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First-graders at Stafford Elementary School celebrated the birthday of famous artist Paul Klee in December. |
BY BEN SELLERS
The childlike paintings of Paul Klee have taught Stafford Elementary students some very grown-up lessons about art.
Through the school's recently developed Art Talks program, 21 fourth- and fifth-graders are now "junior docents" at Washington's Phillips Collection, able to breeze through the maze of cubist angles and surrealist shapes in Klee's art.
The group, along with 17 chaperones, toured the gallery in November. They will return for another tour on March 10--this time with their parents in tow.
"Their parents are going to be playing the role that they did the first time through, and they're going to be teaching their parents," said art teacher Marce Miller.
In addition to teaching their parents all about the Swiss-born expressionist, the young tour guides will lead them on a scavenger hunt in search of different types of paintings. The tasks all involve critical thinking, such as finding three paintings from different artists that best represent winter.
"It's not like 'Find the painting that has Monet's signature in red on it. It's not a look-and-find thing," said Miller.
"It's really a question of thinking about the art."
Because it draws inspiration from children's art, Klee's work has been especially useful in teaching the students to evaluate and interpret art on their own, said Miller.
It "makes them feel comfortable that they can look at it and say, 'This is what I see,' and not feel like there's a right or wrong answer," she said.
Miller and three other teachers have been extolling Klee's work since attending the National Summer Teacher Institute at the Phillips Collection last year.
Following the five-day program, Stafford Elementary applied for and received a $2,000 grant from the Paul Klee Institute. In addition to funding the docent program, the grant helped provide art supplies and T-shirts for Art Talks participants.
Throughout the year, the school's art classes, from kindergarten through fifth grade, have woven Klee's life and work into special projects. On Dec. 18, the artist's birthday, the school hosted a Paul Klee Day. They'll repeat the program at night Feb. 22 for parents who couldn't make it.
Miller said she plans to continue the Art Talks program, exploring different artists and area galleries in the future.
Ben Sellers: 540/374-
Email: 5423bsellers@freelancestar.com
