P.S. ARTS

Students created collaborative drawings by taking turns to mirror each other’s movements. Inspired by Heather Hansen’s, Empty Gestures.

Students created collaborative drawings by taking turns to mirror each other’s movements. Inspired by Heather Hansen’s, Empty Gestures.

Inspiration Stations: Students explored how artists draw inspiration from different places. After looking at Joan Mitchell’s painting Hemlock (1956), which was created in response to a poem, students created oil pastel drawings inspired by a selection of poems.

Inspiration Stations: Students explored how artists draw inspiration from different places. After looking at Joan Mitchell’s painting Hemlock (1956), which was created in response to a poem, students created oil pastel drawings inspired by a selection of poems.

Inspiration Stations: Students explored how artists draw inspiration from different places. After looking at Andy Warhols Campbell’s Soup Can series students created observation drawing of everyday objects and then transformed them using their imaginations.

Students explored the notion of chance by creating unexpected marble paintings. Inspired by Helen Frankenthaler’s soak stain technique.

Students explored the notion of chance by creating unexpected marble paintings. Inspired by Helen Frankenthaler’s soak stain technique.

Students explored the notion of chance by creating unexpected marble paintings. Inspired by Helen Frankenthaler’s soak stain technique.

Students explored the notion of chance by creating unexpected marble paintings. Inspired by Helen Frankenthaler’s soak stain technique.

Students explored the notion of chance by creating unexpected marble paintings. Inspired by Helen Frankenthaler’s soak stain technique.

Students used words and images to create an artwork about an issue that is important to them. Inspired by Hugo Gellert’s series of illustrations for Century of the Common Man: Two Speeches by Henry A. Wallace (1943)

Students used words and images to create an artwork about an issue that is important to them. Inspired by Hugo Gellert’s series of illustrations for Century of the Common Man: Two Speeches by Henry A. Wallace (1943)

Students used words and images to create an artwork about an issue that is important to them. Inspired by Hugo Gellert’s series of illustrations for Century of the Common Man: Two Speeches by Henry A. Wallace (1943)

At the end of December 2019, I started as a teaching artist with P.S. ARTS, a nonprofit organization that provides high-quality arts education programs in underserved public schools and communities in Southern and Central California. I have been teaching grades 3-5 in a small public school, working with teachers and developing a curriculum that meets California’s common core standards. Due to the COVID-19 crisis my classes have transitioned online, and I have developed a series of video lessons designed for grades 3-5 with suggestions for skills to focus on for each grade level. Each week we focus on different artworks, media, and techniques.

Check out some pictures from my earlier classes above and watch some of my distance learning videos on my Online Resources page.

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“P.S. ARTS is dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing arts education to underserved public schools and communities. P.S. ARTS is the only organization in Southern and Central California that provides high quality arts education in dance, music, theater, and visual arts to every child in a school during the regular school day and after-school. Without our programs, children in these underfunded school districts would not have access to the arts. P.S. ARTS also coordinates with school administrators and parent groups to provide community outreach services designed to increase the community’s capacity to advocate for educational equity and to provide critical cultural experiences for the entire family. P.S. ARTS programs help level the educational playing field by teaching creative and cognitive skills to students struggling to overcome economic, ability, or literacy barriers that will better equip them to be competitive and successful people. Studies show the arts keep children motivated and engaged, and with the high school dropout rate in Los Angeles County as high as 50% in recent years, the children in our community need the arts now more than ever.”

- P.S. ARTS Mission Statement