​This week's student work from the art room features projects by 4th, 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. 

Fourth graders are shown with sailboats that they have built with paper, tape and drinking straws.  The hulls and paper mast supports of the boats require precise folding and measurements.  Soon students will create a wave-like base with paper and cardboard upon which their boats will rest.  The boats and waves will be given a colorful paper mache skin.  

Sixth graders have just finished a cell illustration project that reinforces science class content.

The cross images by seventh graders are personalized versions of the San Damiano Crucifix.  They combine photos of students' hand-drawn art with coloring and shapes created with the Sketchbook app on iPads.  In the areas around Jesus and within the cross shape, students have drawn people, things, and places that they are thankful for.  The designs of the areas outside the crosses were inspired by stained-glass windows of churches. 

Eighth graders Ava, Patrick, and Hayes are shown modeling their recently constructed cat masks.  Soon, eighth graders will be singing a cat-themed song while wearing their masks!  

In Art Tech class, 6th graders have been drawing plant and animal cells and labelling photos of their drawings with the Sketchbook app on their iPads.  After they work with robots and robotic coding for a few weeks, they will design and sew cloth pillows that are patterned after their cells.

In Art Tech class, 6th graders have been drawing plant and animal cells and labelling photos of their drawings with the Sketchbook app on their iPads.  This work combines scientific illustration with graphic design in a STREAM project which reinforces middle school science content.  STREAM refers to an approach to teaching involving science, technology, religion, engineering, art, and math.  This cell project directly addresses science, technology, and art.  Our religious faith is part of all that we do at Saint Peter, so it is part of every project and class, even when a specific lesson does not directly include religion course content.  ​

Seventh grade art students are currently working on a project related to the San Damiano Cross.  This original iconic crucifix painting was created by an unknown artist, possibly a Syrian monk, in Umbria, Italy in the early 1100's.  Saint Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) is said to have been praying before the large wooden cross where it was hanging in an abandoned chapel which had fallen into ruin near Assisi, Italy.  While praying, he heard the voice of God commanding him to "rebuild my church".  (Sources: franciscanmissionservice.org and monasteryicons.com) 

The students' drawings of Jesus on the shape of the San Damiano cross (shown here) are the first stage of a long-term art project.  The next step will be to draw people, things, and places that they are thankful for in the space of the cross surrounding Jesus.    Students will color their drawings and then cut away the paper outside the shape of the cross.  Each student will glue their colored crucifix image to a piece of 9 x12-inch black paper.  Pieces of colored card stock will be glued to the black paper in a way that simulates a stained glass window. Thin areas of the black paper will be left between the pieces of colored paper.  Thus, the final images will be of each student's personalized version of the cross surrounded by a stained glass window.    

Mr. Bell's 8th grade Art Tech classes are currently creating cat masks that they will be using in video and drama work in Mrs. Wright's Fine Arts classes.  The 8B class photo, which was taken during the second week of school, shows the paper base structure of the head.  The 8H photo, taken during the third week, shows the masks with noses.  Students are in the process of sculpting the surface contours of the faces with white paper towel and tape.  Soon, a colorful skin of paper mache, paint, and glitter glue will be added.  Whiskers can be created using various possible materials.  When the masks are nearly complete, students will create headbands so they can wear their creations as they sing and speak.  These masks will serve as catalysts for some exciting video and dramatic productions.