Whew! We had a fabulous art show last week. Everyone – students, parents and staff – loved the show! Here are some ideas from our show.
Pick a Theme
She’s back! “Crazy Quilt” is our creation for Cow Parade La Jolla.
All of our art shows have a theme, and we keep it secret until the show. This year it’s Cow Parade. Our school created this cow, “Crazy Quilt” back in 2009 for Cow Parade La Jolla. It is inspired by a 3rd grader’s design. The cow made a visit to our school for maintenance and ended up being the star of the art show.
Create an Interactive Event
Cow Parade coloring contest
Our art shows always have an interactive event. This year it is a Cow Parade coloring contest. In past years we had a QR code scavenger hunt, and a stamping station with eraser stamps made by our sixth graders.
Music and Video
We always have music and video during the art show. This year I made a slide show of all the cows in Cow Parade La Jolla, followed by a slide show of all our iPad art projects. This would be a great time to show student-made movies.
In back (under the balloon arch): our iPad Love Stamps.
Up front: our paper Molas of Panama, from Dynamic Art Projects for Children.
Creative Clay Displays
Sixth grade clay fish.
How do you display 70 plate-sized ceramic fish? Try the stairs. We decorate the stairs with plastic table roll
.
Self Portraits: 4th grade CD case double portraits, 1st grade clay self portraits.
How to label all those clay self portraits? Cover the table with paper and write the students’ names in Sharpie. Better than all those labels! The clay looks great leaned up against colorfully wrapped cardboard boxes.
Doll house filled with clay pots.
We use this doll house for clay display. It has nice, open walls and saves a lot of space.
Thanks to…
Our entire art program is made possible by the parents at our school. A big thank you to the art room and art show volunteers for all their hard work during the year and for three CRAZY days hanging the show. The gorgeous room layout and decorations are the vision of our amazing art show chair, Devan, a professional party planner. We are so lucky to have Devan on board.
100% of our art program is funded by our school PTO. Thank you.
One more thank you – to my husband.
My husband had flowers delivered to me at the art show. WOW!
Enjoy!
p.s. More art show display ideas in the next post!
Congrats to all on the art show – looks fantastic! And your husband is a sweetie.
Hi Rach
It was an awesome night! Joe’s flowers were the icing on the cake 🙂
I am looking to do an art show in September and would like to send home a letter to tell the students to prepare over the summer. Would you be willing to share the letter you sent?
Hi Dalyce
Great! A September show sounds like a fabulous idea.
During the school year, our students store all their art in individual portfolios in our school art room. I personally select all the art for the show from these portfolios.
If I were going to do a fall show, here’s what I’d do:
*pick a theme – something broad such as ‘believe’ or ‘dream’, or a fun theme such as ‘under the sea’ etc.
*ask each child to submit one piece
*specify minimum/maximum size
*ask the student to mount it on construction paper so it is ready to hang
*specify a due date and drop off location
*artwork must be labeled
*messy artwork such as chalk pastels should be sprayed to prevent smearing.
Good luck! Hope you have a great show.
Congrats on a beautiful show! I love the crazy quilt cow and the balloons are so festive.
Hi Hope
Thanks! BTW – your snapshot snowmen are in the show. I will have to post a photo…..
Now THIS is an art show!! I love the gorgeous way everything is displayed. This art show chairperson/party planner person should be commended for the colorful styling. Is this person paid? Or a staff member? Or a community volunteer? How did you get so lucky?! I was always my own art show chair / layout designer / arranger of details / communications director / etc. I never had the luxury of someone else at the helm (not that I could have easily given up control anyhow haha). Nyah’s, kudos to all involved; terrific show!
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Hi Phyl
I’ll pass on your compliments to Devan! She is a parent volunteer, and I agree – we are lucky to have her. She is so creative and energetic.
WOW! This is incredible. I would love to have such wonderful volunteers. I am very impressed with everything!
Hi Angela
Thanks! We are all really fortunate to have so much parental support for the art program year round and for the art show. I’ll pass your comments to our art show chair!
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