All students have been busy creating artwork for the spring Square 1 art fundraiser. Student catalogs with ordering information will be sent home in April. Here is a look at some of our work in process...

Once again the art department is partnering with  the Square 1 Art fundraiser  organization to offer student  art keepsakes just in time for the holidays!  Catalogs for each student are being sent home this week with directions for ordering the keepsakes.   Please take note of deadlines for ordering.  All orders need to be placed by November 18th to ensure merchandise delivery by December 16th.  Happy shopping!

​

This month the 4th grade and  3/4 multi-age students will travel to the Art Institute for a tour of the museum.  We are scheduled for the "Stories in Art" docent-led tour.  Students will be learning how to "read" a painting by asking "What do I see?" and "What does it mean?"  This is always such a wonderful outing for the students...this experience helps them to become visually literate and culturally aware .

The fall Square 1 fundraiser was a big success and I have had many parents ask me to offer another one for the rest of the school.  So, just in time for summer, Mother's Day and Father's Day, there will be another opportunity to purchase keepsakes of your child's artwork.  Students have worked hard to create the artwork and I have mailed it to the company.  I will soon be sending home the  catalogs/order forms for you to order from. Regardless of whether you place an order, each child will receive complementary stickers of their artwork.  Look in the PTA display case for samples of the products.

What a beautiful day for the International Day of Peace 2015!   As the wind gently blew...students created the Peace Installation with their pinwheels. Laughter, smiles and peace filled the air!

The 4th graders  drew their inspiration from the Post-Impressionism Movement of Pointillism.  Students observed the painting A Sunday Afternoon at the Island of the Grand Jatte by the artist George Seurat.  They used the pointillism technique in their designs.


Grade 5 students  were inspired by the Artist Bridget Riley from the Optical Illusion Art Movement.  Working with size variation and line quality  the students created some very impressive optical illusions of their own. 

                                                 Current by Bridget Riley

Each class participates in playing the "Art Game" where the object of the game is to earn points to move their game piece to the finish of the game.  Once they reach the finish..they have earned a "free art day" in the art room.  Each table is set up with various materials to explore and create with...students always enjoy this day!

The hallways are filling up with wonderful pieces of artwork created by the talented artists of Westgate.  Be sure to take notice as you walk through the building.  The art room will also be open with examples of various projects that each grade level is working on...hope you can stop by to say hello!

The tradition continues...students are working with foreground and background concepts and visual texture as they draw their Grinch.  Once again students have created some wonderful Grinches!  In the words of Dr. Seuss..."Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before, what if Christmas he thought, doesn't come from a store? What if Christmas perhaps means a little bit more?"  May all your holidays be more than what comes from a store!

This week we looked at the painting Thanksgiving by Doris Lee and then we took some time to think about what we are thankful for. We created a "thankful turkey" to stand on our tabletops this holiday.  Our turkeys have lots of personality!!!