Family Circle Paintings- Collaborative Mandalas, February 12, 2011

On this particular Saturday, our Family Studio class spent the morning creating family circle paintings.  Each family had a large circular piece of paper to work with.  Before beginning to paint, everyone took some time creating geometric lines and shapes within their circles by using a chalk line and/or tracing large shapes onto the paper.  Starting out this way, gave each family an opportunity to create boundaries that, when they began painting, they could choose to use as a way of designating personal space for each family member.  When they were ready to paint, ice trays filled with pre-mixed colors were passed out among the families. 

All of the families seemed eager and excited to paint.  There was a lot of focused energy in the room.  As I walked around, observing each group, I noticed how each family worked together in unique ways.  In one family of two, the mother seemed really into her painting, while her son really enjoyed mixing the colors in the paint trays.

Some started out being more careful to stay within their respected boundaries that were created with the chalk line and geometric shapes.  

One young boy decided to paint even beyond the boundary created by the edge of the paper.  His masterpiece continues on, onto the surface of the table.

One family had an interesting way of respecting the personal space of each family member while also making sure to work together creating a cohesive work of art.  They designated the middle of the circle as a space where everyone could contribute and the sides of the circle as a space where everyone could add their own individual painting. 






It was also interesting to see the differences in painting style between parents and their children.  In this particular family, the mother uses the geometric boundaries as shapes to paint in.  Her brush marks are smooth and less visible.  However, her son uses the boundaries only as a guideline, and his mark-making is very energetic.

As the families became more comfortable with painting, they also seemed to become more energized and creative.  One mother invites her daughter to use her hands and paint on her side of the circle.  A father helps his daughter onto the table so she can get into a better position to paint.



 Towards the end of the class, the perceived boundaries became more and more blurred and each painting seemed to gain cohesiveness and unity.  The final product was a balanced combination of the individual and of the whole. 

Color Mixing, January 29, 2011

On this day both classes practiced color mixing with tempera paints.  Students experimented with mixing white, yellow, red and blue and created a variety of colors.  There was a general feeling of surprise and excitement when the children witnessed the birth of new colors right before their very eyes. Students were then able to come up with their own creative names for some of their colors and they began to make paintings. 

In the Family Studio class one girl was influenced by her mother's painting of dogs running in the snow.  She decided to create her own painting of a similar scene.  In order to paint the dogs, she very creatively, used the opposite end of the paintbrush in order to create more controlled marks.  Her figures were very similar to her mother's but then she also added footprints, making the final painting uniquely her's.

Mom's painting

Daughter's painting

The Saturday Studio class was small, consisting of two sisters.  They seemed to really enjoy mixing colors and giving them names.  They learned the difference between strong and weak colors and that when mixing colors it is easier to see a big change in color if you add a strong color to a weak color.  As they began to paint, it was interesting to see that they each had their own style.  One of the sisters tended to quickly and energetically fill the whole page using broad brush strokes while freely mixing the colors, while the other was more particular about the marks she made on the paper and was careful to keep many of the colors separate.

Week One, January 21, 2011

In both the Family Studio class and the Saturday Studio class we opened our first session with the exploration of materials.  Our students were encouraged to play and experiment with clay, paint, and drawing materials.  It was a great way for parents and children to familiarize themselves with different art mediums.  It was also a chance for Kathryn and I to get to know our students and any specific preferences they might have towards one medium or another.

 
There were many great moments in both our Family and Saturday Studio class.  One moment in particular comes to mind.  One of our young boys was experimenting with the clay.  His father sat behind him also experimenting.  His father would make small figures with his clay and quietly put them next to his son while he was working.  When the son noticed his father's clay figures he would "Oooh" and "Ahhh" with excitement; then he would pick up the figures and change them or add them to his own work, creating a merged sculpture.  It was nice how they worked together to create something new.  The boy's father did a great job of offering new material and ideas without overpowering his son's own individual sense of creativity.  They made a great team! 

Mandala created by a student in the Saturday Studio class