SMMARTideas

SMMART ART:

Kandinsky



Art class at home.  I was thinking it might be a fun thing to have an "official" art class once a month at home.  The girls put on their little aprons, and with a little prep from mom before, we had a nice little art class this month.

Speaking of cute aprons.. My sweet friend Teresa gave me a darling birthday gift this year...my very own apron!!!  I love the way it twirls and makes me look instantly fashionable.  Teresa is a very generous lady and her heart goes into each apron.  She started pouring her heart into making aprons for her friends as a way to break out of her "shell" and be a better friend.  Teresa says she can't put a price on friendship or what these aprons have done for her, so...for every apron she sells, all the proceeds go into materials to make baby blankets for the hospital NICU and other service oriented projects.  That's one amazing lady! You can support her service by purchasing an apron ($25 adult apron/ $15 kid apron).  She even makes suspender aprons for boys and men (see the UofU apron?)  Teresa.Perfili@aggiemail.usu.edu

So..back to our Kandinsky art lesson:  First we laid on the floor while I played different types of music.  "What does this music make you think of?  How does it make you feel?"
Then we learned a little about Wassily Kandinsky (http://www.biography.com/people/wasily-kandinsky-9359941) and how his possible synaesthesia allowed him to appreciate sound and colors with two or more senses simultaneously.  He could see the colors of music and could hear colors.  He sometimes called his artwork his "improvisations" or "compositions".  We observed some his artwork and talked about what Abstract Art is.  We talked about his famous circles and a way to remember these is to think of the top of a can for Kandinsky.  Kandinsky felt that the circle was the most peaceful shape and represented the human soul.

Art Project #1: We sat at the table and were given pencils to draw as they were moved by the classical Chopin playing in the background.  Then the girls used watercolors to complete their works.

Art Project #2:  I gave each girl a half a piece of posterboard.  They each got their own bowl of gluewash (elmers glue and water to thin out) and a brush.  I laid out onto the table lots of shapes cut from tissue paper.  The girls brushed their glue wash onto the posterboard and layered shapes into concentric "Kandinsky Circles" or even squares or other shapes.  They had fun creating their own little masterpieces.

Complete the fun with Kandinsky snacks... concentric circles of course! Crackers and circle cheese slices, orange slices and pear rounds...

"Colour is the keyboard, the eyes are the harmonies, the soul is the piano with many strings. The artist is the hand that plays, touching one key or another, to cause vibrations in the soul". -Wassily Kandinsky

What other ways have you shared Kandinsky art with your children?  Let me know in the comments below!
SMMART MATH:  You could share a little geometry lesson in circles with your child.  "What is the radius of a circle? What is the diameter?"  You can measure the radius and diameter of each concentric circle.
"Let's measure the circumference."  Wrap the circle with a string and measure the lenth of the string.