“How’s it Done?”

Submitted by Christine Hanaway Maloney- Lower School Art and Design Teacher

“How’s it Done?”  This exhibition showcases not only the finished artwork, but the journey of its making art. Process Art was a movement created in the 1960’s shifting the focus from the final product to the actual making of artwork. By exploring and experimenting with materials, the art becomes more spontaneous and includes traces of making over more polished work.

The projects for this show deliberately included some type of unpredictable material that was new to these young artists. Though each grade studied shape, the introduction of a new material being used in each artwork allowed our Lower School artists to experience an introduction to Process Art.

Each grade had a different version of that unique experience. First graders explored using masking tape to block off areas of their painting from being exposed to color. While second graders enjoyed creating a watercolor “experiment” using crystals of salt to create unexpected results. Third graders were busy with a collaborative printmaking project using fruits and vegetables dipped in paint to stamp on large scale paintings. The Fourth graders were able to create self-portraits using finger painting techniques that required a more hands-on technique. Finally, our Fifth graders continued to grasp the concept of negative and positive space using stencils and silhouettes. 

As we viewed all our artwork together in the exhibition, we noticed that we are more productive when we work together. The exhibition will remain up until the end of next week. Families and Friends are welcome to come visit our special show.