Dear You Art Project

Mail Art + Pen Friends = Dear You Art Project

Ryerson Public School

Experimenting with pop-ups!

2017, 6 years old, Canada, FinlandArlene TuckerComment

As a class we visited the website of Robert Sabuda and examined some of his more complicated designs, and how he used different techniques to create “pop-up” art, or art that was three-dimensional. I showed them the basic, fold and parallel snip technique to make individual tabs for items.

Students were tasked with creating their favourite place/setting, whether it is their home, their bedroom, an imaginary place, or some other location. Their place/setting had to incorporate some pop-up or three-dimensional features. The rest of the task was up to their individual artistic interpretation.

Students had very mixed reactions when starting this project. Some were very excited, and some intimidated. Others seemed very confused with the actual construction process, and went through several pieces of paper until they figured out what worked, and how to put it all together. Students were encouraged to do a bit of planning and try different techniques, and most took the time to do that, with excellent results!

These projects will hopefully arrive in Finland shortly!  Feel free to check out the different techniques that students used to create the pop-up and three-dimensional artworks when they arrive! Click here to see the full presentation.

Kaarina Losey

Kaarina Losey is the 6th grade teacher at Ryerson P.S. in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.  Her group of artists are making and sharing art with the Päivi Huhtinen and her group of 6th graders from The English School in Helsinki, Finland.

Spiraling their way from Canada to Finland!

2016, 4th Grade, Dear You Art Workshops, Canada, FinlandArlene TuckerComment

We received the spirals and shared them the class. It was interesting to watch the kids guessing the day/night side of the spirals.

Our art is on the way. The characters are traveling using different kinds of transportation.

Our spirals (project #3) should arrive at the same time with the project #4 (different kinds of transportation). The kids wrote letters in English. There was a group of students who were eager to write in Finnish Language. They used Google Translator. We are not sure about the accuracy of our translation, but I am proud of the kids who came up with this idea. 

Dance Agapieva-Vasileska
Grade 4
Ryerson PS

Dear You art project, Look around

Dear You art project, Look around

The 4th graders from Ryerson PS in Ontario, Canada are making and sharing art with the 4th graders from Viertolan Koulu in Vantaa, Finland.

From Canada to Finland- we are making connections!

2016, 6th Grade, Dear You Art Workshops, Canada, FinlandArlene TuckerComment

These are the images of student vehicles that they created. They had the option to use any materials in the class or from home. They could create a real or fictional vehicle and describe whether it was for land, air or water travel.

A few students (large yellow wheels) and a long one with a parachute and green propeller actually wired them to operate (electricity was our first big project of the year).

Teacher Kaarina Losey

The 6th graders at Ryerson P.S. in Cambridge, ON, Canada are making and sharing art with the 6th graders from The English School in Helsinki, Finland.

Looking at Vincent van Gogh's and William Turner's works for inspiration!

2016, 4th Grade, Canada, FinlandArlene TuckerComment

We began the 90min meeting with 4A class in Viertolan Koulu in Vantaa, Finland by reading out reflection and feedback from teacher Dance and her wonderful students in Ontario. I feel that it is always important for the young artists to know that their art appreciated and valued. 

Preparing for the worksop, I found the suggestion to demonstrate artworks depicting different kinds of environments to the children very helpful. Together we looked at works by Vincent van Gogh and William Turner, and discussed how these artists captured their worlds. We talked about how light, colour and brushstrokes can tell us about the weather, time of the day and the season in the landscape. 

Here is our work-in-progress, both side of the circles before they were cut into spirals. A combination of pencils and markers encouraged the creation of some very vibrant worlds. However, some of the characters live in outer space, and day there is not much different to night. (A little bit like Finland right now) 

Thank you to Kirsti and Viertolan Koulu for welcoming me again. Can't wait to see the art we get from Ontario!

- Anastasia Artemeva

The 4th graders from Viertolan Koulu in Vantaa, Finland are making and sharing with the 4th graders from Ryerson PS in Ontario, Canada.

Enjoying Layers of Love in Canada

2016, 6th Grade, Dear You Art Workshops, Finland, CanadaArlene TuckerComment

Greetings from Canada! 

They really enjoyed the artwork as they got going with it. A few students used too much paint in an attempt to cover it completely and then had the paint flake off instead of allowing them to etch it off.

Some were very hesitant about painting over their artworks. :) Others enjoyed it so much they asked to do a second artwork jn the same manner!

Kaarina

The 6th graders at Ryerson P.S. in Cambridge, ON, Canada are making and sharing art with the 6th graders from The English School in Helsinki, Finland.

Time to share!

2016, 4th Grade, Dear You Art Workshops, Canada, FinlandArlene TuckerComment

We are ready to share our characters with our partners - Grade 4 friends from V.K. in Vantaa! Their package arrived today and we really enjoyed the art work! I posted their characters on the glass window in our room. I am sending a picture for you to see how beautiful they are.

The kids are excited to draw and write to kids who are far away from their country. There were so many questions about Finland and predictions on the climate. Some of the students really took time to share details from their lives.

I am sending pictures that show the working process and finished art work. It has been a great experience so far and we can't wait for the next art idea!

Together with art,
Dance A. Vasileska

Ryerson PS
Cambridge, Ontario
Canada

The 4th graders from Ryerson PS in Ontario, Canada are making and sharing art with the 4th graders from Viertolan Koulu in Vantaa, Finland.

VK 4A Lights, Camera, Action!

2016, 4th Grade, Dear You Art Workshops, Dear You Workshop Leader, Finland, CanadaArlene TuckerComment

Characters and superheroes from young artists in 4A class in Viertolan Koulu in Vantaa, Finland are on their way to Ryerson Public School in Cambridge, Canada! 

We used oil pastels and overhead projector sheets to create the stain glass effect. At the end of the workshop the kids handed me a bunch of letters that they had written to their new friends personally. It was wonderful to see that Dear You project continues outside of our 90 minutes sessions. Together we wrote the names of the young artists and names of their characters next to each other, so it will easier to match artworks from this and following projects as the Autumn session continues.

The pace and the structure of our meetings are always important to me. As we use English as the main language of communication, with the help of the class teacher translating to Finnish and other languages, the initial discussion and the explanation of the project at the beginning always takes some time. This is enjoyable time for everyone, to think and imagine together. 

Then I make sure everyone has their materials ready, and for the second half of the session, the young artists just work independently, at their own pace, asking question if needed. My favourite part is when we have 5 minutes left, and everyone brings their works to the table at the front of the class, to admire each others' creations before placing them in one big envelope. 

Looking forward to our next meeting!

Anastasia Artemeva

The 4th graders from Viertolan Koulu in Vantaa, Finland are making and sharing art with the 4th graders from Ryerson Public School in Cambridge, Canada.

Contrasting colours and bringing friends together

2016, 4th Grade, 9 years old, 10 years old, Canada, MexicoArlene TuckerComment

This is my first year participating in a global art project. It is amazing to work at such a distance. The kids learned about stained glass being a decorative design made from pieces of glass in a different colour (contrasting colour). We emphasized the importance of the ''black lines" that separate the pieces creating a mosaic.

Today we just created pieces of stained glass using parchment paper. We discussed our favourite characters and the kids will pick and begin working on their sketches this week. I am sending few pictures for you to see our work.

There are great discussions going on while picking their characters. What a great time in the classroom.

Thank You!!!!!
Dance Agapieva-Vasileska

The 4th graders from Ryerson Public School in Cambridge, Canada are making and sharing art with the 4th graders from Viertolan Koulu in Vantaa, Finland.