Summer is full of fun! Whether you’re making new friends, learning new skills, travelling somewhere different, or just taking time to relax, summer should always be full of great memories. This summer at Cione Recreation Center, I wanted to make the students’ experience memorable and meaningful. I want the students to be creative and choose subject matter that is personal to them. This summer, the students at Cione Rec will draw from their own experiences and knowledge, while also exploring new ways of artistic expression.
Monday, July 10th was our very first day of art at Cione Recreation Center. After brief introductions and making sure everyone knew the basics, students got their “Art Passports” which will be used throughout the summer. The passport acts as a workbook, allowing students to fill in information about themselves, draw pictures, and color landmarks from different countries. We discussed transportation, travelling and places we’ve been. Many students answered with “the beach!” while others have been to New Jersey, Nevada, California, and even the Philippines!
The older students at Cione got a chance to begin their postcards. They were asked to think of a place they would like to visit. Everyone was eager to start. Once pencils and watercolor paper were passed around, students immediately began to draw. One student told me he had two places he’d like to go — Japan and… Canada! While those were two completely different cultures and continents, it was awesome to see how diverse of an interest he had. Since he couldn’t decide on which to choose, he came up with the solution to draw a line down the center of the paper and draw Canada on the left and Japan on the right. He included the Maple Leaf and a drawing of himself in a checkered hat to represent Canada and the rising sun with himself in a kimono to represent Japan. It worked very well, as both countries’ flags are red and white. How beautiful it was to see the though process of this student and the balance he created with his art.
Other places students wanted to visit included Hawaii, Hollywood, the city, France, and India.
We were so focused on our art, that our hour together just flew by! Next week, we will continue painting our postcards with watercolors, mount them to construction paper, and cut a decorative border from the construction paper to give our postcards some POP! But for now, here are some photos of our students’ work in progress.
Miss Dayna