Help Me Hokusai!

I want to share an exciting and engaging art project I recently conducted with my two sections of 5th grade. We delved into the world of E-Z-Cut block printing, drawing inspiration from the renowned Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai and his iconic print, "The Wave." We used teacher demos and peer learning a lot and the... Continue Reading →

Creating a Sustainable Learning Oasis: Elementary Students Embrace the Sustainability Garden Project

In today's world, fostering environmental consciousness and promoting sustainability have become essential goals within education. At Washington Episcopal School (WES), students are actively engaged in a remarkable project that combines art, science, and nature. The entire elementary school, from second to fifth grade, is excitedly preparing for the creation of a sustainability garden. (You won't... Continue Reading →

Grade Three and Symmetry

What did the art students at Washington Episcopal do this winter? Moroccan-inspired tiles! Grade three was inspired by the beautiful blue city of Chefchaouen and also spent time learning about different types of symmetry. The students started by learning how to roll clay through a slab roller, then cutting their tiles out to the desired... Continue Reading →

Second Grade Leaf Plates

In Second Grade we started our ceramics unit by tying in their number corner's look at pinnate vs. palmate leaf types. The resource I used from the American Museum of Natural History's website is here. We left our campus and explored the amazing Capital Crescent Trail as a class. We collected various pinnate and palmate... Continue Reading →

Grade 4 Makes An Impression

I tried drawing from observation and impressionist style paint application with my 4th graders and they did a fantastic job! The results are phenomenal and I hope you enjoy some photos of their process and final pieces.

Becoming Kieth Haring

My Second graders started out the year learning about the term "Public Art". They looked at Kieth Haring and other artists and learned the term "Mural Art" as well. Once we had a good handle on this type of art we started on a journey to create a design with a variety of lines just... Continue Reading →

Art Club is a Wild Ride

To start the year off, my after-school art club made paper roller coasters. Part of my new job includes running two after-school art clubs. One for grades two and three, and another for grades four and five. It is an awesome opportunity to try out projects with the kids, and see what works and what... Continue Reading →

New, New Digs!

I have recently accepted a job at the Washington Episcopal School, just outside of DC in Bethesda Maryland as their elementary art teacher. I am following my children into what I hope will be their school until 8th grade! I am going to be teaching 2nd-5th grade art classes, and I couldn't be happier! The... Continue Reading →

Marbelizing Paper With Miss Katie!

Marbelized paper has always been a feature of the Deco Arts Camp, and I mean always. When Sinclair Hamilton founded the Decorative and Fine Arts Camp, now Deco Arts Camp, marbleizing paper was a project that was done from the beginning. Still, it's probably one of the projects that has also changed the most. We... Continue Reading →

Fabulous Figure Drawing!

In my sophomore Studio I class we have been practicing different approaches to the figure. For the most part, we used vine charcoal and a little bit of black chalk pastel for extra oomph! We started this unit with sweeping gesture drawings, focusing on capturing the overall movement of the figure. Then we looked at... Continue Reading →

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