WHAT IS THIS CLASS?
It's a 10-week journey to explore art-making through the medium of PAPER, via collage and paper sculpture!

Please note: if you are looking for step-by-step copy-me-exactly artwork, this is not going to be the right fit for you! In my classes, making art is first and foremost about exploration, so I prioritize the art-making process & experimenting with art materials over a perfectly-polished end product. 

That means that even though students will likely create some more "finished" artwork during our time together, skill-building and creative exploration are emphasized during this journey. For example, some class sessions may be spent doing things like figuring out ways to create different textures in a collage, or how to create elaborate shapes with scissors. Each student's creative expression is unique, and though I'll be guiding them through project ideas, every student's work will look different. 

To illustrate further: let's say I wanted students to make a piece of art about a rainy day (this is not going to be an actual class project; this is a random example). Instead of saying, "Ok, we are going to all make a picture about a rainy day! I am going to show you how to draw an umbrella; everyone copy me," I might ask students to think about what a rainy day feels like; show them photos of rainy environments and/or relevant artwork and ask questions about what they notice; and ask them to explore what kind of marks or colors they could make on their page that might feel that way. I might demonstrate my own process doing this, then ask students for feedback and ideas for next steps. 

As you can imagine, the two approaches would yield very different results: in the step-by-step umbrella example, every student would have a drawing of an umbrella.  In the open-ended inquiry example, one student's artwork might be fully abstract, full of tiny blue lines, while another's might be a page covered with trees surrounded by gray swirls, with the shape of a person hiding between.

This is not to say that every project will be completely open-ended, but I allow a lot of creative freedom in students' individual interpretations.

WHAT WILL WE LEARN OVER THE 10 WEEKS?
The rough schedule is as follows, but is subject to change - things may shift depending on the class itself. I always remain open to the idea that student work or discussion in class may spark a whole new direction for exploration for all of us!
Weeks 1-6: collage through tearing & cutting
Weeks 7-10: paper sculpture, both relief and free-standing 

WHAT WILL A CLASS SESSION LOOK LIKE? 
Our 45 minutes together usually works out to be 5-15 mins discussion/demo; 20-25 mins working; 5-10 wrap-up and sharing.
-I start each session with a quick review of the prior week's learning.
-Next, I'll introduce the day's idea. Sometimes we will begin by looking at and discussing artwork related to the topic at hand (please note, though, we won't be looking at famous artworks with the intent of creating our own version of them).
-I'll demo, using a document camera to highlight my hands working. 
-Students will spend around 20-25 minutes working.
-We'll spend the last few minutes sharing and reflecting on our work (whomever would like to share).

WHO AM I/WHAT IS MY TEACHING APPROACH?
I'm an enthusiastic teaching artist, museum educator and bookmaker, and I've been teaching art for more than 25 years in NYC & PA in a huge variety of settings, including private schools, public schools, libraries, homeschool groups and some of the best art museums in the world. I delight in sharing in student discovery.

I strive for an interactive environment; I ask questions and hope learners will respond! During demonstrations, I highlight my hands using a document camera, and offer clear instruction about what I am doing. I check for comprehension throughout work time. 

A note on sharing: I ask students to share, but never insist - I don't believe in forcing anyone to share their work or their thoughts! I will ask them if they'd like to, and learners are always welcome to volunteer, but I understand that some kids are more shy than others and, having myself been a kid who didn't like to speak up too much in class, I know what it feels like when teachers push you to share. It is my hope that any learners who feel shy initially will eventually feel brave enough to share their work and speak up.


OUTSCHOOL RULES OF NOTE:
-Although siblings are welcome to share a camera, each individual learner must be registered.
-Cameras must be on to verify students and as mentioned earlier, I request they stay on for the duration of class.
-Parents may not appear on camera. You may sit near your learners, but please stay offscreen.

Hope to see your learner in class!