Learning to See through Art

Seventh graders presented "Learning to See through Art: Foundations of Observational Drawing" at the Guggenheim yesterday. The show was the culmination of Saint David's special partnership with the Guggenheim Museum.

During the winter, the seventh graders' art sessions were conducted at the Guggenheim, where they studied modern masterpieces from the Thannhauser Collection and developed observational drawing techniques under the guidance of teachers Ms. Boccella and Ms. Mendez.

Yesterday, the boys first led tours of the gallery, where they discussed the works from Brancusi, Monet, Kandinsky, Picasso, Cezanne, or Gaugin that they had selected to draw, and what had inspired them.

They then led participants to an exhibit of their own observational drawings, on display in the Guggenheim art studios, where they shared the techniques of contour, angles and proportions, value and texture, negative space, and gestalt that they used.

In this unit, observational drawing is demystified as the boys learn to master its skills and techniques. They also discover the importance of focus, concentration, effort and practice.

The exhibit affirmed the inherent value of stopping to look closely, take time, and go deep.

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