Week 12... Wikis all around!

Students returned from Fall Break to create wiki accounts, test pages to trouble-shoot, and began creating their own pages to publish. Lots of work in the Mac lab this week!


1st and 2nd periods Ceramics students had an IW on Slab Boxes due Mon (10/25). They began the week by creating wiki accounts and test pages to learn how the wired atelier* wiki (mulloy.pbworks.com) works. Tuesday they created pages to critique one of their own pottery pieces. Using the self critique form provided on the wiki as a guide, students wrote a few paragraphs about their work. Reminded before Fall Break and this week in class, students were asked to bring a bowl to use as a mold. After the wiki work was finished, students who were prepared with their materials on Wednesday made a pinched molded bowl from small balls of clay pressed together then smoothed to a finished surface. We discussed that most pottery surfaces used for food should be smooth, as to prevent food particles and dirt getting caught in the surface of the clay. Students who were not prepared with their mold bowls were asked to figure our some way to be productive and produce work to make up for their unpreparedness. I hope students learned a lesson about listening closely to instructions and making sure they remember to bring materials when needed! The week was finished by finishing up the past IWs and pottery pieces due before Mon (11/1).

3rd period Art 3/4/AP students began the much-anticipated 12 Layer Canvas project this week. Each student got an 18x24 canvas and each day gets new instructions for a new layer. They don't know what each layer will be, so there is not way for them to plan the final result, but instead learn to experiment and learn from the unexpected beauties of exploration! Their first instruction was "Create a 2"grid over the entire canvas." Their 2nd layer's instructions were "Paint in the squares." The 3rd layer's instructions were "Add tissue paper." Students are eager to hear the next layer each day, but I'm only revealing one layer at a time. It's amazing to see the different results each student produces from the same simple instructions! There is nothing due next week, as this week we are in process, but students should always be looking and sketching!

4th period Photography students had an IW on Digital Manipulation and 5 images due Mon (10/25). Students spent the entire week in the Mac lab working on the wiki. To improve the process of submitting photos and getting feedback, students will now create a new wiki page to submit each of their photo projects. Students will then post at least 15 comments on different classmates' images to provide a virtual critique of their work! I'm excited to see if tis new process improves the process of submission and feedback! This week students spent time creating pages for all their previously submitted assignments and posted them to the wiki! All pages of old assignments are due before Mon (11/1). Go check them out here and feel free to leave some positive feedback; students have taken some beautiful pictures!

6th period Art 2 class had an IW on a Masterwork due Tues (1026). 6th period students also began the week in the Mac lab creating wiki accounts, test pages, and trouble-shotting wiki issues. Wednesday students who were prepared with their Masterwork began a project to reproduce the Masterwork through collaged papers. First, students created a simple contour-line drawing of the Masterwork as realistically as possible, keeping all objects in proportion and replicating the image as closely as possible. Students will next assemble colored papers from magazine clippings to fill the spaces created by the contour lines with color. Just as the original artist used  strokes of paint to create the image they are reproducing, students will alter the original by creating strokes of colored paper to mimic the colors in the painting. I am excited to see the finished results! Examples of this project previously completed by other students can be seen on the online gallery at Artsonia here. There is no new IW due next Tuesday (11/2).

Week 10... In Between Finishing and Starting!

As this was an "off week" after the 1st quarter and before Fall break, most of the week was spent finishing up old projects and fixing IWs.

1st and 2nd periods Ceramics students fixed slab boxes, threw on the wheel, made platters, clay leaves, glazed bisque fired pieces, and caught up on IWs. The slab box IW is due after break (10/25), so there was a lot of time to get that ready!

3rd period Art 3/4/AP students spent the week finishing up Choice project #2 and the accompanying IW, due after Fall Break (10/25).

4th period Photography students spent the week in the Mac lab learning about Digital Manipulation and the online Photo Editing program Picnik. Their assignment, due 10/25 after Fall Break, is the take an original Photo they've taken recently and manipulate it 4 different ways. The original plus 4 different manipulations of the same image are due along with an IW on Digital Manipulation and Picnik. It's a free, fun site to edit your photos that simulates photoshop's filter with "Effects," you should try it!!

6th period Art 2 students finished their experimental images used their carved acrylic plates. Students created Photograms and Oil pastel Images on the other side of the acrylic plate. This experimental project yielded some unintended yet beautiful results, and the students were able to access the Photography darkroom as a surprise! An IW on a Masterwork is due Tues after Fall Break (10/26), which we will use for our next project.

Week 11.... Fall Break!!

Now that schools start in August instead of September, we are thankful for Fall Break!!!

Enjoy, look at some art, be safe, and have fun!

Love, Mrs. M

Art Sale THIS Weekend in Red Bank

Mrs. Mulloy purchased a booth to sell artwork at the Red Bank Market to raise $$ for supplies. Please come support us!
Sat, Oct 9th 10am-4pm

Art Sale Event page


Help will be needed Friday after lunch to prepare the goods for presenting and sales. Saturday, we'll need help manning the tent in 2 hour shifts. 
Extra Credit is being offered!

Week 9.. Homecoming! Already?

It's hard to believe it's Homecoming Week at SMHS and that we've already been in school 9 weeks, but here we are! This week students did not have class on Friday, as teachers have in-service. As we near the end of the quarter, please encourage proactivity among students in making sure their assignments are completed!**

1st and 2nd periods Ceramics classes had an IW on Glazing due Mon (10/4) and glazed their 4 intro projects last week. Students who are absent are responsible for finding a way to get these projects quickly finished on their own time within the week, as clay drying and firing schedules cannot be changed, and unfinished work cannot be graded. This week, students began making a Memory Box using the slab method. After planning their boxes and measurements, students rolled out slabs of clay to the size and shape they needed, then left them out flat to harden some. The next day, the leatherhard slab pieces were scored and slipped to the slab bases and reinforced on the inside corners with soft plastic coils to construct the form of the box. Students struggled in many cases with thin, cracking, dried-out walls, but learned the hard lessons of clay: follow instructions or disaster strikes! :) Students should choose someone to write a letter to or in memory of someone to enclose in their boxes when they're fired, and should also plan the decorative glazing they will incorporate once bisque fired. Their IW on Slab boxes is due Monday after Fall Break (10/25)!

3rd period Art 3/4/AP students worked on a choice project this week. Students may choose any subject matter, medium, and idea of their own to execute this week. Some are painting, some collaging, some making photograms, some are building frames; there is a flurry of creative energy during 3rd period this week! Full investigations on their projects including critiques, as always, are due Monday, (10/11).

4th period Photo class began the week with a day in the computer lab to begin investigating photographer Cindy Sherman and Portraits. This IW is due Monday (10/11). The photo shoot this week involves a partner. Students are to shoot 5 portraits of their partner, but each one should try to show a different "person" through hair, makeup, clothes, lighting, background context, props, etc. These 5 photos are due due Monday (10/11) as well. In addition, students are also rotating into the darkroom to create their won photograms! All students should have completed 1 successful photogram by next Friday (10/15).

6th period Art 2 students continued carving their portraits into their acrylic plates using nails and other strong, sharp objects. Although taxing on hands because of the amount of pressure students have to apply to carve into the acrylic, students are achieving remarkable results! This week's lesson: Art hurts sometimes! :) I am very excited to see the finished results of these experimental intaglio printmaking projects! The IW on Kathe Kollwitz and Intaglio Printmaking was due Tues (10/5).

**Special Note: Students who fall behind due to absences in studio-driven courses like Art should ask for an alternate paperwork assignment if time cannnot be arranged in the students's day to return to the art room and work. It is the responsibility of the student, however, to seek this alternate assignment before extended absences or proposed due dates.

FYI- Trouble with Grading Software

Our new county-wide software (PowerSchool) for grading has been inaccessible most of last week and this week as repairs and adjustments are made at the district level. Although this new software is exciting and will be wonderful for teachers and parents once it is online, the bugs are still being worked out of this new system.
Please know that, though no new grades can be posted in the online gradebook, grades are still being documented and will be entered into the system once the data storage is reliable. This may result in a delay of progress reports, so please be aware!

Thank you for your patience; I'm sure practicing mine! :)

Week 8... Art studies in depth

1st and 2nd periods Ceramics classes do not have an IW due this week, as their Throwing on the Wheel investigation was due last week. Students began this week by researching Glazing. We now have several bisque-fired pieces ready to glaze, so before we begin the process, students will become acquainted with the History and How-To's of glazing. After this week, I hope our classes have glazed their Slab Texture Tiles, Coil Coasters, Pinch Pot Rattles, and even their Clay Leaves. I am excited to see how the first finished pieces turn out! The finished IW on Glazing is Due Mon (10/4).


3rd period Art 3/4/AP class worked on the Seminar Reading Project (see previous week's description of the project task and goals). After focusing last week on brainstorming and investigating ideas then beginning on one section of their work (either typography and layout or realistic drawings), students will spend this week pulling the project together to make a beautiful, meaningful work of art based on their Seminar books. Once finished, students typed a 2-3 paragraph Artist Statement to explain the piece. One student remarked last week, "It's amazing how may more details I'm noticing in the book now. Its cool how art can help me understand my book better!" Yay for interdisciplinary connections and reinforcing important ideas across the curriculum; it really does work! IWs this week should be focused in the Seminar Book project; hearty investigations of the book, ideas, and a well-done critique should all be present and are due Monday (10/4).

4th period Photo class worked on quite a few tasks again this week. They continued rotating in the darkroom to learn basic darkroom printing techniques in order to make Photograms, completed one Visual Analysis of a Photo, and copied important vocab into their IWs from a list provided. Important information on: Use of Enlargers, mixing the Chemistry in the Darkroom, and Black and White printing was covered. Notes should've been taken during Mulloy's demo, as instructed, to remind students later of the timing and process for when they work in the darkroom alone. At the same time, students are also photographing the ABC's (26 photos total, 1 of each letter) which are due Monday (10/4).

6th period Art 2 students spent the week studying and practicing portrait drawing. Tuesday was a computer lab day to do research for the IW, and the rest of the week was spent creating their projects. After getting their own photos taken, students will create Expressive Self-Portraits using an Intaglio printmaking method. Students will create the images by scratching their portrait into a clear acrylic 'plate' which will then be inked and run through a printing press. The resulting portraits should be quite Expressive, bold, gestural and hopefully fun to create! An IW on  Käthe Kollwitz and Intaglio Printmaking is due Tues (10/5).

Week 7... Seminar Books, Photograms, and Coils

1st and 2nd periods Ceramics classes created coil vases this week. Due Monday (9/20) were 5 photos of ceramics seen outside of the classroom. Students could show me camera phone pics, post to Facebook, or print out the pics. A demonstration on how to throw on the potter's wheel later in the week began the rotation of students onto our 4 potter's wheels to experience throwing. Each week, students will rotate onto the 4 wheels and hopefully create some great pottery while learning a fun technique! Students concentrated this week, howeer, on creating a solid coil construction which was: 20 coils high, included spirals, and was water tight. The different shapes and approaches have been really interesting to see in creation! Students do not have a new IW this week, as it is TURN IN WEEK for workbooks!

3rd period Art 3/4/AP class worked on the Seminar Reading Project. After investigating their seminar book by creating a summary and list of important themes, symbols, and objects from the story, students were asked to bring in 2 photos or 2 of the actual objects from their lists to draw. After making sketches and observing details, students will create a 6x9 realistic drawing of each of their objects. Students will then choose a passage or two from the book mentioning those objects and use their skills with typography to incorporate the text from the passage into the artwork. Students may propose a similar idea, such as creating a sculptural piece instead of a 2-D piece, but proposal must be made to Mrs. Mulloy before deviating from the established assignment! Due Monday (9/20) was an IW on the history of and relationship between Literature and Art. There is no new IW this week other than for the Seminar Reading project! All other IWs are now overdue and will be graded this week!

4th period Photography students learned about Photograms early in the week by doing research, then learned in the darkroom  how to create their own Photograms. Due Monday (9/20) were a Rule of Thirds IW and 10 Rule of Thirds Photos: One set of 5 centered, one set on the Rule of Thirds. Learning and practicing basic black and white printing skills in the darkroom, students gained valuable experience in traditional photography this week. Working chemical solutions, dilutions, While we were rotating in the darkroom, students also completed a Visual Analysis of a photograph of their choice, copied important photo vocab into their workbooks, and began their next Photo shoot Assignment: Photograph the ABCs, 26 photos due Tuesday, October 5.


6th period Art 2 students finished up their Summer Reading Projects at the beginning of the week. After finishing the artwork, students created Artist's Statements to accompany their art work in an exhibit around the school. Our hope is that other students will not only be able to admire the creative talent of our art students, but also reinforce the major ideas and themes of the Seminar and Summer Reading books we read. Students then began an Expressive Portrait project. They will create portraits of themselves based on photos then altered to be in a more Expressive style.