The fourth grade class’ cake art inspired by the artist Wayne Theibaud. PHOTO BY MICHAEL FINGERPAINT DAVIS

Painting the walls of the halls of STC Elementary this month is the boundless creativity of its students. In paper and paint and other mediums galore, the art projects curated by teacher Rachel Asche display delightful works from all grade levels within the building.

Each grade level learned a different subject. Kindergarten studied the numerical and alphabetical art of Jasper Johns. This allowed the young ones to practice and explore both the alphabet and paint together.

First graders started with a book. As Ms. Asche put it, the first graders “Read the Very Sleepy Bear by Nick Bland and learned how to weave paper to make blankets for their sleepy bears.”

The second-grade class learned about colors and tints while mixing paint. Studying foxes, the second graders used their color mixing skills to paint lovely visages of the vulpes vulpes.

Following the animal theme is the third graders. Going north with their studies, the class learned about polar bears and aurora borealis.

The Kindergartener’s alphabetical and numerical art inspired by the study of artist Jasper Johns. PHOTO BY MICHAEL FINGERPAINT DAVIS

“They experimented with chalk pastels to create their own aurora borealis or northern lights and drawing polar bears,” Asche said.

Wayne Theibaud was the subject of the fourth-grade class. Theibaud, an artist who made paint delicious in his depictions of cakes and pies. Ms. Asche said the fourth graders “explored the work of Wayne Theibaud that created artwork that was very sweet. They drew cakes and worked on creating shading with either oil pastels or colored pencils.”

The art will decorate the hallways for a month, giving parents the chance to see their lil’ students’ masterpieces.

“I have planned the art show during conferences. It is a great opportunity for students to present and show off their skills in art class as well as having conferences,” Asche said.

The big job of getting together the hundreds of pieces of art that festoon the hallways was taken upon not just by Ms. Asche, but some students from Mr. Doarn’s high school art class. The weeks of preparations have come together with a singular vision of marvelous children’s art.

The third graders’ polar bear and aurora borealis filled art. PHOTO BY MICHAEL FINGERPAINT DAVIS

The display is something the school and Ms. Asche can be proud of as it shows the creativity of the curriculum and the students. The master Pablo Picasso would most certainly be charmed by the students’ art as he once said, “It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.”

The second graders’ painted foxes. PHOTO BY MICHAEL FINGERPAINT DAVIS

The first graders’ paper weaved art inspired by the book "The Very Sleepy Bear” by Nick Bland. PHOTO BY MICHAEL FINGERPAINT DAVIS