Artist Brent Fogt & His Visit with Beye Discovery

Post contributed by: Jocelyne Adkins

Although July has already found us, I felt compelled to post a few more exciting projects we completed during the last 2 weeks in May, before summer vacation. Below is a post that highlights our visit with artist Brent Fogt:

On May 21st, we were thrilled to welcome Brent Fogt, a talented artist currently working in Oak Park. Brent creates installations and intricate drawings inspired by sea-life, aerial views, maps and plants. He worked with our Monday students to create a window installation in which plants were coaxed (as they grew) to interact with constructed forms: the wire and yarn forms were created by the students and the organic crocheted structure from which the forms were suspended was created by Brent. In the photo below, you can see how the bean plant wound itself around the yarn and wire form to then find its way into the crochet structure (upper right side of photo).

interaction of plants with both the hanging wire/yarn forms and the crocheted structure

The concept for this project was borrowed from earlier art installations created by Brent, in which plant forms grew and intermingled with his hand-crocheted forms, either suspended above the plants or placed upon the soil from which the plants would emerge. The plants' anticipated growth was based upon the relation or direction of light provided within the exhibition space. His installation work, as well as his intricate drawings, reference change and metamorphosis. Please visit the following link to view Brent's prior installations. I found them captivating and breathtaking!

http://brentfogt.com/?page_id=119

This is a picture of Brent with 5 of our students (yes 5, look closely and you will find Matthew just behind Leila and Lily). They are standing in the armature that Brent and the students created and on which their forms will be suspended.

Visiting Artist Brent Fogt with Daysha, Jessica, Leila, Lily and Matthew (between Leila and Lily)

Below are photos that document the stages of our project. A week prior to Brent's visit we planted  pinto beans to sprout into plants ready for use in our installation. Despite a heat wave that nearly knocked them out over the Memorial Day weekend, the plants bounced back and our installation prevailed!

Colorful craft wire (above) and yarn (below) the plants could interact with as they grew.

Brent demonstrating one way to begin a sculptural form using linear elements

Spirals! These forms are irresistible with thin flexible wire in your hands : )

Matthew experimenting with wire and yarn

Cyrus examining his creation

Matthew with a chain of linear forms

A bundle of twisted wires

Many wire spirals joined together to create a spiral ball

Leila at work

Brent securing the base of the armature that will support the crocheted structure

Matthew assisting Brent with the vertical supports

Leila assisting Brent

Daysha, Leila and Jessica securing the crocheted organic forms to the armature

Lily and Brent

Leila inserting the yarn and wire forms through the crocheted structure

Detail of crocheted structure and hanging yarn and wire forms

Window installation of armature and plants. Lily makes finishing touches.

Installation as documented on June 1st, last day of school

Close-up view, slightly left of the installation's center

If you look closely in the upper left hand corner of the photo above, you can see the bean plant spiraling around and through the crocheted structure.

The same position (left of center), looking down, with plants included

In the photo above, note the blue-green twisted bundle of wires and how it cradles the bean plant, lending support for the plant's vertical growth. On the upper right side, you can see where the plant is just about to make its way into the crocheted structure.

The bean plant on the right rests against the hanging wire/yarn form for support

Above, you can see the interaction of the plants with both the hanging wire/yarn forms and the crocheted structure (upper right)

A close-up view of a bean plant as it spirals around the crocheted form

This was such a fabulous project, capturing how living forms change day-by-day and the ways in which they respond to their environment and conditions. Despite almost losing the plants during the excessive heat over the Memorial Day weekend, they we nurtured and given the opportunity to thrive again. Students experienced both the fragility and resilience of these bean plants and how our own interventions (removing wilted leaves and providing water and light) can make a huge difference in their survival and continued growth.

On the last day of school, we distributed the plants to the students to take home. There, they will continue their growth in new environments. Students also took home their wire and yarns forms. The crocheted-structure was packed to return to Brent and our armature was put in storage for future use in a Beye Discovery project (thanks to Daysha, 4th grader, for this suggestion). Hopefully all will continue to "live on" in their new environments and in new ways.

Lastly, all of us were so appreciative of Brent's work with us! We do hope that Brent will visit with us again next year to share more of his creative process!!!

"Painting" with Modeling Clay

Post contributed by: Jocelyne Adkins

I know! It is July and I am catching up on some posts that I really wanted to share with you as the school year was coming to a close. We completed the following project on May 15th:

This activity was inspired by the magnificent colors that bloom each spring. To make the "paintings", we applied modeling clay to cardboard. Imagery could be representational, non-representational or abstract. To inspire the students before the activity, we presented the work of Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin. These painters perceived and carefully studied color to create very unique and powerful masterpieces.

Hugo

One of the things I love about the artists mentioned above was their ability to capture and intensify the color in shadows: shadows are not simply "gray". If one takes time to study the snow on a sunny day and the shadows cast upon it, the blue-violet shadows will make a long lasting impression. During a recent walk on a late spring evening at dusk, I was thrilled to see blue-green shadows cast by the streetlight on the sidewalk!

Elizabeth

Some of the techniques used to create the "paintings" below include:
1. pressing small shaped pieces of modeling clay into the cardboard
2. rolling long coils to create lines or spirals
3. rolling and twisting 2 or more coils together
4. slightly blending 2 or more colors of the modeling clay with fingers to create painterly effects

Matthew

Below are some terrific examples of our students' work. Do take a look: you may be inspired to create your own paintings with modeling clay... it would be a wonderful way to brighten up a rainy summer day! Start with a small rectangular piece of cardboard (5 x 7" or 4 x 6") and some colorful modeling clay and you are good to go!

Brody

Daysha

Porter

Liam

Leila

Hayden

Terrariums: Nature Treasured Under Glass

Post contributed by: Jocelyne Adkins

Yes, it is July and I am adding a few final projects to our blog that were completed during the last 2 weeks of the 2011/12 school year. This takes us back to May 22nd! Do read below:

I discovered a new passion after borrowing a beautiful book from a friend titled "The New Terrarium" by Tovah Martin and photographed by Kindra Clineff. Within the book's pages are tiny plant habitats under or within glass. In one terrarium, planted moss, miniature ferns, pine cones and stones recreate the natural beauty of the woods. Another terrarium brings to mind a miniature conservatory, complete with several potted palm seedlings, a moss carpet and a twig bench. And a number of individual plants, such as lady slippers, begonias and snow drops become even more captivating, isolated under glass cloches.  

Group photo: Hayden, Brody (back), Elizabeth, Leila, Norah, Daysha, Liam, Sydney and Porter.

In "The New Terrarium", Martin also includes a segment about children and terrariums and explains that "every kid yearns to create a fantasy world all their own". She draws a parallel to tree-houses, forts and secret hideaways and writes: "It's the wonder of minutiae, it’s the illusion of magic and its the draw of the surreal that attracts children to these venues." In the making of terrariums, Martin suggests to let kids "have a ball, no restrictions, no prompting, and learning will come from doing."

student terrarium

To make our terrariums, we used glass vases, bowls and ball jars from home and purchased terrarium fern plants from "City Escapes" as well as viola plants from the farmer's market in OP. We discussed the lighting conditions required to sustain ferns (low sunlight) and violas (lots of sunlight). We also introduced the items/ingredients needed to create the terrarium, such as soil, sand, charcoal and small stones. Why charcoal? The charcoal can filter the water, sweeten the soil, and prevent stagnation and fungi in the absence of a drainage hole. We then tested our soil, which turned out to be too wet, so we mixed it with sand until it could fall apart after being squeezed in the hand. 

student terrarium

We worked in groups of 4 children, each the designer of their own terrarium. Some students brought items from home to add to their terrariums, such as small animals and characters. We also provided sea shells, pea gravel and stones. Even with a limited number of items, the students produced very unique and personal designs. I love that each child created a treasure to take home that highlights the beauty of nature! And I can't wait to make a few of my own terrariums this summer!

Hata with Emily