Pre-K and Grades 7/8 Make Their Mark

To find out, students in Visual Arts Teacher Ms. Sarah Baldwin’s Grades 7/8 painting class teamed up with Pre-K students taught by Mrs. Laura Brown and Ms. Erin Hepp. Their pilot art activity, “Painting With Anything but a Paintbrush,” gave Graland’s youngest and oldest artists a chance to experiment together and build connections across grade levels.

Before painting, students looked at the work of contemporary artist Amy Sillman, known for her colorful abstract paintings, and shared their wonderings: “Will the mystery tools work?” “What kinds of textures will they create?” and “Can I still paint flowers, the sky, or even a tornado?” Buddies also got to know one another by discussing their favorite colors, colors they liked to mix, and whether they had ever painted with something other than a paintbrush.

Then it was time to create. Each pair selected an unconventional tool and got to work. Together, they explored expressive mark-making, texture, overlapping colors, and the physical qualities of paint while creating abstract compositions focused on the process rather than the final product.

“The goal is that they walk away from the experience with the understanding that painting can take on many forms,” Ms. Baldwin said. “It can be messy or neat, calm or noisy, delicate or bold.”

The collaboration also encouraged the Middle School artists to approach their work with the freedom and curiosity of their younger buddies.

“Our youngest learners create from intuition and excitement; they don’t overthink their creative process,” Ms. Baldwin said. “I was excited for my middle schoolers to remember that part of themselves as artists and to tap into the playfulness, joy, and fun of painting.”

Students left with new techniques and new ways of thinking about art. Their reflections included discoveries such as “You can roll a marble to make a design,” “Messy doesn’t always mean bad,” and “I don’t always have to use a paintbrush.” Some were surprised by the new colors they mixed, while others found new favorite tools. Together, their discoveries showed that making art begins with curiosity, experimentation, and a willingness to get a little messy.