Story telling is very old art form, perhaps as old as language itself.  We have no way of knowing how old, of course because, writing stories is really a relatively new concept. For millennia (and today still), stories were told and passed down through generations. This winter Greene Street students explored narrative drawing as they told stories new and old.

One of the first stories to be committed to papyrus for popular reading, Homer’s Odyssey also graces the decoration of many vessels from ancient Greece.  Third and fourth grade students learned about the epic adventures of King Odysseus through these works. They drew their own real life adventures and added a touch of embellishment to make their artworks the stuff of legends.

Unified Arts students also looked to mythology for inspiration.  In their study of the European Renaissance, the students explored symbolism in Botticelli’s Primavera and Birth of Venus.  The classes researched myths of their own choosing and painted scenes from their myth on canvas.

Fifth and sixth grades brought stories of their own life into their work on graphic novels.  Selected pages from Clan Apis and Persepolis gave context to this assignment. Meanwhile, as part of their unit on French Impressionism, the first and second grades drew stories about themselves and people they care about doing things they enjoy doing together. Paintings by Mary Cassatt, Henry Osawa Tanner, and August Renoir inspired their work.

Pre-Kindergarten and kindergarten students worked with art teacher Kerry Goldman to tell their stories. Kindergarten made Storytelling Stones as part of a unit on Native American art. Pre-Kindergarten created illustrations and told stories from their imagination. Their teachers helped transcribe them.

Come see all of these works at the All School Art Show on Saturday, January 17th from 3:00 – 6:00 PM. Hob nob with the artists and be an artist yourself:  You can make a mask at the craft table. Apple cider and cookies will be served in the art room.