The BESt Art Blog : August 2015

Welcome

Welcome to the Brownsville Elementary School art blog. We hope you enjoy exploring the art gallery created by the students in grades Preschool - 5th. The art projects we do with our students allows everyone to experience art through different mediums...

DRAWING

pencils, pens, crayons, markers and colored pencils

~Students start out in the lower grades learning how to draw animals using shapes. Then in the upper grades they learn proportions of the human face and figure. Then they learn how to shade and add value to make their drawings look realistic.

PAINTING

watercolors and tempera paint

~Students start with painting in Kindergarten and build on these skills all throughout elementary school. They learn how to properly use the paints and take care of the brushes.

SCULPTING

clay, wood, wire and found objects

~Clay is a favorite medium in all grades. Each year our clay projects build on each other so that by the time you are in 5th grade you use all the skills to create your sculpture. Kindergarten also uses found object to make faces. Second grade also uses wood to make Kachina Dolls and 4th also uses wire to create wire figures.

PLUS A FEW EXTRAS

print making, weaving and stitchery

~We print in many ways but mostly in 2nd grade, in 3rd grade we love to weave and in 4th (or 5th) we learn stitchery.

All of our students get to be in the studio for 45 mins. a week but they are constantly creating throughout every day.

Artfully yours!

your art teachers, Shannon Horridge and Tetyana Wittkowski

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

WoW! What a GREAT 1st week of Art!

It's official! We have seen all the art classes (besides pre-k) that are being taught at Brownsville this year. What a wonderful group of kids! So creative and eager to learn new things. We are excited for the new school year and all that we get to teach your children about art.
The questions we asked everyone was, "What is Art? and What does Art mean to you?" We got a lot of amazing answers...

Monday, August 17, 2015

We are ready for YOU...

and we can't wait for you to come to art! This year Mrs. Mahanes will be here Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Mrs. Horridge will be here Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. We look forward to teaching you all about the Elements of Art and how they help you in your everyday life. Make sure you share what you learn with your friends and family.

Looking forward to a wonderful school year!

Monday, August 10, 2015

Getting excited about the 1st day of school!

Well, it is hard to believe summer is winding down and we are gearing up for the new school year. We are very excited to be creating with your children this year. We will miss our 5th graders but we are excited to meet our new kindergarteners. Here is a throw back to the final 5th grade project...

Mrs. Shannon Horridge

I have always had a love for art. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a bachelors in Art Education I moved to Charlottesville, VA. I began teaching at Brownsville in 1999 and taught until 2006. Then decided to stay home with my 3 young children for 4 years. During that time I volunteered as an art teacher at their school and volunteered with the Boys and Girls Club of Central VA. In 2011 I went back to Brownsville as a teaching assistant in the art room and in 2012 became a part-time art teacher again. I LOVE my job.

Ms. Tetyana Wittkowski

Growing up with a mother who was an artist and architect, creating art was just something that I would do. I grew up in Maryland and went to Vermont College for graduate school. My masters degree is in Art Therapy and I hold an art teaching certificate in grades K-12. Living in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador for 9 1/2 years I was able to gain a broader understanding different types of art and culture. In 1996 I started my career in Canada and later with my family moved to Fairfax, VA where I continued with Art therapy and began teaching art. With my children all grown and on their own I decided to get back to nature and move to Charlottesville. In the summer of 2016 I was hired as the full-time art teacher at Brownsville. I enjoy ceramics, sculpture, mixed media and have a passion from land art. I look forward to getting to know the community and beautiful countryside.

The BESt Art Blog