Cole and Harrison underglazing their pinch pot creatures.
Mason underglazing his pinch pot creature.

Brandi, Cassandra, Josh, and Adam underglazing their pinch pot creatures.

Jessica and Camilla are working on their graphite/color pencil drawing. Camilla's drawing and the photo she is using for a reference. A detail of Jessica's drawing.

It is hard to believe how quickly the year is coming to a close. The students are working on our last two projects. Project One- we are in the middle of our clay projects. The students have made some great pincg pot creatures. Now we are waiting for them to slowly dry out so that we can fire them. Project two- we are working on our last drawing project. This project combines students knowledge of shading with graphite and color pencils. The drawings are looking great.

Detail of a students drawing.

Students working on their drawings in first period.

Students working on their drawings in first period.

Friday! It has been a really good day.

Students are shown wearing their "Save Haiti" t-shirts that student council designed and sold. All proceeds go to the American Red Cross to help provide aid to those in Haiti still suffering from the long-term effects of the earthquake.
Second period students are shown working on their drawing that will combine their shading skills with both graphite and color pencils.

Alice is using a photo and a grid to accurately create her drawing.

With all the mess of clay on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, I did not have a chance to get the camera out to document the creative process. But here are several photos of pinch pot creatures from the different class periods.

First period: a cute rooster

Second period: An adorable puppy

Third period: An odd birdie

It's time for clay!

The students have great imaginations!
I can't wait to see what they create!
I'll post more pictures as their designs progress!

Monday morning. Today we started class by taking notes on texture. Then we created the designs for the pinch pot creatures that we are going to create out of clay.

Michael is brainstorming a list of animals to be the inspiration for his pinch pot creature.

Table four is drawing the designs for their pinch pot creatures.

Table one is coloring the designs for their pinch pot creatures.

On Wednesday we had a representative from the Living Arts College in Raleigh, NC come give a presentation to each class period. She gave the students information about their digital media, film making, and audio degrees.


Today and Friday, students will be working on a project that combines their knowledge of perspective and proportion. Students must cut out objects and people of various sizes and arrange them in a realistic composition.

Students are seen searching for the right object and people in the perfect size for their compositions.

An example of a finished proportion project.

Art History Monday

Today we watched a brief video on Vermeer, a lesser known Dutch artist. His artwork and life was recently retold in the movie, "Girl with the Pearl Earring". Students also recieved their progress reports. It is unbelievable how quickly this semester is passing. Please sign and return your child's progress report by Friday. If you have questions, please email me or call me here at the school. My contact information can be found on the MPHS homepage. Then we continued working on our reproductions of Vincent van Gogh's painting in oil pastels.

Alex and Cole working on their oil pastel paintings.

David is concentrating on his reproduction of van Gogh's yellow chair.
Some of the guys in first period are shown working on their reproductions.

Visual Journal Friday.

I know I look forward to these days. But it is good to know that my students do as well. Well, at least one student does. When she walked into class this morning she said, "Visual Journals. Yes! When I woke up this morning I didn't really want to come to school, but then I remembered it was visual journal day." Today we went outside to sit in the spring sunshine to inspire our writing. Then we came back inside to draw some freshly cut flowers.

Harrison is working on his spring inspired visual journal.
Sarah is coloring her brightly colored visual journal.

Brandi is working on her drawing of an iris.

Cassandra is adding the final touches to her visual journal page.

We are still working on recreating Vincent van Gogh's "Starry Night". The students are finding his loose style to be very freeing.

Tabby is shown paying careful attention to her sky.
Blair is getting close to being finished. The purple background
really makes the colors of the sky pop.

Each student's style is both similiar to van Gogh's painting

and still their own original interpretation of his work.

Art History Monday: Today we watched an art history video on Vincent van Gogh.

First period students watching the art history video and answering the viewing guide.
Second period students recreating Vincent van Gogh's most famous painting "Starry Night".

Michael and Destiny are working on their interpretation of van Gogh's painting.

Anna and Christina mimic van Gogh's unique painting technique, small hatching lines.