Gause Elementary School students have enjoyed the chance to explore their creative side, thanks to the school’s Artist in Residence program.
The program, sponsored by the school Boosters, connects kids with visiting artists, who demonostrate their specific genre, be it oils, pastels or charcoal pencils.
“The goal of our program is to allow students a unique artistic experience each year,” said Carly Hack, Artist in Residence coordinator. “We want the experience to be enriching, age appropriate and to allow them to explore and expand their own creativity and artistic intelligence. It is an opportunity for the students to be engaged in a different way of thinking, where there isn’t a right or wrong answer, while being exposed to a variety of art forms and techniques.”
Each class level learns about a different medium using a variety of local artists. This year, kindergarten classes had the opportunity to create clay tiles with a garden theme with Karie Okee. First-graders explored drawing techniques and strategies with Elida Field, who also worked with second-graders on a mixed media collage.
Maranee Sanders helped third-grade students create Native American inspired masks, which they used to act out a play. Fourth-graders worked with fused glass art under the guidance of Lisa Wilke. Okee also worked with fifth-graders on clay self-portrait tiles.