Students in Sue Leach’s Grade 4/5 class at Arrow Heights Elementary School enjoyed making Art in the Park last week with Parks Canada’s Alice Weber and her assistant, RSS Grade 12 student Michelle Barisoff≥
The student-oriented Art in the Park Program involves sketching and painting watercolours of natural objects in celebration of the Get to Know Contest established by famed artist Robert Bateman. This year’s theme is This is My Forest. The Canadian Wildlife Federation, Parks Canada and Wildlife Habitat Canada are encouraging youth to connect with nature through the 2011 Canadian Wildlife Federation Robert Bateman Get to Know Contest. The annual contest, now in its 12th year, invites youth to get outside and “get to know” their wild neighbours and to share their experiences through art, photography, video, or writing. Youth can submit their entries at www.gettoknow.ca.
Students were introduced to three elements of art: balance, movement, and rhythm. Alice Weber and Michelle Barisoff led the students through various activities to promote awareness of colour found in nature, observation skills and paying attention to details and textures, sketching and painting techniques.
Here is a selection of photos from that lovely day spent making Art in the Park:
Parks Canada's Alice Weber (center), assisted by RSS Grade 12 student Michelle Barisoff (left), said there are all kinds of interesting things waiting to be discovered in Mount Revelstoke National Park, things like... orange fungus. Photo courtesy of Arrow Heights Elementary SchoolStudents absorb Alice's discussion of how trees grow in the wild. Photo courtesy of Arrow Heights Elementary SchoolEven small things, like this colourful pebble held by a student, can be interesting. Photo courtesy of Arrow Heights Elementary SchoolRiley and Brogan watch as Alice helps them get started. Photo courtesy of Arrow Heights Elementary SchoolStudents Zoe and Alexis work on watercolour paintings in the park. Photo courtesy of Arrow Heights Elementary SchoolRylan gets upclose and personal with nature. Photo courtesy of Arrow Heights Elementary SchoolYoung Beth seems oblivious to all as she concentrates on a drawing. Photo courtesy of Arrow Heights Elementary SchoolNaturally, an Art in the Park Program involves making art. Here, Avery sketches a tree. Photo courtesy of Arrow Heights Elementary SchoolZoe displays her continuous line drawing. Not bad, eh? Photo courtesy of Arrow Heights Elementary SchoolOne exercise for the students involved a continuous line drawing of one of their made with their eyes shut. Kimberly's drawing is quite interesting. Photo courtesy of Arrow Heights Elementary School
