AAEblog | Arts are Elementary | Patty Olds

Blake Hendrickson

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:27:42 -0700

Using his wild enthusiasm, his extensive collection of wood blocks of all shapes and sizes, and his incredible designer's mind, Blake treated Brunswick's 3rd Graders to a slide show of his own work and a day of wood block sculpture and mosaic.

Blake came early and arranged tables so everyone had a work station with their own glue bottle, their own 10x10 blank plywood to build on, and plenty of elbow room to move around. In addition, each class made one or two group pieces that everyone contributed to.

The students learned about design, collaboration, patience, balance and cooperation. And in the end they each had a beautiful wall hanging to inspire their creativity for years to come.

They all said they couldn't wait to go home and collect things from their yards and closets to make more art!

Example Photo

Gretchen Berg, January 2009

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:54:43 -0800

Here is Gretchen talking to second-graders about Physical Theater. "You don't have props, you don't have a set, you don't even have costumes to tell your story, all you have is your body and space..."

Gretchen spent three days with each class doing exercises, telling stories, and together with the students, making plays about their studies and their lives.

Everyone got to be performers and audience.

Some said it was the coolest thing they ever did!

Teachers said it was magic...

Example Photo

Nantz Comyns, December 2008

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:16:25 -0800

Here's Nantz Comyns who came to Brunswick with

a bunch of twigs,

some 2x4s,

a couple of sabre saws,

a couple of drills, some straw and chicken wire.

She worked for two days with each class and they put everything together

to start a moose...

Next came the twigs, twigs,

twigs, and more twigs,

then more chicken wire

and another bunch of 2x4s became

a wolf!

Example Photo

Bette Spettel, November 2008

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:40:43 -0800

Bette Spettel came to school with milk crates filled with squirt bottles of dye, paint,

fabric pieces, ribbon, bright cover papers, beads, bowls to fill with gluebowls to fill

with tempura colors

dowels, paint brushes

and so much enthusiasm for the process of art and the making of artists. She visited each classroom twice and taught each student how to make their own unique book. At the end of the workshop, every fourth-grader took home a work of art that will last a lifetime.

Example Photo

Our First Website!

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 17:42:52 -0800

The day after Thanksgiving and we are giving thanks to all who have made AAE possible.