Dear 6

th
Grade Parents/Guardians,

Thank you for preparing your child for art by gathering the needed supplies.
During each of the school months, I will introduce the class to a masterpiece created by a
world-famous artist. These works will hopefully motivate the students to take a close
look at art, get excited enough to question what they see, and to create their own version
in the style of the artist being studied. My goal is to increase the students understanding
and appreciation of art. The following is a quick look at the artists and their
masterpieces, as well as a brief summary for the curriculum:

Month Masterpiece Artist
September Allegory of California Diego Rivera
October Autumn Rhythm Jackson Pollock
November Sky Cathedral Louise Nevelson
December Paris Through the Window Marc Chagall
January Giant Hamburger Claes Oldenburg
February Holy Mountain III Horace Pippin
March Starry Night Vincent Van Gogh
April Bamboo in Wind and Rain Tao Chi
May Electrical Prisms Sonia Delaunay
June Beasts of the Sea Henri Matisse

Each piece of art is unique and represents a diverse range of style. Some, like
Riveras Allegory of California, and Pippins Holy Mountain III, show real objects that
tell stories with important messages. Others, such as Chagalls Paris Through the
Window and Matisses Beast of the Sea, take us to magical worlds of make-believe. The
works of Delaunay, Nevelson, and Pollock show us abstract shapes, colors, and textures,
while nature in the paintings of Van Gogh and Tao Chi comes alive. With a very
different approach, Oldenburgs Pop Art makes us sit up and pay attention.

The artists will be introduced in three parts: Meet the Artist: picture of artist,
general information, style, and interesting facts, Close-up: poster of masterpiece, and
questions that will encourage observing, reaction, imagination, and expressing their own
feelings, In the Style of the Artist: students become the artists and work with the
technique and style of the artist they are studying.

With their binders students will be creating a portfolio for all of their work
throughout the year. Each month I will give the students their packet to write down
responses to questions about that months artist. Ex: During the first class session we
will learn about Diego Rivera and discover why he enjoyed murals. We will begin
brainstorming ideas about how we can come up with a theme for our mural. After the
introduction of each artist and masterpiece, we will have two or three more sessions to
complete our masterpiece for that month. Each month of the school year will follow this
format. Thank you for supporting and encouraging your childs artistic development. If
you have any questions, please email me at cwatters@stceciliaschool.org.