Monday, December 17, 2012

Arts at Mackinac Island High School

Since 2004, Mackinac Arts Council (MAC) has supported the art and music programs at Mackinac Island Public School (MIPS) (K-12). This year, as a part of the continuing support, MAC raised $5,000 for art and music supplies, and I (Lily Porter) am working with Heather May, the Art & Music teacher to further develop the visual arts program.

Over the past couple months, I have greatly enjoyed working with Heather and the five high school students. We are constructing a curriculum covering the basics of visual arts at the high school level. The program began in October with the drawing unit. I decided to start the class with drawing because it is fundamental to most other forms of visual art. Over the past couple months, they have learned about the Elements and Principles of Art and Design, blind contour line drawing, drawing a still life from observation, charcoal drawing and reduction techniques, and 1- and 2-point perspective drawing. These lessons have helped their observational skills, analyzing and articulating works of art, hand-eye coordination, experience with different drawing materials, and an understanding of such elements as value, line, shape, and proportion.

This coming Thursday, at 7:00pm there will be a Christmas concert performed by the Mackinac Island Public School students in the school gym. 
Perspective drawing by Justin Acosta.

Perspective drawing by Meadow Greenlee.

Perspective drawing by Shanon Blanton.
Perspective drawing by Will Barnwell. 

Perspective drawing by Adrienne Rilenge. 


Demonstration of contour line drawing of a bicycle.
Students making blind contour line drawings.
Students working on perspective drawings of the hallway.
Students working on perspective drawings of the hallway.
Still life from observation by Adrienne Rilenge.
Still life from observation by Shannon Blanton. 
Still life from observation by Will Barnwell. 
Still life from observation by Meadow Greenlee.
Still life from observation by Justin Acosta.