For last week’s Rye Neck School District K-5 Fine Arts Show, art teachers and curators Trisha Appel and Dara Goodman assembled a gallery filled with masterpieces from every elementary student at both Bellows and Daniel Warren.

By Janice Llanes Fabry

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For last week’s Rye Neck School District K-5 Fine Arts Show, art teachers and curators Trisha Appel and Dara Goodman assembled a gallery filled with masterpieces from every elementary student at both Bellows and Daniel Warren.

The District’s Visual Arts program helps students develop techniques while they create works based on master artists and art movements. “We always try to do cross-curricular tie-ins with what the students are learning in the classroom,” explained Ms. Goodman. “Students see connections and it has a big impact.”

Indeed, when third-grade students were learning about Japanese culture, they painted cherry blossoms. The Native American lessons sparked the fourth graders’ animal totem creations. Incorporating language arts, some of the artwork required written descriptions. Even the Common Core was integrated in the fifth graders’ paintings of Paul Cezanne-inspired apple cores.

In addition, students worked on more three-dimensional forms. They were exposed to more contemporary artists, as well as the masters. “I think they like the variety of materials and techniques we used,” said Ms. Appel. “We also felt it was important to introduce kids to re-using materials and they realize they can make anything out of recycled products.”

As Goodman remarked, “We emphasize thinking outside of the box.”