so happy

I'm so happy with this beautiful project... It's the I/Eye Rebus mosaic at Hope Valley Elementary.  5 classes of Kindergarteners made the letter I/i border sections based on a graphed paper grid design.  5 classes of 2nd graders worked in small groups to create the eyeball designs (some drawn by them as well) with tumbled stained glass pieces.  We talked about shape, color, design, pattern, picture, Rebus puzzles (pictures that can substitute for words or letters), counting, mosaic, diversity, and collaboration.  Each panel is 3x5'.

mad scientist/artist tip #23

Don't get spray foam in your hair while you're making this:

NOT EVEN A LITTLE BIT....

prisms

Working on something new... anyone got old mirrors hanging around they don't need/want?  12" or bigger, preferably not beveled on the edge.....

the 'eyes' of March

I know it's really the 'ides' of March... but this month begins with a great residency for Kindergarten and 2nd grades at a local Elementary School.  They wanted a literacy objective tandem with the art project.  I may have mentioned rebus puzzles before... it's old school reading puzzle fun in which pictures are substituted for letters or words.  "Highlights" magazine used to have them all the time.  So, I've got K classes reading 7x7 unit graphs (check for math objectives) to create the capital I and lowercase i patterns onto the tile grids, they're creating the border pieces.  The letters are done in 5 shades of skin tone browns, light to dark, background dark blues.  2nd graders have drawn eyeball patterns using shapes, not lines, on an 8" square and are using tumbled stained glass pieces to fill in the pattern, starting with the pupil, lids, iris, corneas, and surrounding flesh (check plus for science objective).  Overall  the work will make 2 panels, 3x5' each (30 sf total) of I/eye rebus mosaic.  Double check plus for collaborative work, celebrating individuality and community! 

Two sessions down, three to go...