ARTventure DC 2015: Art Around the World, Part 2!!

As promised, here comes some more ARTventure DC fun from session 1: Art Around the World!

For this project we set up outside of the normal ARTventure DC Studio, because things were about to get REALLY messy (because where's the fun with no mess?!).  Students used cooked spaghetti noodles to splatter paint in the style of artist Jackson Pollock. Campers quickly realized how tiring this method was, and were blown away at the concept that some of Pollocks pieces were larger than they were!! Here's some great final pieces!

The following day at camp we jumped into Architecture and the way buildings look.  Campers looked at iconic architecture from Greece, Italy, France, India, and related it back to pieces of architecture here in the U.S.A.  Campers were then sent to create their own piece of architecture using: Cardboard, Q-Tips, Popsicle Sticks, Hot Glue, Tape, and Oil Pastels. 

One final activity we did, well actually I hadn't planned on doing this, but the campers gave me the idea... we had an ART SALE!!!! 

How did this work? Well here goes:

1. Each camper started the day with $10 (play money). 

2. Campers could award to others, or receive extra $ for being role model artists.  

(for example, Margo found 2-3 pieces of Ian's legos he was missing, so Ian shared that he thought she deserved $3 extra for being such a great friend, all the campers agreed, and Margo of course accepted)

3. Campers created 6 drawings which they felt would sell and priced them according to the value they thought they were worth. 

4. Campers gathered in a circle, laid out their creations, and moved any pieces the did not wish to sell, behind them.

5.  We looked for 3 solid minutes at what we hoped to buy... there was total silence...

6.  We went around the circle signifying with a raised hand that there was a piece someone wanted to buy.

 

Now, as time went on campers realized in order to buy they also have to sell, so we allowed negotiations to be made which was an interesting process some art dropped from $10 to $2 while other pieces went from $6 to "I'll just take all your money". At the end of the day, it was possibly one of the most intense and focused moments of art camp, but one that the campers begged to do for the rest of camp!!!