Tag Archives: intermediate sculpture

Apr22

The Umlauf Sculpture Garden

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Last week I took my senior (and one junior) sculptors on a field trip.  Field trips at my school don’t happen very often, so when my principal said I could go, I didn’t hesitate in making the plans.  I picked a day in April when I thought it would be a great time to visit an outdoor sculpture museum.  And, man did I pick a good date.  It was sunny and mild.  The flowers were blooming.  The trees were green.  And the air was fresh.  It was a spring day in Austin.  And, it was a great day to visit the Umlauf Sculpture Garden.

I am not sure how many of my students had actually been to a museum before.  Perhaps they had been to the historical museum in their town, but that isn’t really the same.  At first my kids seemed bored.  But as we watched them, I think they were more unsure how to act.  What did they know of a docent and what a museum tour would be like.  I was worried that the trip would be a bust.

But then we moved off the patio and went over to see St. Michael and Lucifer.

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Our guide told the students they could touch the sculptures…and oh man, it was a whole new ball game.  My kids started to liven up.  They impressed me at every turn.  They were so well behaved.  They were genuinely interested.  It was one of the best days of the school year.

Student: “I liked that the Sculptures were surrounded by nature. It was something I haven’t seen before. I also like that they were very realistic and had stories behind them.”

Student: “I liked the way everything was placed in the garden, everything was placed according to the art piece. Like the pope was placed on higher ground overlooking the animals. How the lovers piece was in front of a pond with lots of lilies and it looked beautiful.”

Student: “They all had sentimental value and meaning to Umlauf. I really enjoyed how he made his sculptures with so much detail.”

Student: “I liked the second sculpture of the lovers series. I really liked the one where the man was lifting the woman, because I really liked the way her feet were curved, and to me it was a better pose than the first one we saw.”

Student: “My favorite sculpture was one of the sculptures outside. It was one figure with an arrow or spear, going in to stab to be what looked like the devil. It’s a religious piece and I just really enjoyed it because I grew up around a very religious granny.”

 

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One of my personal favorites by Umlauf.

One of my personal favorites by Umlauf.

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THS Sculpture 2013-2014

 

Mar26

Prepping for the art show

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In August I decided I wanted to celebrate National Youth Art Month.  I thought what a better way to celebrate than to put on an art show.  In September I asked my principal if I could and he said Yes!  So, for the next few months it was kind of slow going.  Now that March is here and the show is in a week, things are finally starting to make me anxious.  I am worried that I might not pull it off.  I am worried that I will in fact pull it off.

Things that I had to do for my show:

  • collect student art…check  (this should be done through out the year and by both art teachers)
  • mount student art…check
  • get written up in local paper…check
  • print and “mount” labels for all artwork…check
  • get culinary students to help with refreshments…check (now this was a tough one to figure out how many people to figure for.  I said 100.  I feel that is high, and that makes me a little sad.)
  • send invitations to parents of those students with work in the show…check
  • figure out tables and table coverings…check (I had a ton of burlap, so that’s what I’m going with)
  • figure out how to hang work in a place with no walls that will take tacks…check (I bought a bunch, and probably not enough, sticky tack for the lighter pieces and I plan on hanging the framed pieces around the stairway columns.  Let’s hope it all works.)
  • make a poster and announce the show…check (it’s on the website, in the lunch announcement powerpoint, an all-call is going out to parents on Wednesday evening, and the principal will announce it in the morning announcements)
  • spotlight the Senior artists…check (for this I created a google form that asked the seniors a few short questions.  From there I found a free QR code program and made codes for each student.  I will hang a code by one of the senior’s artworks and guests can scan the code and find out a little artistic tidbit about that artist.  I think this will be a great interactive addition for the show.)
  • set up the show during the day…  not there yet.  Friday is the day.  I took the day “off”, but I will definitely be working.  I plan on pulling students from various classes to help me set up.  I hope it goes smoothly.  Who knows.

I hope I can pull it off.  It all comes down to Friday.  I don’t know who will show up.  I hope at least half of the students with work in the show will come.  Many students have said their parents have expressed an interest in seeing their child’s work.  As I said before, I am nervous that I might not pull it off.  And, I am nervous that I might.  Wish me luck.

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