2021-2022 - 5th Artshow

Throughout the 2021-2022 academic year the Freeman Kennedy art program has focused on multicultural themes.  The students have learned a great deal about culturally diverse celebrations and traditions.  The school year began by exploring the students’ social identity and the graffiti artist Apexer.   During hispanic heritage month, we created artwork inspired by Frida Kahlo and the Latin holiday called Day Of The Dead.   During November, in addition to fall and Thanksgiving inspired projects,  we learned about Diwali, which is the Hindu festival of light. December brought ceramic snow people and gnomes and the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.  During January, we celebrated the African-American holiday called Kwanzaa, Martin Luther King and the Chinese New Year by creating a tiger.  In February we let our kindness shine through by adorning the students’ lockers with painted suns.  We learned about several African American artists. Faith Ringgold wrote Tar Beach and makes beautiful quilts.  Alma Woodsey Thomas was an African-American Expressionist painter. Kehinde Wiley is a portrait painter famous for his highly naturalistic style, who painted the official portrait of President Obama. In April, we learned about the Islamic holiday of Ramadan when Mulsims fast for a month and the Eid al-Fitr Festival which marks the end of fasting.  We studied an Asian artist called Yayoi Kusama, who is obsessed with infinity and dots.  Spring brought trees and flowers. We created flowers based on Georgia O’Keeffe expressionist paintings and trees for Arbor Day.  Lastly, we are going to test our pointillism skills by painting artwork inspired by George Seurat.   It’s been a great year of learning, creating and exploring. 
Enjoy your summer vacation, 
Mrs. Mellick
FK Art Teacher