Looking Back at the Best of 2017 from Art Sphere Inc!
January 2017
To start off 2017, ASI instructors and volunteers returned to Penn Treaty Middle and High School’s afternoon art classes. ASI staff prepared a large classroom banner made from repurposed paper curtains that acted as a prompt to encourage students to share a doodle or a note at the beginning of class. Students added to the banner every week, providing them a brief respite from the chaos of school dismissal and settling their minds for a creative activity. It was exciting to see the culmination of the Penn Treaty students’ contributions to the class banner!
February 2017
Penn Treaty Explore Color Theory
In February 2017, ASI continued its program at Penn Treaty by introducing students to the fundamentals of color theory and design. Using the color wheel model, students learned to identify primary colors and how to blend them to create secondary colors. The class also experimented with creating various shades and tints using black and white pigments. This lesson on color theory allowed the kids to learn about African American artists during Black History Month and were given samples of professional paintings from artists like Jacob Lawrence, Horace Pippin, and Henry Ossawa Tanner.
March 2017
The John Heinz Refuge National Junior Duck Stamp Competition
In March 2017, ASI staff served as the judges for the annual Junior Duck Stamp Competition at the John Heinz Refuge. On a cold winter morning in March, students aged 5 to 18 showed off their artistic skills to make ducks using paint, crayons, markers, and even delicate pastels! The judging panel was made up of a park ranger, a biologist, and two bird- watching experts who made the final decisions for both the artworks and the student’s messages about conservation of nature.
July 2017
7/11 & 7/13 at Shissler Recreation Center
In July 2017, at Shissler Recreation Center, ASI volunteers and teachers participated in the summer camp. On Tuesdays the staff taught the elementary and middle school camp, while on Thursdays they worked with the preschoolers. For both classes that week the project was creating self-portraits. The children wrote on the top of the page their name and what they liked to do, while the rest of the page was used for them to draw themselves or what they liked to do. It was a great way to break the ice with the whole class and see how they view themselves through their artwork!
August 2017
Philadelphia’s Extraordinary Student Helpers!
In August 2017, ASI had the wonderful opportunity to let older students become helpers for classroom art projects! Art Student Mentors are incredibly important as they help encourage younger students when they are frustrated and can relate to them better since they are much closer in age. It’s important for us at ASI to give responsibility to our student helpers to inspire their leadership and help them grow into mature and confident adults. Our helpers continue to exceed our expectations and make us all pound for their contributions to the classroom!
September 2017
First Day at Shissler Rec Fall 2017!
It was the first day for the Fall classes at Shissler Rec Center in September 2017! Each student was tested on the color wheel by using two handouts. For the first handout, the kids were instructed to just color it based on what they think the wheel should look like. Then, ASI staff led a discussion on the color wheel and why it’s important. Afterwards, the kids filled in the color wheel again and utilized what they just learned. This lesson taught the kids to make connections to what they learned and taught our staff at ASI just how effective the discussions were, since they all colored it perfectly the second time!
October 2017
Symmetry in Butterflies at Shissler Rec!
To start the week off, students used their own separate art supplies thanks to the generous donations of Art Sphere Inc.’s donors! The kids started by reading ‘The Hungry Caterpillar,’ and when they finished, they worked in groups to glue pieces of fabric to the wings of a large paper butterfly. After, the kids learned about symmetry, specifically in butterfly wings. They learned what symmetry means, and how the patterns on one butterfly wing mirror patterns on the other. !
November 2017
We were honored to have art created by our volunteers and students featured at the Bok Post Open Studio event! Many of these items were sold to various donors to provide art boxes and supplies for the children at the various school sites of Art Sphere. There were numerous different pieces of art, ranging from ceramic animals, jewelry, pottery, cork plants, drawings, paintings, and so much more! Customers donated various amounts, both for the cause and for the art, and we couldn’t be more grateful!
December 2017
Watercolor Resist Paintings at Towey Rec
It was our last day at Towey Recreation Center for 2017, and to celebrate staff led a watercolor painting project! Students used oil pastels to draw on paper, and then colored their images with watercolors. It was also ASI volunteer Francesca’s birthday, and the staff at Towey Recreation Center surprised us with a birthday cake! We are ecstatic to be able to help our communities in any way we can!
