Student Collage

Frances Iseda, 5th grade student from Mrs. Robke's room, created this collage with her grandmother. It's always great to see the art that students create outside of the classroom. Frances enjoys making art and learning about different collage techniques from her grandmother, which make this piece special to her.

Ice House Detroit

Artists Gregory Holm and Matthew Radune are working together to bring attention to Detroit's foreclosure rate. Detroit leads the nation in foreclosures and by using art as form of expression, this temporary instillation will help draw the attention that this crisis needs. Check out the links below to learn more about the project and follow along with the process from the beginning. The Detroit Ice House Blog is very informative and is updated frequently. To listen to a short visual mission statement, click the kickstarter link. Also, Time Magazine has included the Ice House in the national spotlight as they visit Detroit.


Ice House Detroit Blog|Time Magazine|Kickstarter

Why Art Education is Crucial

A recent article published in the Feb.2009: Art Education issue of "Edutopia," discusses why art education is crucial, and school districts at the forefront of art education. The article discusses how comprehensive and innovative arts initiatives are taking root in a growing number of school districts. Some communities, such as New York, Chicago, and Minneapolis, are forging partnerships between the school district and the city's vibrant arts community in order to build stronger educational art programs. Communities, such as those in Dallas, are also using art to reinvent its school district. It is always great to see how other school and states are emphasizing art in theirs schools.

Click here to read the article.

-Cyndi Koppelman

Giacometti Sculpture Sells for $104.3 million!

An anonymous buyer purchased Alberto Giacometti's Walking Man I for $104.3 million dollars. The pricey transaction took place in London at Sotheby's and sets a new record for the highest purchase ever made for a piece of art. To learn more about this and try to answer why might someone pay that much money for a work of art, click here.

MOMA Giacometti Exhibit|Artcyclopedia

Final Jeopardy Question 1/28/10

Yesterday's Final Jeopardy topic was 19th Century Artists. Alex read the quote "With an apple I will astonish Paris" and showed a still life painting.








Who is...click here

Jeopardy|Quotes

The 28th Annual Plymouth Ice Festival January 22-24

Looking for a way to stay cold? The Plymouth Ice Festival takes place this weekend! The spectacular promotes ice sculpture as an art form and features over 100 sculptures and entertainment ranging from live music to family shows and treats for all ages. What can be more exciting than ice, chainsaws, and activities for the whole entire family!

Realistic to Non-Objective Art

What is abstract art? That is what I am asking 5th grade to think about with our current project. Abstract art can be difficult to understand or accept, especially when I go to the art museum with my family. I always hear "I can do that" or "this isn't art" as I travel through the galleries during our visit. It takes very little to understand a lot. The first thing you need to do, and this is what I tell my students, is learn about what you are looking at. Ask questions and think about what the artist is trying to communicate. Only then will the magic begin. One way to help understand abstract art is to classify the difference in style from work that is realistic. Classifying the stylistic qualities helps students apply ideas in the process of creating their own work. Challenge yourself and take the Realistic to Non-objective Quiz online to strengthen your understanding of the stylistic qualities of abstract art.