I am an Art Docent at the Vancouver Art Gallery and while there one week found I had some extra time, so myself and another docent walked through one of the exhibits. The Juxtapoz x Superflat exhibit is not one we are touring school groups through, so thought it would be fun to have a look around. I came across the works of artist Rebecca Morgan and immediately thought her artwork could inspire a great project to share with the kids in the studio.
Rebecca Morgan at Vancouver Art Gallery
I have been wanting to create a clay project that would allow the kids to explore creating a pot either using a coil or pinch pot method. The idea of also having them explore creating faces on the pots seemed perfect. Then I remembered how fascinated I was with Rembrandt's tronies, practice renderings of facial expressions, while visiting Amsterdam. It also has been on my "to do" list of projects for quite some time and seemed like a great addition to this project idea.
So after introducing artist Rebecca Morgan to the students and looking at several of her pottery sculptures ( I first wrote, "looking at her jugs" which somehow seemed off when talking about kids....), the students shouted out all the different emotions that came to mind.
I loved how Rebecca Morgan's work boosted the confidence of the children. Her work inspired a sense of silliness that the kids were eager to explore. Her work was also a great introduction on how to use texture to create interest in artwork.
goofy, 8 year old
One day I will have a kiln, but for now all clay work in the studio is done with air dry or oven baked clay. This project was done with air dry clay. The students created their sculptures the first week and then the following week painted the dried clay with acrylic paints which were then sealed with a high gloss varnish.
happy, 6 year old
Before the students began painting, we talked about how color can also be used to define emotion. The students brainstormed for several minutes about what colors might define certain emotions. Then they got to work painting their pots.
crazy, 7 year old
Of course it did not take very long in the creative process before several of the children asked if they could create animals.
happy cat, 8 year old
awed mouse, 8 year old
bewildered bear, 8 year old
As always, working with clay was a great lesson for getting the students to think about all angles of an artwork. No surprise that they were also thrilled to be working in 3-D. There was a lot of discussion on what they would be using their finished pieces for at home and torrents of giggles while they figured out how to create their emotions in clay. Rebecca Morgan's work was great inspiration as a jumping off point for the children, just like I knew it would be the minute I laid eyes on her artwork at the gallery.
pensive pencil holder, 9 year old
Both myself and the kids are now big fans.
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