Winter Wonderland!

(3rd Grade Snowflake Prints)

It may not be snowing yet in Oak Park, but the students have been making some beautiful snowy pictures the past few weeks!

(Kindergarten Snow People)

(1st grade Snowy Day Collages, inspired by The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats)

(2nd Grade Snowmen from different points of view)

See all the artwork at artsonia.com

Students on the Green Team helped me attach some of the recycled CDs to the fence yesterday. We decided it looked cool to make the CDs form a wave across the fence.

However, we are going to need a lot more donated CDs to be able to stretch across the whole fence. So if you have some, bring them to the art room!

Complementary Color Pizza!

This was my dinner last night. I added red peppers, tomatoes, and green peppers to a cheese pizza. Red and green are complementary colors, otherwise known as opposite colors.

Email me your photos of colors you find and I'll post them here!

Fence Installation 2011/2012

This year I have been thinking of light and reflection as themes for the fence installation. I am collecting unwanted CDs and DVDs that the students will help me attach to the fence in the form of sun rays.

Please bring your old unwanted CDs and DVDs to the Art Room.

Artist Bruce Munro created this installation "Inland Sea" using CDs.

Library Art Opening September 16th

It was really great to see so many Irving faces at the Main Library for the art opening! If you couldn't make it that day, don't worry, the exhibit will be up through the end of September.

Library Art Opening

You're invited . . .

to a very special Art Opening

Featuring Fabulous Self-Portraits

created by Irving Students

Please join Ms. Linne on

Friday, September 16^th, 4:00-5:00 P.M.

Main Library

Children's Department, 1^st Floor Art Alcove

834 Lake Street, Oak Park

School Wide Self Portraits

This year, each student is drawing their self portrait on the first day they come to art. Pretty soon the hallways will be full of the self portraits made by all of the Irving students!

The classes looked at and discussed self portraits made by several different artists. We talked about things that are the same about all of the portraits and things that are different. The students all noticed that each artist has their own style that is evident in their self portrait.

Here are some of the images we looked at:

Frida Kahlo


Vincent van Gogh


Jean Michel Basquiat


Pablo Picasso



Chuck Close

Welcome Back to the Art Room!

I am so excited to be starting a new school year and to see all of the returning students as well as all of the new students coming to Irving this year!

Throughout the year I will be posting information about what each grade level is working on in art on the grade level tabs found at the top of this page. To the left are links to fun art websites, other teacher blogs, and ArtSonia where you will find Irving's online art museum.

Please feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Farewell Irving 5th Graders!

My first year at Irving was when the current 5th graders were in 3rd grade. Time really flies and I've enjoyed getting to know the students for the past three years. It is hard to believe they are already heading off to middle school!I will especially miss my lunch-time art helpers next year! Several girls have been coming to the art room once a week to help me with various things, a few have been helping out since they were in 4th grade. This is a picture of the back-drop they created for the send-off on Friday. It's hard to tell from the photo, but it is about 7x4 feet. The girls worked together to paint it after I created a simple outline, they did a great job! It was hung in the gym and students were able to take pictures in front of it during the luncheon that followed the send-off.

Good luck in middle school, 5th graders! It's been fun getting to know you the past three years and we'll miss you at Irving!

Fun with Clay

Here are some clay creations by the students in Mrs. Parkinson's and Mrs. Klette's 2nd grade classes.

What Ms. Linne is working on...

I am working on getting my master's degree in art education and wanted to share with you what I have been learning about.

Right now I am in a course about the history of art education. I have been learning about the way that art was taught during the Renaissance. Often, art students were required to copy the work of more experienced or "master" artists. For my most recent assignment I had to draw a exact copies of two photos I was given by my teacher. Take a look at my finished drawings to see how I did.

Fun in the Art Room during the Irving Sleepover

IRVING ART SHOW 2011!!!

Friday, April 15th from 6:00-8:00 pm

The Art Show this year is going to be a part of Irving's Centennial Celebration. Each student will have one work of art one display in the hallways of the school. Viewers are welcome to come look at the artwork anytime throughout the night.

Bring your friends and family to see the wonderful artwork created this year!

Awesome Sketchbook Drawings

Art Extravaganza!

Click here to see a video of all the artwork from
Art Extravaganza!

Thanks for the Rug PTO!

The new rug really brightens up the art room and the kids love having something soft to sit on instead of the hard, cold floor. Thanks again to the PTO for purchasing the rug for the art room!

TURN IN SKETCHBOOKS for 2nd Trimester Grading

The end of the trimester is coming up, which means you need to turn in your sketchbooks to be graded.
You should have ten drawings--look at the "sketchbook assignments" page to see a list of all the assignments. Extra drawings are always good too :)
Make sure your drawings are complete. That means each page should be filled up with your drawing and there should be lots of detail!

DUE DATES:
Ms. Balicki and Mr. Eng's Classes: Tuesday, February 22nd
Ms. Kelly's Class: Wednesday, February 23rd
Ms. Tresselt, Ms. Payton and Mr. Williams' Classes: Friday, February 25th

Sketchbook Drawings

Check out the sketchbook page for your 8th, 9th and 10th drawing assignments for the 2nd trimester.

How Art Teachers Saved the World!

This comic strip came with a catalog of school art supplies. I liked it so much I wanted to share it with all of you. :)

Illustrations by Susan Binkley c. 2010, 2011 Molly Hawkins' House

New Tabs

You may have noticed, I made some changes to the look of my blog. At the top of the page there are now tabs for different subjects. I will be posting grade level pictures and updates about what the students are working on in art.

There is also a tab called "Art Room Wish List." There you will find a list of items you may have at home that you can donate to the art room.

The sketchbook assignments will now be listed under the "sketchbook assignments" tab. The students will be doing ten sketchbook drawings each trimester.

I hope these changes make it easier to find things and navigate through my blog.

-Ms. Linne

Sketchbook Drawing #7

4th GRADE:
This week draw your favorite cartoon character or video game character.

5th GRADE:
Draw your favorite thing about the Outdoor Education trip. If you are not going on the trip, you may do a free draw.

Due Dates:
Ms. Balicki and Mr. Eng's Classes--Tuesday, February 1st
Ms. Kelly's Class--Wednesday, February 2nd
Ms. Payton's and Ms. Tresselt's Classes--Friday, February 4th
Mr. Williams's Class--Friday, February 11th (due to 1/2 day of school on Feb. 4th)

Library Art Opening-Friday January 14th

Sketchbook Drawing #6

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Draw a picture of that place. It's okay if you've never been there or don't know what it looks like, just draw how you imagine it would look.

Due Dates:
Ms. Balicki and Mr. Eng's Classes: Tuesday, January 25th
Ms. Kelly's Class: Wednesday, January 26th
Mr. Williams and Ms. Payton's Classes: Friday, January 28th

Ms. Tresselt's Class (because of the Outdoor Education Trip): This drawing plus a drawing of your favorite thing from your Outdoor Ed Trip, due Friday, February 4th.

Sketchbook Drawing #5

FREE DRAW! Look at the "Drawing Ideas" link on the right side of the screen if you are having trouble thinking of something to draw.

DUE:
Ms. Balicki and Mr. Eng's Classes: Tuesday, January 18th
Ms. Kelly's Class: Wednesday, January 19th
Ms. Tresselt, Mr. Williams, and Ms. Payton's classes: Friday, January 21st

2nd Trimester--Sketchbook Drawing #4

This week draw something you did during winter break.

DUE DATES:
Ms. Balicki and Mr. Eng's Classes: Tuesday, Jan. 11th
Ms. Kelly's Class: Wednesday, Jan. 12th
Ms. Tresselt, Mr. Williams, and Ms. Payton's Classes: Friday, Jan. 14th

Library Art Gallery

Everyone is invited to an art opening featuring

Hybrid Animal Drawings

created by Irving School 4th graders.

Friday, January 14

3:30-5:00 pm

Children’s Department “Art Alcove”

Oak Park Main Library, 834 Lake Street

Bring your friends and family to enjoy the artwork, and some snacks:)

If you have been to the Main Library before, you might have noticed the Art Alcove. The art teachers in the district work with the library and take turns displaying student artwork from each school. If you can't make it to the opening, the artwork will be on display through the end of January.