Monday, May 15, 2017

Mrs. Young's class created Frank Stella inspired art through a collaboration with the GEMS innovation lab.



I have always been inspired by Frank Stella's 3- dimensional relief paintings but struggled to find a way for young students to cut out interesting shapes in cardboard.

Frank Stella, Shoubeegi (1978)

Until this year when the GEMS innovation lab was set up with a laser cutter!  Now we have a way to approach our art projects with new tools and methods.  

Mr. Hadd and Mrs. Payne were excited to work with my 3rd graders in Mrs. Young's class to try out our new equipment and programs.  

The students started out in the art room and made paper models of their sculpture.  They worked in groups of 4 to create one sculpture.


Next each group of 4 took their paper models to the computer lab to draw their shapes on the computer, then the files were converted and sent to the laser cutter.


They cut out 4 sets of each model so each student would have their own piece of art.  
They brought the cardboard pieces back to the art room to paint and assemble.


Despite the fact that every 4 students had the same set of pieces, 
each sculpture turned out as a unique piece of art!