the armature on the board. We used white glue and glue sticks to attach individual pieces and used wooden clothespins to hold the pieces
together while they dried. The photos
really tell the story. Student works
include owls in flight, a hawk, a king-
fisher, a rat on a chain, a moth, and
other creatures.
When the project was finished, I
sent Nicholls photos of the completed
work, and he was very supportive of
our efforts. He also recommended that
we make note cards of the artworks
and sell them to fund future projects.
We are also looking into making and
selling prints of the images. Thank
you, Mr. Nicholls, for your kindness
and generosity. The project was a big
success.
Sharon McKittrick Boyle is an art teacher
at Woodbridge Senior High School in
Woodbridge, Virginia. Mckboyle24@
gmail.com
artworks. Our process was less intensive, and we used the materials we
had on hand.
Piecing It All Together
Using donated mat centers from a
gallery, I cut mats and backers in
different sizes and shapes. I let stu-
dents choose a mat depending on the
composition they had planned. We
discussed composition and balance.
Would they make a symmetrical plan
or use informal balance? Students
chose the mat first, then constructed
Students conceive and create works of
visual art that demonstrate an understanding of how the communication
of their ideas relates to the media,
techniques, and processes they use.
