If you tap out the beat of a drawing, what sounds does it make?
More than 40 middle schoolers from the after school program at Trinity Lutheran Church in San Rafael stopped by the YIA gallery for a free field trip linked to our Rising Stars high school art exhibit. Youth in Arts’ Program Manager Kelsey Rieger asked students to search for lines as they looked at the paintings, drawings and sculpture in the exhibit.
Using scratch paper, students chose three different lines they saw and talked about patterns. Then using rough brown paper and white and black pastels, students used their lines to make an abstract drawing. When everyone was finished, Kelsey described the work of a curator, asked them to curate their own work. They started by spreading out their individual works and looking for connections based on line, pattern, color or composition. Students talked about the connections they saw to explain why they put their work where they did. In the end, they created a collaborative piece.
Kelsey also talked about rhythm in art. Using a piece of dried bamboo and a stick, students looked at the art on the table and created a rhythm to communicate what the art said. It was fun to hear different interpretations of the work.
“We learned about pattern, repetition and rhythm because they are all important aspects of learning how to build a balanced composition,” Kelsey said.
Field trips are a great way to explore an exhibit, and include a 45-minute program planned by Youth in Arts’s staff. There is no charge, but please call in advance to schedule. For more information, please call Kelsey at (415) 457-4787 ext. 110. And don’t miss Rising Stars, which showcases the best of Marin County high school artists. The exhibition closes on March 27.