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  • PAINTING FOR DISTRICT 75 – with tempera, acrylic, pastel or watercolor

    a note about art projects adapted to special ed populations: Enabling the students to independently explore art materials through sensory-motor investigation takes precedence over expecting the students to create a cognitive product. Some of the courses allow for more pure material exploration (painting, paper sculpture, collage, sculpture), others are more likely to result in a cognitive product (bookmaking, personal power banner), while others naturally combine both (printmaking, drawing).

    Introduction of concepts and vocabulary is calibrated to the language skills and developmental levels of the students in each individual school and classroom. It should be noted that artistic concepts (figure/ground, absorbency, transparency, opacity, viscosity, etc.), though not explicitly discussed in a lesson, can be experienced by the students as they explore the art materials introduced by the Teaching Artist.

    This course offers students an opportunity to explore a variety of kinds of paint on a variety of surfaces; for example, water colors, and acrylic paints, and colored soap on surfaces as diverse as canvas, drawing paper, and skin. The residency introduces different sizes and kinds of brushes, as well as other tools with which paint can be manipulated (such as sponges, hands, and scrapers).  Students mix colors and learn developmentally appropriate concepts and vocabulary. Exploring different sizes and shapes of mounts, and creating frames for finished art is an important part of the artistic process.  Students will be invited to show their finished art to their classmates, teachers and parents. 

    This course is appropriate for all ages and all developmental levels.

     It promotes eye-hand coordination, independence and focus, as students learn to negotiate different tactile experience and make aesthetic choices about their artwork.