Jenie Gao inspired Community Art Project

Project Description: Students worked together to create a collaborative art piece for the school inspired by Jenie Gao’s murals in the Madison, WI community. They brainstormed on what it makes our community beautiful and painted their ideas on a roll of kraft paper.

Concepts explored: Community art, collaboration, team-work

Techniques used: Drawing, painting

Materials: Kraft butcher paper roll, tempera paint, acrylic paint markers, post-it notes

Grades: K-5th grade

5th graders had the opportunity to go on a field trip and visit one of Jenie Gao’s murals. Jenie Gao met them at the site and talked the students about her art process!

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Bisa Butler inspired Self-Portraits

Project Description: Students created proportional self-portraits using warm and cool colors inspired by Bisa Butler’s work.

Concepts explored: Warm and cool colors, proportion, self-portrait, identity

Techniques used: Drawing, coloring

Materials: 9”x12” paper, colored pencils, pencils

Grades: K-5th grade (modified for Kinder-1st grades)

4th-5th graders had the opportunity to listen to Bisa Butler speak live during a virtual presentation at the School of Human Ecology-UW Madison!

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Story Paper Quilt inspired by Faith Ringgold

Project Description: Students drew a personal story and used a variety of patterns to create a paper quilt inspired by Faith Ringgold.

Concepts explored: Pattern, civil rights

Techniques used: Glueing, cutting, drawing

Materials: Construction paper, glue sticks, thin tip sharpies, pencils, colored pencils

Grades: 2nd-5th grade

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Yayoi Kusama inspired Flowers

Project Description: Students learned how Yayoi Kusama uses repetition and form in her abstract paintings, then students created their own, teacher-directed, flower inspired by Kusama’s flower forms.

Concepts explored: Form, abstract, repetition, pattern, color

Techniques used: Tempera painting

Materials: Paper plate, tempera paints, water trays, stamp brushes, scissors, pencil

Grades: 1st-5th grade

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Berthe Morisot inspired Flower Vases

Project Description: Students learned how Berthe Morisot used value in her impressionist paintings, then students created their own, teacher-directed, flower vase.

Concepts explored: Value (tints), impressionism

Techniques used: Tempera painting

Materials: 9”x12” paper, pencil, tempera paints, water trays, brushes

Grades: 2nd-5th grade

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Georgia O'Keefe inspired Landscapes

Project Description: Students learned how Georgia O’Keefe used space to create abstract landscapes and created their own, teacher-directed, mountain scene.

Concepts explored: Abstract, space, foreground, middle ground, background, value (shades)

Techniques used: Drawing and watercolor painting

Materials: 9”x12” paper, watercolor, pencil, crayons

Grades: 2nd-5th grade

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Van Gogh inspired "Starry Night" Homes

Project Description: Students learned about Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” painting and created their own modified version inspired by their home.

Concepts explored: Implied and impasto texure, repetition

Techniques used: Drawing and painting

Materials: 9”x12” paper, tempera paint

Grades: 2nd-5th grade

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Mondrian Abstract Designs

Project Description: Students were inspired by Mondrian’s use of shape and primary colors to create an abstract design.

Concepts explored: Abstract, shape, color

Techniques used: Cutting and glueing

Materials: Card stock paper in primary colors, scissors, glue sticks

Grades: Kinder-2nd grade

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Joan Miró inspired Surreal Stories

Project Description: K-5 students were inspired by Joan Miro’s visual language to create personal surreal stories with lines and shapes.

Concepts explored: Surrealism, shape, line, storytelling

Techniques used: Watercolor, glue painting, drawing

Materials: Watercolor, black glue, pencils, brushes, water trays, 9”x12” paper

Grades: Kinder-5th grade

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Keith Haring Inspired Art Journal

Project Description: K-5 students were inspired by Keith Haring’s work to create an art journal using his drawing style and used symbols to explore their identity.

Concepts explored: Identity, line

Techniques used: Drawing, book making

Materials: Pencils, markers, paper, stapler, washi tape, 8.5”x11” paper

Grades: Kinder-5th grade

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