SchoolArts - March 2011

SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMS

2011

CREATIVE VACATION

Studio art classes for students entering grades 4-9. A two-week program available in half or full days.

July 5–15, 2011

SUMMER INTENSIVES

For students in grades 10-12, studio classes in specific disciplines. July 5–15, 2011

SUMMER STUDIO IN ART AND DESIGN A four-week, pre-college program for students entering junior and senior years in high school. Study art in the unique atmosphere of a college for the visual arts. On-campus housing is available. Students may apply for college credit. July 18–August 13, 2011

MASSACHUSETTS COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN Professional and Continuing Education T 617 879 7170 F 617 879 7171 E k12@massart.edu

MassArt.edu

Easy T access from the E Train Green Line or the #39 Bus

Circle No. 178 on Reader’s Service Card

Join SchoolArts for a

Folk Art Extravaganza!

Travel to Santa Fe with SchoolArts and CRIZMAC
Art & Cultural Materials for a hands-on cultural
experience at the 8th
annual International Folk
Art Market. Space is
limited! Sign up today
at crizmac.com.

SELF Representing the

in Sculpture

Middle School Studio Lesson

Miranda Nelken
OverthesummerI lovetosurfInternet galleriesandhave savedmanymore
bookmarks than I have time to
re-explore. Yet, almost every
summer I find a gallery, artist,
or teacher who hits the mark
and ends up the star of an art
lesson. This year’s star turned out
to be contemporary artist Deborah
Rael-Buckley.
Rael-Buckley creates stunning
figurative self-portraits in clay that
layer “personal, cultural, historical,
and biological imagery” in a narra-
tive style. Her work provided an excit-
ing challenge in three-dimensional
self-portraits for my eighth graders.
Call and Response
On our first day we talked about
visual metaphors and symbols.
We played a call and response
game where I began by saying
an object such as “stairs,” and a
student could offer what meta-
phor best fit what stairs could
visually signify in a work of art.
The answer might be “striving,”
“going up,” or “reaching.”
The student who answered
would then call out a different

Continued from page 19. 17

interior of a piece. This interior monologue can have a powerful effect that radiates the intent inside-out to viewers, making the sculpture richer with private spaces.

Buttons, glass beads, fabric, and other ornamental items can be hot-glued on for an assemblage effect.

If students pierce holes in the clay they can thread fishing line, wire, or embroidery thread through the sculpture.

Colored pencils, metallics, and watercolors can also be used on clay with a varnish applied afterward.

Writing About It

Writing about completed sculptures truly adds to the process since there are interesting stories linked to the imagery. It is important to tell students that metaphors that are private need not be mentioned and that classmates should show respect if someone does not want to discuss the meaning of certain images.