Kindergarten through second grade artists each studied artists who explore abstraction in February. Students looked at work by Howardena Pindell, Reginald Laurent, and Gee's Bend. Each of these artists have made important contributions to art and culture in the United States and helped us honor Black History Month. Each grade level explored a variety of mark making techniques and abstract methods and identified the qualities of abstract artworks.

Here is a presentation with some of these artworks and artists for your reference.

Kindergarten artists specifically studied Gee's Bend quilts with a variety of painting methods as well as real fabric scraps.

For Valentine's Day, first and second grade artists created heart sculptures out of paper and heart collagraph prints. Kindergarten artists celebrated with some mixed media heart paintings.

To welcome spring time, K-2 students are now working on a collaborative mural with raindrops, flowers and air dry clay seeds. This mural is coming to life in the Phillips main hallway this month!

Third Grade and Fourth Grade:

Third and fourth grade students have created their own repousse (metal carving) rocket ships and galaxy paintings. Students explored a variety of brush strokes to create the background and learned that repousse is an ancient art form used all around the world. For extra inspiration, students looked at the work of Alma Thomas, who is known for her "Broken brush stroke" and for her use of color to create abstract paintings inspired by nature.

Fifth Grade:

At the beginning of February, fifth graders finished creating drawings of cities with three-dimensional shapes and a range of chalk pastel values. Now, fifth grade artists have developed a unique color scheme complete with creative names of their own design. Students are also looking at the work of two quilt artists - Bisa Butler and Gee's Bend. Students have studied these artists' use of shape and color and are applying their color scheme to their own design. Over the next weeks, students will paint their design on a paper plate loom and begin to weave with yarn.