Zooming with GROW: 2D/3D

During our second virtual field trip, we looked at 2D and 3D art. 

BUT FIRST - I finally grabbed some pics of our GROW friends!!

Third grade

Fourth grade

(You'll see the fifth graders further down, I promise!)

What was I saying earlier? Oh right...what is the difference between art that is 2D and art that is 3D? 2D is short for two-dimensional. So, 2D art has two dimensions: height and width. 2D objects are flat; take for instance, a sheet of paper or photograph. 

3D is short for three-dimensional. It has three dimensions: height, width, and depth. 3D objects have volume and take up space; examples are a book, shoe, and chair.

During this visit, we talked about artists who create 2D and 3D artworks. First, we looked at these sketches by artist Anish Kapoor. What do these shapes bring to mind?

The blue shapes reminded students of crystals, a dress, and a badminton birdie. The black shape reminded them of a beehive and a bunch of snakes (eek!).

Anish Kapoor also created this three-dimensional sculpture. What does its shape and color remind you of?

Anish Kapoor, In Search of the Mountain I, 1984

Maybe this sculpture reminds you of an umbrella, an ice cream cone, a megaphone, or a churro? We explored some more by rolling up a piece of paper to mimic the cone-like shape. 

To play along, roll up a piece of paper at home, making one end wider than the other. What do you think of when you look at the paper cone laying on its side, with the wide end on the bottom and the skinny end on the top, and with the skinny end on the top and the wide end on the bottom?

Anish Kapoor titled this sculpture In Search of the Mountain I. How does this title connect with what you noticed while looking at this sculpture, or your paper cone, from different perspectives?

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Next, we looked at this print by Dorothy Dehner, titled River Landscape #4. Let's think back to the elements of art we discussed during our last virtual field trip. What kinds of lines and shapes do you see here? Which ones make you think of somehing you would see near a river?

Dorothy Dehner, River Landscape #4, c. 1953 (printed 1993)

Some students were reminded of waves, bridges, rocks, and trees. Instead of showing the landscape exactly how it looks in real life, Dehner focuses on the lines and shapes of things you might see instead. We call this an abstract style of art.

Dehner also made this 3D sculpture, titled Low Landscape No. 3. How is it similar to and different from River Landscape #4? Have you ever seen a landscape that looks like this sculpture?

Dorothy Dehner, Low Landscape No. 3, 1961

In both of these artworks, Dehner creates abstract landscapes without many details. We practiced this idea by looking at the photograph below for drawing inspiration.

Third grade drawings

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We finished our virtual field trip with two artworks by Roy Lichtenstein. You may remember this sculpture by from last spring: 

Roy Lichtenstein, Head with Blue Shadow, 1965

The following sculpture by Lichtenstein almost seems like it is both 2D and 3D. Which parts look more 2D or more 3D, and why?

Roy Lichtenstein, Double Glass, 1979-80

We took a 2D object - a piece of paper - and folded it into a 3D object - an origami cup. Follow these instructions if you'd like to make one at home!

Fourth grade

Fifth grade

BONUS: I found a picture from our first virtual field trip with third grade in April. I was so excited, I forgot to get photos of the other grades!

Third grade

Look for one more blog post honoring our wonderful fifth grade graduates next week.

DOUBLE SPECIAL BONUS: Ms. Kellie and Sebastian found Double Glass at NorthPark Center!

You can find Double Glass on the lower level, between the food court and Macy's.

Zooming with GROW: Building Blocks of Sculpture

And, here we are in the first week of June. How did this happen? Since our last blog post: Dallas got *really* cold, Spring Break happened, along with countless Zoom meetings. Time seemed to go both fast and slow at the same time (at least for me).

Happily, some of those Zoom meetings were with GROW friends! We had our first virtual field trip over Zoom on Friday, April 16. It was so fun to see each other after more than a year since our last tour together at the Nasher.

During our tours at the Nasher, we usually capture tons of photographs of the students. We didn't get any snapshots of our first virtual field trip, but I can assure you there were lots of smiles and thumbs up.  😀

For this virtual field trip, we talked about the Building Blocks of Sculpture. In other words, what are the visual tools that an artist uses when she or he creates a sculpture? These tools, or elements of art, include color, line, shape, form, texture, and space.

Which elements of art do you see in this artwork? What kinds of lines do you see? What colors do you notice?

Frank Stella, Diepholz II, 1982

This is an artwork by Frank Stella. He titled it Diepholz II. It’s part of a group of artworks called the Circuit series, named for cities throughout the world known for their famous car races. The Diepholz Airfield Circuit was a race in the town of Diepholz, Germany. How do the lines and colors remind us of a race track?

We imagined that we were racecar drivers driving on this track. We put on our helmets and driving gloves, and drove our cars around the twisty turns and along straight lines. Then, we designed our own super fast, super cool race cars using different lines and colors.

Next, we looked at this sculpture. What elements do you see?

Barbara Hepworth, Squares with Two Circles (Monolith), 1963 (cast 1964)

What shapes do you see? Where do you notice positive space and negative space? Hint: in this artwork, the solid parts are considered positive space. The circular openings and the area around the solid parts are considered negative space.

Barbara Hepworth, who created this sculpture, often included openings in her sculptures. These openings allow the environment around and behind the sculpture to become a part of the viewer's experience.

Hepworth liked to imagine the setting where she would like to see her sculptures. We sketched Squares with Two Circles (Monolith) and drew a new setting around the sculpture. Where do you think would be a great place for this sculpture?

Last, but certainly not least, which elements do you see in this artwork? What colors do you notice?

Martin Puryear, Night and Day, 1984

What type of line do you see? Make the shape of this sculpture with your arms. Does this line, or shape, remind you of anything?

The artist Martin Puryear carved this sculpture by hand. These photographs give us a close-up look of the sculpture's colors, form, and texture.

Puryear titled this sculpture Night and Day. How does the title connect with what you see? Can you think of more than one way that the title connects to the sculpture?

The sculptures by Barbara Hepworth and Martim Puryear are currently on view at the Nasher.  Below are instructions for reserving 4 FREE tickets to the Nasher. (Everyone over 12 years old is always free.) This promotion lasts through summer 2021.

Tickets must be reserved online in advance!

• Visit https://www.nashersculpturecenter.org/visit/plan-a-visit 
• Under Admission, click on Buy Tickets.
• Select your preferred date and time and click Confirm Selection.
• Under General Admission, indicate the number of visitors over 12 years old.
• Under 12 & Under, indicate the number of visitors ages 12 and younger.
• Enter FIELDTRIP in the promo code box.
• Click Add Tickets.
• Follow prompts to complete reservation.

We hope to see you soon!

Meet Michael Rakowitz

 Dear GROW friends,

In my last letter, or blog post, we had fun with an upside-down drawing activity. Did you save your drawings to show me later?

If you haven't seen my last letter or done this activity yet, don't read any further! Scroll down until you see "Older Post" in blue letters and click there. I promise it will be more fun if you finish the drawing activity before you read this letter!

Now, that you've finished the activity, watch my video below. Make sure you have a piece of paper and something to write with before you start the video.

I almost forgot - I did the upside-down drawing activity. It took me a really long time! Here's how it looks upside down:

And right side up!

The one arm is a little long and the head is a little small, but I don't think it's *too* bad. It was challenging and fun!

Michael Rakowitz, the invisible enemy should not exist (Room F, section 1, Northwest Palace of Nimrud), 2019, Courtesy of Jane Lombard Gallery 

Take care and stay warm!

Ms. Melissa

Upside-down Drawing

Dear GROW Friends,

Happy New Year! (Yes, I know New Year's Day happened a while ago.)  😏

I always get excited about a new year and look forward to what might happen. I have some predictions about what will happen this year, and a few hopes too.

Predictions:

• I'll read lots of good books
• I'll see some really cool art
• I'll take lots of walks in my neighborhood with my kids and our dog

Hopes:

• I'll practice and get better at some things I learned last year, such as watercolor painting and knitting
• It will snow one more time (fingers crossed!)
• I'll see you soon, either in person or over Zoom!!!

What are your predictions and hopes for this year?

Do you enjoy drawing? I do! Sometimes, I like to doodle and cover my paper with shapes; with lines that are squiggly and zig zaggy and straight and just crazy; and with anything that pops into my head. Other times, I like to look at something and draw it, like a leaf or flower I collected outside.

Here's a really fun drawing activity. Check out this video by my friend Suzuko:

Would you like to try upside-down drawing? Remember the list of materials you need at the beginning of the video:

1. Pencil
2. Paper
3. Cool picture to draw

You can use any paper you like - notebook paper, construction paper, or your GROW sketchbook. Get a pencil, or a crayon, or a marker. Draw a rectangle like Suzuko did in the beginning of the video.

Below is a cool picture to draw. I already flipped it upside down for you. When you're finished, will you save your picture to show me later?

Have fun!

Ms. Melissa

P.S. Learn more about this work of art in the next blog post!

Happy Holidays!

Dear GROW Friends,

We are one day away from winter break. Who's excited about taking a break from school until January 5? I am! 🙋

Actually, I feel several emotions - have you ever felt that way? I'm excited about winter break, because I get to sleep later. I have more free time to read, go for walks, and do other fun things. But, I do miss seeing my friends at the Nasher. I am lucky because I really like my job, the people I work with, and the place where I work. 

In case you also miss the Nasher, here is a video about a few sculptures by an artist named Phyllida Barlow. 

After you watch the video, think about Phyllida Barlow's small sculptures made of everyday materials. What can you find in your house that would make a great sculpture material? Look for items like empty cereal or other boxes, grocery bags, empty toilet paper or paper towel rolls, and aluminum foil. Also, the recycle bin is a great place to look for sculpture materials! Make sure you check with a parent or grown-up before you start making your sculpture.

Have a wonderful holiday break, stay warm, and I can't wait to see you in 2021.

Hugs,

Ms. Melissa

Fall Leaves

Dear GROW Friends,

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We spent the week playing in the front yard (we have a huge leaf pile!), walking our dog Jojo, and going on a few adventures.

leaf pile!

Jojo

We saw lots of cool animals and fed a giraffe at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center!

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love watching the leaves turn different colors as they fall from the trees. 

What leaf colors have you noticed lately? I've seen reds, oranges, yellows, browns, and greens. My favorites are red leaves of any shade - red that is bright like the sunset, red that is so dark it is almost maroon, and everything in between. 

I also love the beautiful yellow leaves on the ground in the picture with my dog, Jojo. The leaves are from a gingko tree in my neighbor's front yard. I collected a few of them to bring home and keep on my desk. Looking at their pretty yellow shapes throughout the day makes me happy!

Where can you find leaves? In your front or backyard, in a park or playground, maybe near your school? 

Check out this fun nature drawing activity below. You'll need the following materials:

• parchment or other plain paper
• crayons - old crayons without their wrapper work best
• tape
• Sharpie or other marker (optional)
• a hard surface - table, folder, etc.

At the end of the activity, you can return the leaves to nature. If you'd like to keep your leaves as a souvenir, make your own Nature Keeper using the video below. You can include your nature drawing too!

Hugs, 

Ms. Melissa

A Letter To GROW Students

Dear GROW friends,

Hello! How are you? How does it feel to be a 3rd or 4th or 5th grader?

I sure have missed seeing you at the Nasher. I have a feeling some of you look a little different. Maybe your hair is longer? Or is it shorter? I bet a bunch of you are taller, too! My hair has grown a lot longer since our last tour. I'm not any taller, though. 😊

Are you going to school in person or attending virtually from home? I have worked from home since March, but I have had a few chances to visit the Nasher and see my co-worker friends as well as my sculpture friends. 😄  My two children have gone to school both in person and virtually. Right now, they're at home in virtual school.

If you'd like to share anything with me, please write in the comments below!

Since we're not able to meet at the Nasher, I've made a few videos for you to watch. The first one is a short introduction on what we might see and do during our videos.

The second video takes a long look at one of our newest sculptures. I think it might also be one of my favorites. 💗 You can watch the whole video all at once, or you can watch a little bit one day, a little bit another day - however you like.

Please check back here every once in a while. I'll share more letters, pictures, and videos. If you don't comment here, you can always share a message or photo with Ms. Lawson, and she'll pass it on to me.

I miss you, GROW friends! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving week.

Hugs,

Ms.Melissa