Art Appreciation Program Purpose: To acquaint students with some of the best and most familiar works of famous artists so they may

• recognize the artwork and style of the artist
• learn about the wonderful world of art
• enjoy and appreciate the artist and his/her work

A dedicated Art Appreciation Volunteer is assigned to each class. This allows the parent volunteer to become a familiar and welcome guest in the classroom. Substitute volunteers may present from time to time if a volunteer is unable to make a presentation for a particular month. Teachers can choose to stay in the classroom during the presentation or may opt to step out.

Each month the Art Appreciation Volunteer will visit the class and provide a brief introduction to the artist and his/her masterpiece. The presentation and discussion should take about 20 to 30 minutes. If you wish to do an activity, plan an additional 10 minutes or so. Volunteers should coordinate presentation schedules with their assigned teacher/classroom. Some adjustments may be needed to accommodate school, teacher and volunteer schedules. Please be flexible, you may not always have time to do an activity. Also, be mindful that you don’t run too long.

We have nine different masterpieces that will be rotated through the grade levels during the year. Each grade will have the opportunity to see most of the masterpieces. Again this year we will not only have a primary print, but for some artists will have a second print to share.

The ideas and materials are flexible to help you develop a grade/age appropriate presentation.

The volunteer may:

• share interesting points about the life of the artist
• provide highlights of the artist's technique or use of materials
• discuss the thoughts, emotions or story behind the artwork
• discuss major art principles and techniques such as perspective, sculpture, mobiles, wood cuttings and illustration
• introduce artistic styles and movements

Class participation and discussion are encouraged. Please consider the variety of ways to introduce the artwork and the artist. Such as:

• Asking questions about what students believe the artist was thinking about or feeling
• Talking about the colors used and the feelings or emotions they generate
• Wearing a garment or hat from the time period of the artwork or similar to something in the artwork
• Bringing a prop similar to something that appears in a painting
• Sharing related artwork from the artist that they may have in their home
• Having students pose a scene as in the artwork and capture it on a digital camera or Polaroid!
• Enlarge copy of print to life-size (Kinko’s does this) and cut out faces. Take digital picture of kids “inside” the painting.
• Sharing a brief exercise such as drawing an object or subject in the artwork, coloring in an outline or tracing (some may be included in the folder), piecing together a puzzle of the artwork, sketching or tracing hands. Let your imagination go! This is a great one for Escher, photography for Lange, etc.
• Demonstrating a color wheel or showing paintbrushes and other artist tools.
• Read Bible verses to correspond to Madonna and Child or the Deposition of Christ or share a special prayer.
• Share pictures from the resource or other library books to show other artist’s works.

For each artwork, I have provided an artist folder with information about the artist, ideas for presentation and discussion, as well as supplemental books and materials. The information in the folders should be more than sufficient to prepare volunteers to discuss the masterpiece and is appropriate for any grade level. But if you’d like more information, visit the Internet -- “google” the artist and/or the name of the artwork. Check out the library or even visit the St. Irene School Website for other resources.

Volunteers should pick up their artwork and folder approximately one week prior to the scheduled presentation date. All materials will be kept downstairs in the teachers’ workroom (next to the drinking fountain). An extra copy of the folder will be in the art box if you want to get a head start on your artist.

AGAIN THIS YEAR! I will post a sign-in and sign-out sheet for the artwork and materials. Please sign in when you take the tote bag and print(s)/artwork and sign them back in when you return them. Last year we had a few prints and books missing – a frustrating situation for our volunteers! If the materials you need for the coming month are not signed back in by the volunteer, please contact them and make arrangements for their return. I will do the same, but would appreciate your assistance.

The Art Appreciation Volunteer can choose to leave the artwork with the classroom or return it to the Teachers’ workroom. Please return the tote bag with the books and folders back to the Teachers’ workroom when you have completed your presentation. If you leave it in the classroom, it will be retrieved at the end of the month so that they can be redistributed to the next volunteer scheduled to present the artwork to a different grade.

Prior to the presentation, volunteers are encouraged to complete the "Today I presented this famous masterpiece…" form and either make copies for each student or make arrangements with the teacher/school to have the form copied. Following the presentation, these forms can be distributed to students to take home and share with parent(s). Volunteers may also wish to include photocopies of the masterpiece. This is helpful for parents who may be unfamiliar with the artwork.

Once the presentation has been made, the volunteer should fill in the information on the presentation sheet inside the folder, and leave the form in the folder. This will allow us to keep a record of how the masterpiece was presented, how the class responded and share ideas between volunteers.

Students should never be tested or graded on the presentation from the volunteer. This program is designed as an introduction to art, famous and significant artists and their masterpieces. The Art Appreciation Program is presented for the enjoyment of you and your students!