Ms. Baird's Art Class

Welcome back!

Welcome to a new school year!

We have some exciting things coming up in the art room this year. Last year was a successful year with plenty of new experiences: Improbable Baubles art exhibition at the Headley-Whitney Museum, the National Gallery of Art with the 5th grade in D.C., and the first Fine Arts Field Trip to UK with Mrs. Bowmer. I am excited to see how students will grow from these opportunities again this year. I am ready to create a memorable year in the art room!

We rely on donations to supplement our creative projects, please feel free to send in any of the following supplies:

Crayola Markers
Elmer’s Glue
Pencils
Baby Wipes
Tissues/Kleenex
Band-Aid bandages
Q-Tips

These are the same supplies listed on the Simmons School- Wide Supply List. If you have already donated, THANK YOU for your generosity. Our art program wouldn’t be the same without your help.

We collect the following supplies all year long:

Styrofoam (meat) trays- please clean before sending in
Egg cartons- please clean before sending in

I look forward to a wonderful year at Simmons!

Spring Fine Arts Night

Please join us for the Spring Fine Arts Night on Thursday, March 20th. The 4th grade will performing at 5:45 and the 5th grade at 6:00. Refreshments will be available courtesy of the Family Resource Center. There will be presentations about K-5 art projects during both performances. The Simmons Art Show is currently on display and will be for several weeks. If you’re unable to attend the Fine Arts Night, please stop by and see all the amazing artwork our students have been creating.

Fine Arts Field Trip!

On January 30th, the 5th graders took a Fine Arts Field Trip to UK’s Singletary Center for the Arts and the UK Art Museum. Students watched a live opera performance of Little Nemo in Slumberland and participated in a question and answer session with the cast. After the opera, students ate lunch and were given guided tours of the UK Art Museum. Each group looked at different artworks and the students did an impressive job applying their knowledge of art. After the tours, students were able to look around the museum for a “visual treasure hunt.” When students returned to school, teachers reviewed the experience with a reflective art lesson. Mrs. Bowmer and I are so proud of the 5th graders and we hope to do this again!

Doodle for Google

Welcome to the 2014 Doodle 4 Google competition

Before there was an airplane, there were doodles of cool flying machines. And before there was a submarine, there were doodles of magical underwater sea explorers. Since the beginning of time, ideas big and small, practical and playful, have started out as doodles. And we’re ready for more. One talented young artist (grades K-12) will see his or her artwork on the Google homepage and receive a $30,000 college scholarship and a $50,000 Google for Education technology grant for his or her school. Closing date for entries is Thursday, March 20th.

Doodle for Google

Click link above for more information.

Governor’s Mansion Centennial Visual Art and Essay Contest

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 16, 2014) – Kentucky public, private and home school students are invited to submit original artwork and/or essays in the Governor’s Mansion Centennial Visual Art and Essay Contest sponsored by First Lady Jane Beshear, the Kentucky Governor’s Mansion Centennial Committee and the Kentucky Department of Education. The contest is part of a yearlong series of events celebrating the 100thanniversary of the current Kentucky Governor’s Mansion, also known as the “People’s House.”

“The yearlong Centennial Celebration is an exceptional opportunity for Kentucky students of all ages to learn about the architectural, political and social history of the Governor’s mansion,” said Mrs. Beshear. “These contests are a perfect way to get students involved in the Celebration, and winners will be honored at a special ceremony and have their works displayed at the Mansion alongside historical Centennial exhibits.”

The visual art contest is open to students in grades K-12. Students may use any medium to create a two- or three-dimensional artwork that reflects one of the visual art contest’s themes. First, second and third place winners will be named for students in grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12. Students must submit digital images of their work for judging.

The essay contest is open to students in grades 4-12 who must choose one of three writing prompts for the theme of their essay. First, second and third place winners will be selected at the following award levels: grades 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12.

First place winners in each age group will receive a $100 prize, join the First Lady for lunch at the mansion and have their work publicly displayed at the mansion. Prize-winning student art work and essays will become sole property of the mansion as part of the mansion’s permanent collection.

Complete contest information, rules, judging criteria and an official entry form are available online at http://governorsmansion.ky.gov/centennial/contest/. Only electronic entries submitted via e-mail will be accepted. The deadline for submissions is 11:59 p.m. on Friday, March 14. Questions may be directed to maryann.miller@education.ky.gov or rebecca.blessing@education.ky.gov.

All Centennial events and exhibits are sponsored through private donations to the Kentucky Executive Mansions Foundation, Inc. (KEMFI). KEMFI is a 501(c)(3) organization established to undertake, promote and assist financially and otherwise support the modification to the restoration, maintenance and preservation of public buildings, sites, structures, places and objects of historic significance owned by the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Artist- Kyle Lambert, iPad Portraits

Kyle Lambert is an artist in the UK who uses an iPad to create amazingly realistic pieces of art. Lambert has several time-lapsed videos showing how his artwork develops. It is a great way for students to see the process of portraiture and see how great artists adjust their artworks. It truly is amazing!

Headley-Whitney Museum

The 5th graders’ bibelots and artist statements are currently on display at the Headley-Whitney Museum. Photographs of all their sculptures and ten students’ physical artworks will be shown from November 23- December 22, 2013. All 5th grade students received a postcard that they can use for free admission. The Museum is only a few minutes away and houses some beautiful artworks including large, intricate model dollhouses. Please visit!

Fall 2013- 5th grade

The 5th grade has been working with the Headley-Whitney Museum. Each student has completed an artwork based on George Headley’s bibelots, which are small decorative sculptures. In their writing classes, students also completed a reflective artist statement to accompany their bibelots. Each student will have a photograph of their bibelot and their artist statements on display at the Headley Whitney Museum from November 23 – December 22. The opening reception will be on November 23 from 1:00- 4:00pm.

All participants will receive free admission to the Museum and are invited to attend the Opening Reception of Improbable Baubles. Students showing at the Museum will be jurored by local professional artists and receive recognition for their achievements. First, second, and third place awards will be given in each age division, as well as an overall best in show.

Please join us as we celebrate all the hard work our students have done!

Fall 2013- 3rd grade

The third grade has been learning about our favorite elephant, Elmer, who is patchwork. Elmer thinks the other jungle animals are teasing him, so he changes himself to fit it. At the end of the story Elmer learns that being patchwork is a part of who he is and is one of the reasons his friends love him. We created Elmer elephants using different patterns.

Fall 2013- 2nd grade

The second grade learned that narrative art tells a story. We created artworks that told a story about summer vacation.

We have also been learning the difference between geometric and organic shapes. We created a collage using geometric shapes and added organic shape details.