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<br /> 102 2005 VOLUME 3,NUMBER 2 TEACHING ARTIST JOURNAL c
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<br /> a create a list of original characters Next,the students started collaborating, g
<br /> fe"` that would make them wonder inventing colors,and hand-dyed fabrics in `m_
<br /> �■ '°"� and care.I promised that i£they Student Reflections... °6
<br /> P eY We crrn learn from each other's ideas large baggier(sinks were not available).Peg 3D
<br /> chose a character they wondered has discovered that an uneven application of
<br /> lloM ' • i and cared about,the character color using the"large baggy technique'mak To
<br /> would tell them the story.Stu- You can sue broken things to make art. for greater color range.Students trans£ormec D
<br /> dents discussed and then voted white cottons,silks,and linens into a medic;
<br /> on which character they thought Pesky behavior can hart a project of hand-dyed colors in a simple but nrzarvelo
<br /> was the strongest They agreed on mix of art and science.The students were de W
<br /> '. Blinker,a lonely stoplight who We cant just do it alone. lighted with the abundance of vibrant fabric
<br /> desperately longed to be under- now available to the entire class and their o
<br /> stood.Students asked questions power to make color changes_"I didn't know pink came in so many flavors,"commented or W
<br /> about Blinker and later made student. °m
<br /> decisions based on the questions Peg Gignoux then organized the class into teams and assigned each to design two yards 01 W
<br /> they had posed.These answers cloth out of a particular color family.A few commercial prints were mixed into the piles of
<br /> tzar defined the setting,determined hand dyed cloth,and the students happily set to work arranging patches of reds,blue,yello'
<br /> Blinker's motivation,and helped and more.This jigsaw puzzle of complex cloth was made stable by ironing it with heat-acti-N
<br /> !: them dream up Blinker's conflicts rated fusible webbing. o°,
<br /> and resolutions. Students then selected the colors they needed as they cut out specific story elements,such P
<br /> Once the story's structure was - as buildings,windows,sky,and trees.They drew,painted,and assembled these elements for
<br /> complete,I split the story into their quilt,occasionally voting on character images and setting items.These images were
<br /> } ""*6 -� � scenes and the students into placed and anchored on the quilt with fusible webbing.The illustration process included
<br /> 44'a�°`� �" writing teams_Each ream was many hand-drawn cars and figures converted into digitized images on cloth.The students
<br /> ' ,ry nc,,,+a. -r w „g„bM i”"a..' E , responsible for developing a parr were eager to stitch and bead onto the quilt.Surprisingly,some of the most dedicated
<br /> of our Story Skeleton.This was snitchers were the boys who had been the most disruptive students earlier in the art-making
<br /> more difficult than I had irnag- process.
<br /> fined.Working in groups,they had a hard time creating even simple style elements.When Story text in English and Spanish was then digitally printed and added to the sky and
<br /> I saw that they didn't remember what a verb was,I feared that inexperience would threaten ground of the five panel quilt.Gignoux integrated all the elements using a free motion triple
<br /> their creative expression and the successful completion of the story'Happily,I learned that stitch application with a sewing machine.The students enjoyed making contributions to
<br /> they were amazing at inventing dialogue.The students showed their gift for voice and pep- the quilt,grew better at sharing their rnaterialc,and recognized how they gained more by
<br /> pered the story with playful language.Conversation,humor,sensitivity,and a hint of attitude collaborating.The quilt became a place where the students demonstrated their raw creativity
<br /> added flavor and texture to their story,Blinker.!
<br /> During the writing process,students actively solved problems,questioned ideas,examined
<br /> thoughts,admired each other's word choices]and judged their story with the same rubrics 11,_;:-rtl, : 7.1 l r .P.� ,:r.,
<br /> that they had used to judge the stories of others at the beginning of the project_One team, , _: ° , , , ,,g': R:;_.`;;, ,,,_q
<br /> for example,composed.a dialogue about Blinker's desperate attempts to connect with cars •.• I'
<br /> and people below him They gave Blinker a sense of humor and desire for relationships when . ., , :; 1.I';'60,4,4,-..=''. .1: � . kl,p
<br /> they wrote,"What's up?Can I have some chicken?How's your family?Hey,hey,where you i;;::' •:� r,, ;;i;;; ;_w-- M,.i, • ,. r
<br /> been. ',.:z;. ::all. IL„i.: •
<br /> � �- �Vf .� y �:rte;•.., •1r �«.�- `kr '�':�'i
<br /> Illustrating the Story: The Quilt I p� �'y '' '`
<br /> Creating the artwork for Blinker.began immediately after the writing was completed.Peg. ':; 1� j';, ,,�,�,. .,..., ati v"•;2 c: A
<br /> G" oux's process began like mine.She used books to introduce the students to the concepts ,.-�,,
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<br /> of colla•e color,form,and fabric design through the astounding illustrations of Eric Carle, _ i .' r ...;
<br /> EatFaith Ringgold,Christopher M err and Margaret Hurst. '....-., -.._' '' •..r II
<br /> Cam- y gas �iy�, �µ—:�. :.r:".... .- .:,1:,�;.�.... �t��..h ;�,.� •.
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