help develop important problem-solving skills necessary for success in any career.

4. Perseverance – When a child picks up a violin for the first time, she/he knows that playing Bach right away is not an option; however, when that child practices, learns the skills and techniques and doesn’t give up, that Bach concerto is that much closer. In an increasingly competitive world, where people are being asked to continually develop new skills, perseverance is essential to achieving success.

5. Focus – The ability to focus is a key skill developed through ensemble work. Keeping a balance between listening and contributing involves a great deal of concentration and focus. It requires each participant to not only think about their role, but how their role contributes to the big picture of what is being created. Recent research has shown that participation in the arts improves children’s abilities to concentrate and focus in other aspects of their lives.

6. Non-Verbal Communication – Through experiences in theater and dance education, children learn to breakdown the mechanics of body language. They experience different ways of moving and how those movements communicate different emotions. They are then coached in performance skills to ensure they are portraying their character effectively to the audience.

7. Receiving Constructive Feedback – Receiving constructive feedback about a performance or visual art piece is a regular part of any arts instruction. Children learn that feedback is part of learning and it is not something to be offended by or to be taken personally. It is something helpful. The goal is the improvement of skills and evaluation is incorporated at every step of the process. Each arts discipline has built in parameters to ensure that critique is a valuable experience and greatly contributes to the success of the final piece.

8. Collaboration – Most arts disciplines are collaborative in nature. Through the arts, children practice working together, sharing responsibility, and compromising with others to accomplish a common goal. When a child has a part to play in a music ensemble, or a theater or dance production, they begin to understand that their contribution is necessary for the success of the group. Through these experiences children gain confidence and start to learn that their contributions have value even if they don’t have the biggest role.

9. Dedication – When kids get to practice following through with artistic endeavors that result in a finished product or performance, they learn to associate dedication with a feeling of accomplishment. They practice developing healthy work habits of being on time for rehearsals and performances, respecting the contributions of others, and putting effort into the success of the final piece. In the performing arts, the reward for dedication is the warm feeling of an audience’s applause that comes rushing over you, making all your efforts worthwhile.

10. Accountability – When children practice creating something collaboratively they get used to the idea that their actions affect other people. They learn that when they are not prepared or on-time, that other people suffer. Through the arts, children also learn that it is important to admit that you made a mistake and take responsibility for it. Because mistakes are a regular part of the process of learning in the arts, children begin to see that mistakes happen. We acknowledge them, learn from them and move on.

This is from a web post by Lisa Phillips. Please click on the link to see the article or to see Lisa's webpage: Skills Children Learn from the Arts

Thanksgivng

I'm thankful for art! And when I saw this, I knew I just had to post it, art and science is so awesome!
Click below to see the "Photo of the Day" from Tree Hugger

The Oculus of the Pantheon

Hurricane Days Revisited

During our voting frenzy in the art room, the student's voted on the title of my new sculpture. The winning title is "In the Cabbage Patch"!

As a few classes know, I'll be entering my piece in a show. Wish me luck! I'll keep you informed!