Grade 7 Archives - Page 7 of 16 - Berkshire Country Day School

5th Grade Visits Mass MoCA

Last week, 5th Grade students had an opportunity to get up close and personal with artworks by world-renown artists at Mass MoCA. In conjunction with our study of installation art, a guided tour focused on site-specific works by Francesco Clemente, Jim Shaw, and Clifford Ross. From Indian tents to failing superheros, to a 100 foot photograph, students participated in an active viewing experience that called for critical thinking, aesthetic interpretation, and personal reflection. Following the tour, the class had an art-making session in the museum’s Kidspace studio where visual prompts from the Jim Shaw exhibition allowed students to create their own narrative comic strips. Special thanks to Dr. Lederman and Debbie Jaferian for joining us on the adventure!

Back at BCD, the class is working on a collaborative installation of their own. Students wrapped over 200 paper cups in plaster strips that, when dried, yielded cup-like forms which were then dipped in purple, green, and blue paint. This week, the 5th Grade will work together to install the pieces in a space in the school. Stay tuned to see the final installation!

By BCD Blog|2016-10-25T15:02:28-04:00November 1st, 2015|

Save the Date for OPEN STUDIOS!

Join us on Thursday, October 29th from 4:30-6:30 PM upstairs in Furey Hall for our fall OPEN STUDIOS event! See finished artwork and works-in-progress by Kindergarten through Ninth Grade students. Faculty and students will be present to guide parents, friends, and families through the studio spaces where live demonstrations and activities will be happening. A seasonal refreshment will be served.
SAVE THE DATE!

By BCD Blog|2016-10-25T15:02:30-04:00October 14th, 2015|

K-6 ART NEWS!

The Art Studio has been filling up with all kinds of extraordinary artworks this fall! Our Kindergarten through Sixth Grade students have been exploring a variety of materials including papier-mâché, plaster, cardboard, and wood. Take a look at our young artists in action!

KINDERGARTEN
We have completed our “Not A Stick” project inspired by Antoinette Portis’ book of the same title and now we are moving on to full-body mixed media portraits. Yesterday, we got started with our faces by placing wet plaster strips over aluminum pie pans.

1st & 2nd GRADE
First and Second grade students have been making Action Figures using aluminum foil, wire, and plaster gauze. Now that the sculptures are frozen in their action poses, they are being embellished with fabric, decorative papers, yarn, wood findings, and colored tape.

3rd GRADE
Squares become a cube in our latest project exploring the mechanics of a three-dimensional form. Beginning with a flattened cardboard box, students created small wood assemblages on each of the panels. When folded together and painted, we will have a series of six-sided sculptures that will hang from the ceiling.

4th GRADE
Inspired by the Donald Baechler sculptures we saw on our recent field trip to Omi International Arts Center, students are working on their own playful forms based on Baechler’s bronzed Flower series from 2007-2008. The class traced objects from nature onto cardboard which were then cut out and covered in a plaster ‘skin’ before being propped upright on a base and painted.

5th GRADE
Andy Warhol’s Brillo Box sculptures from the early-mid 1960s prompted discussion and this project about the definition of the art object. Students selected a common plastic container which was then converted into an ‘object d’art’ by coating with plaster gauze. Then, an imaginary product was created complete with a design concept, logo, and product details. The class is in the painting phase of the project, adding color and details to the final pieces.

6th GRADE
After studying masks from around the world, the Sixth Grade class embarked on a large-scale mask making project. Students used cardboard, newspaper, and tape to construct a three-dimensional form based on an animal, human, or imagined creature. The pieces are presently being covered in papier-mâché. In the upcoming weeks, students will bring their characters to life with paint and decorative media.