‘25 Artists In Six Weeks’

By Martha Coville

Earlier this spring, Wesley Learning Center kindergarten teacher Randi Rote took her students on a whirlwind tour of 19th and 20th Century painting. “We did 25 artists in six weeks,” Ms Rote told The Bee. She had covered the walls — and part of the ceiling — on the entire lower floor of the learning center with the work her students did in imitation of painters from Monet to Picasso to Warhol.

Her lesson, designed to introduce students to painters’ styles and subjects, was both hands-on and academic. For example, student Jackie Tibolla said, “We had to paint the Michelangelo paintings under a table, and we had to lie on our backs, like he did when he painted the Sistine Chapel.”

Another student, Jack Lydon, explained Jackson Pollock’s method. “We did Jackson Pollock outside, because he did splattered,” Jack said. “We wore garbage bags and we took turns splattering and dripping.”

Chris Koobatian said he took black and white pictures of subjects like shadows on the snow, in imitation of Ansel Adams. “Ansel Adams took pictures of stuff that was black and white. Stuff that was not fun,” he said matter-of-factly.

Picasso’s distorted portraits captured the interest of several students. “He did noses on the forehead and mouths were the ear is,” said Lauryn Heller. “He did swirls in the background,” put in Jack. “We did self-portraits of ourselves, like Picasso,” said a third student, Ethan Parsons.

Ryan Stutman said he and Andy Warhol have dovetailing interests. “He labeled food,” Ryan explained. “I like food.” For their paintings à la Warhol, the students taped branded food labels, like Doritos packages, to construction paper, and then painted the same image underneath.

Ms Rote said her own love of painting inspired the lesson. “I oil paint,” she said. “I love it so much, and I thought it would be a wonderful thing to bring in to school.”

But she added that she was surprised how engaged students became. “Parents have said when they take the kids to museums afterwards, that they do right up to paintings and say, ‘This is a Monet.’”