The BESt Art Blog

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

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Imagination At It's BESt!

You may not remember when you lost your 1st tooth but I will tell you our students in Kindergarten and 1st grade remember it VERY well! So when we introduce our Tooth Fairy lesson to them they are very eager to share with us what THEIR Tooth Fairy looks like. They use their imagination to create what they think their Tooth Fairy will look like and they include the crown (which can be anything from a cap to a headband to a fuzzy ears). They also include some type of magic wand, a bag or pouch for the teeth, some type of transportation and patterns and designs. The sky is the limit and boy do they have fun! Check out a few...

Monday, January 18, 2021

Happy New Year - 2021!

Well, what a year it's been so far... SO many BIG events happening in our country and we are only in mid-January! When the world around you seems upside down and you are unsure of what is around the corner remember to take care of yourself and BEE CREATIVE! Our students have continued with their creativity and it is fun to see them grow.

Monday, December 7, 2020

It's Pie Time!

This is the time of year when the sweet treats are abundant and family and friends tend to bring delicious desserts to (small, outdoor, face masked) gatherings. Here are a few pie drawing created by a couple of our 4th graders.

We hope you have a great time eating pie!

Happy Holidays!

Sunday, November 1, 2020

Dia de los Muetros

The 4th and 5th grade art students discovered the importance of Dia de los Muetros...

The Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday celebrated in Mexico and elsewhere associated with the Catholic celebrations of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day. It is celebrated in countries with large indigenous populations, including Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Guatemala. Wikipedia

Date: Sun, Nov 1, 2020 – Mon, Nov 2, 2020

Celebrations: Creation of altars to remember the dead, traditional dishes for the Day of the Dead

Significance: Prayer and remembrance of friends and family members who have died

Observed by: Mexico, and regions with large Mexican populations

Created by Max-5th grade

Created by Sean-4th grade

Mrs. Horridge using a snapchat filter

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.