September means a new box of crayons...

There is nothing more exciting to an artist than brand new crayons, sharpened pencils, and a palette filled with bright colors of paint. The art room (rm 205) is upstairs in the Early Childhood Education Center alongside the music room and World Languages. Our special subject hallway is a fun and cheerful place to visit during the Ranney School day.

Welcome to my art room blog!
This blog is our online conversation where you can see highlights of student artwork, videos featuring our young artists, and be updated with news from the art room all year long! You can follow my blog through the email link to the right. I will also send out messages whenever your young artist is honored and celebrated this way. For privacy in the online community, please know that I will not use last names to identify anyone's artwork, and as well, first names will never accompany a recognizable photo. For any questions regarding my use of photography and video in this blog, you are always welcome to stop by the art room or reach out to me at blevine@ranneyschool.org.

As we begin our creative journey this year, students will be given the chance to explore different materials and fun new techniques as they develop their signature style. Some young artists love to draw with a pencil, some like to paint on canvas or create images in a digital format, while others prefer working with clay and molding three-dimensional forms. In my classroom, we use a variety of materials allowing all artists to experiment and figure out which type of art they like the best. At Ranney School, we place a strong emphasis on originality and celebrate artistic differences, always nurturing and encouraging the imagination of every student.

You may also notice that many of our projects are based on the work of a famous artist or illustrator, and that we often look beyond our classroom walls to other cultures for inspiration. Together, we will see how the style of other artists can influence our own creative efforts as well as help us realize and represent our place in the rich world of art history.


Getting ready for the new year

All lower school students, Beginners through 5th grade, should bring in an artist portfolio. If you have one from last year, you are welcome to use it again. Place a new label on the front with the student name and new homeroom teacher. I prefer to have these thin cardboard portfolios for storage in my room, frequently found as a red cardboard portfolio with plastic or woven handles. 17" x 22" or a little larger is perfect. Please do not bring in a very large or a thick leather case. It is only for storage in my room and I will not have the space to hold extra large cases. I look forward to filling these portfolios with wonderful artwork all year long!

5th grade art students should also bring in a sketchpad each week on art days. We will talk about the size and style of sketchpads during our first class. Otherwise, all materials you need for art, including artist's smocks, are already in my room. Come ready to have fun!