Merry Christmas!

SNOW DAY!!!!

Kirigomi Snowflakes

I was given a great book about Kirigomi, the ancient art of paper cutting and folding. There was a chapter on these wonderful snowflakes, so I decided to try it with my 6th graders. Well, that was 5 years ago, and now it has become a tradition here at St. Helen's, that when you are in the 6th grade, you learn the secret to making these incredible snowflakes. I have heard from many parents that the kids come home and decorate the house with them.

It's becoming a winter wonderland!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

We started making our Christmas ornaments this week. My art room is starting to sparkle with glitter and sequins.

Here are some of the 7th graders holding up their tie dye ornaments. We made them out of plaster tape, which they cut into a star shape after it was set. They then used liquid water color and painted the star. The colors came out really vibrant. Then they added matching beads on the string. They turned out beautiful.

Wednesday I took a group of 8th graders to Mangia Mangia to paint their window. We had a great time. These kids did such a wonderful job. St. Helen's has some very talented students. When we were finished with our work we enjoyed some of Mangia Mangia's delicious pizza. What a treat.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Don't they look cute!

Mrs. Moon showed me how to make these headbands three years ago, and ever since the little ones have been making them for thanksgiving. I usually try to focus on a fine art curriculum, but around the holidays, I must admit, I break out my glue guns and scissors and get a bit crafty. With the holiday music in the background, it makes for a festive time.

...more Auction Projects

Second Grade Cross

This beautiful cross looks like etched silver.....but its not. Second graders created these clay tiles using the bottoms of their shoes for the texture. We then fired the tiles and painted them black and accented the design with silver. Thank you Mr. Taylor for making the wood cross. The tiles were then attached to the cross and each student signed their name to this lovely work of art.













This is the 5th graders auction project. Isn't it a masterpiece? We used the theme "the sun, the moon and the stars" . Each student created a design and embossed the design on a piece of thin copper. They then painted vaseline wherever they wanted the design to shine. Each student used liver of sulphur to patina the metal. The final step was buffing the metal with ultra fine steel wool. Thanks to Mrs Rulison and her father for creating the frame and putting the mirror inside of it for us. This collective work of art is truly extraordinary.

These projects will be auctioned off this Saturday at the Fall Extravaganza.