3/24/10

THIRD GRADE

This week has been full of many activities, including time to create special art. Our older grandson's third grade class invited me to his school to share a watercolor lesson with them on Monday.

My demo for his class included a bed of pink and red tulips with a lost baseball tucked between the flowers. They watched attentively, and then it was time to create their own, one-of-a-kind masterpieces.

They loved knowing how to mix colors to make brown and black, and many were quite pleased with their finished paintings. I'd provided the paint palettes filled with primary and secondary colors, as well as the paper and brushes. It was obvious that their imaginations were going strong as they painted.

After painting, the students watched the huge SMART BOARD. (This was the first time I had seen a Smart Board.) Brant's teacher brought up my blog on her computer then the images were enlarged on the Smart Board for the whole class to see.

They enjoyed looking at my paintings on my blog and asked questions about making art. One question, "What is the hardest thing you've ever painted?" was difficult to answer. I explained that for me it was hardest to paint faces that look exactly like the person I am painting. Later I realized that the hardest painting to do was the one of all four of our grandchildren reading a book together. Click here to see that painting.

Yesterday, Brant brought home a huge stack of well composed THANK YOU letters from his class. Several third graders wrote that they would draw and paint a lot now, and many students suggested that I should keep on painting for all my life. I'm going to take that advice for sure. They were so appreciative, and when I get back home, the letters will be displayed in my studio for artists there to enjoy, too.

Thank you, Mrs. Council, for letting me teach about watercolor to your inspiring students. You have so many very good artists in your room!

Tomorrow three First Grade rooms will be learning more about watercolor. What a busy week!

11 comments:

Billie Crain said...

What a treat reading this, Sandy! Kids that age are so imaginative, open to new things and so unafraid and who knows? You may have started a future Rembrandt or two down the path.

RH Carpenter said...

You are so giving of your time and talent and I bet all of your grands are so proud of their artist grandma! And yes, do keep painting for the rest of your life! :)

Nancy Eaton said...

What fun that must be! I tried to work with my granddaughter who loves to draw, but I soon realized that I'm just not a teacher!

Ginny Stiles said...

Oh Sandy...how brilliant for you to share your love of painting with the children. We need to do more of this. The schools are sadly lacking in elementary art these days. I tutor a kindergarten class on Tuesday mornings and I think I will ask the teacher if she'll let me do a painting lessons some day! I have done so before with my grandchildren's classes but not for a long time.

Cynthia said...

What an interesting post. I too think you should keep painting for the rest of your life...isn´t working with the kids so much fun!

Joan Sandford-Cook said...

Oh how much you must have enjoyed being with this group of enthusiastic youngsters. .. and how nice to have the thank you reminders of the day together.

Dawn said...

excellent work Grandma!!! tell the B man hi from me!

Chris Beck said...

Very neat -- and I love their advice to you to keep painting!!

I'm intrigued by the palettes they're using -- where did you get those?

A Brush with Color said...

Oh, what a wonderful gift for them to have experienced YOU, Sandy! You were great to visit with them--I'll bet they were just captivated. I love the palettes you had for them--really nice! They all look very engrossed in their creative endeavors. And your painting of the 4 children is awesome--you really captured their personalities in that painting-it's beautiful. I imagine those kids will be influenced for the rest of their lives by your visit to that class!

Sandy Maudlin said...

WHat a wonder children are, especially when they are painting so intently. Today I worked with three FIRST grade rooms and came home and took a well needed nap.

Chris, check VIKING in Minnesota - a craft-type online catalog source for the palettes. They are really for acrylic/tole/one stroke painters. It was hard ot find something fairly reasonable to use. Last year I used meat trays for palettes, and it didn't work very well to transport them wet to the next class. These were wonderful. A 9" styrofoam plate pops into the middle for a clean working surface. The plates can be used several times if cleaned between.Tomorrow's my day off until the kids get home from school. It will be a full weekend with them and then I teach my daughter-in-law's 4th grade class on Monday. Headedback home after that. WHEW!

Chris Beck said...

Thanks, Sandy. I'm familiar with Viking and will check their catalog.

I'm still chuckling over the advice from the kids that you keep painting!! Innocence and wisdom all rolled into one!!