Don Binney paintings

Taonga is our theme for the year, and luckily for us we have many treasures around, just waiting for us to take notice of them!  We wanted to create canvas paintings in the style of Don Binney, who spent time growing up in Parnell.  We walked down to the end of St Stephens Ave, and looked over the beautiful Waitemata Harbour.  We chose our own viewpoint to sketch the land, sea and sky.  It was awkward carrying our canvases down the road, but Mrs Franklin-Smith came with us, which was helpful!

Once back in the class, we painted the sky and the sea, blending the colours on the canvas, and creating texture for the sea. 

 

 

When that was dry, we painted in the land. 

Finally, we drew our native birds with chalk, and then painted them into the landscape.  We had made careful observational drawings of these birds from photos, so most of them are easy to recognise.  Black lines with vivid completed the Don Binney look. 

The Arts Focus exhibition was amazing, with the work looking very professional indeed.  I am certain they will become a taonga for the children to keep.

Here are the artists and their work:

Anya's Cube

Gigi's Cube

Jayden's Cube

Arts Focus

Today we have been learning about perspective, and using one point perspective to draw the long corridor in the Leonard Block.  It was tricky, but we have learned so many new skills; like using rulers, measuring and folding.  We are going to present a concept plan to transform the corridor into something a little more exciting...  Our designs will be on display during the Arts Focus trail next week.  See the website for more details.

This is the corridor as of today...

You will see our interesting and sometimes even strange ideas next week...

Thinking positively

Dr Seuss is such a philospher!  The year 2 syndicate worked together to come up with ideas for the future...

Remember the permission slips for the Pacific programme at the Aotea Centre.  We went last year and it was a lot of fun!

 

Happy Easter!

Classroom visits...

This afternoon we had an unexpected visitor of the feathered variety.  A very friendly piwakawaka came in, and seemed to enjoy flitting in and around the roof beams.  It stayed in for about 10 minutes, then flew out.  The children were quiet observers, and the bird did not appear stressed at all.

With our taonga theme we will certainly be thinking about personal, local and global treasures, but we did not think that one would come in to see us! 

We are in the best part of the school though.  I am waiting for the kingfishers to arrive again...

And treasure of another kind, Poppy brought this in for her News Report this morning.  The board was part of their wall, removed for renovation, and covered with images from old magazines or newspapers.  It was neat to be able to see it, so thanks Poppy!