With 80 degree temperatures on October 11, we left the classroom immediately to work outside.
At a picnic table on the MCAD campus, we began our art warm up. We used soft pastels on black paper and referenced onions, beets, squash and carrots as our subjects. Some of the children experimented with blending and writing.
When we arrived at the exhibit, the children sat down immediately to sketch on their own. There were five different parts of this exhibit that captured their attention (four are pictured clockwise from the top left):
- The colorful, crayon sketches (most of these illustrated food origins, the food itself or the cooking process)
- The minimal black/white symbols used to create a form of organization in the kitchen
- Plate presentation
The children were also captivated by the display case of these clay molds. These were used as a model to represent portion and shape of the food when presented on a plate.
After reading Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert and eating snack outside on the MIA grounds, we returned to the classroom. The children chose a white piece of paper (that would later correspond to an orange frame) while referencing their sketches and painted their interpretations. They chose "recipes" to paint on recipe cards and created plate presentations of their own (mixed media).
I have two more seats available in this class on Sunday, October 25!