TES fifth grade enjoys still life art project

Students in fifth grade at Tharptown Elementary School each brought their own perspective and creativity to each stage of the art project. Working diligently on their creations are Jacie Harris and Kyndall Morgan .

By Alison James

alison.james@fct.wpengine.com

The arts are an aspect of education missed out on by many small, rural schools, and Tharptown Elementary is no different. But with a special program through the Tennessee Valley Art Museum, 60 fifth graders were given the chance to unleash their creativity.

“I see plenty of budding talent,” said Pam Wright, one of the visiting art teachers, who works with the educational outreach arm of the Tennessee Valley Arts Association. She and Barb Hendrix presented the class for TES students. “Art is something you can enjoy your whole life … So whether they pursue it or not, what they are learning is seeing and perceiving detail.”

The students, who began their projects last week and will finish up this week – were tasked with creating painting a still life.

“The first day we talked about what a still life is and we showed them some examples of artists, like Cézanne,” Wright said.

All supplies – including paper, oil pastels and paints – were supplied by the TVAA. The completed project will be a “resist,” which capitalizes on the incompatibility of two mediums – in this case, paint and oil pastels – to create layered effects with color and texture.

“It will give a very dramatic look,” Wright said.

If the artistic experience wasn’t excitement enough, the children’s creations will be exhibited in the Tennessee Valley Art Museum beginning in mid-September, and the students will have an opportunity to see their art displayed, as well as see the museum’s other exhibits, during a field trip.

Briley Palmer’s eyes light up when he talks about the art project.

“I heard it was going to be in a museum, and I was like, ‘Yay, I’ve never been in a museum before!’ I’ve never had something in a museum that was illustrated by me,” Palmer said.

Fifth grade teachers Angie Garrison and Kristy Smith had the idea to bring the program to TES, and they said it has been wonderful to see the students’ excitement.

“Any art they get is in the spare time we get in an already busy day,” Garrison said. “So we are so grateful they came and did this for us.”

TES Principal Ann Scott praised Smith and Garrison for their initiative in lining up the program for their students.

“Our students have never had art, and I just think the arts are so important,” Scott said. “It helps them to think outside the box. It helps with their creativity. And some children need that because that’s their outlet, the way they express themselves.”

All TES fifth graders, about 60, got the chance to participate, each student creating a still life.

“The part that I enjoyed the most was getting to draw it and color it because I have oil pastels at home,” student Danielle Cassel said.

“This gives them an experience with art that they might not otherwise have,” said Wright. “We ask them to go home and look for still lifes in their home or just look at nature – God is the Master Artist, anyway. You see art everywhere.”