MBE Ducklings Visit the Studio

Ms. Thompson continued her spring tradition of hatching duck eggs again this year.  The ducklings are growing every day- you can watch them live at MBE Ducklings.  After visiting the MBE Mud Day festival on Saturday, they will go to live with their new families.  Pre-K and Early Kindergarten classes enjoyed observing the ducklings, drawing them, painting them (pictures not the ducks) and gently petting their soft downy feathers.  There was a lot of hand washing happening to keep children and ducklings healthy!

        There are 6 striped Mallards, 2 yellow Duclairs, 3 Khaki Campbells, and 1 Cayuga Black.

The ducklings were nervous, the children were so calm and quiet that some ducklings took a rest.

              Drawing what we see is always a challenge- especially when your subject moves!

                               The students were focused and respectful of our tiny guests. 

4th Graders' Gargoyles are on Display at the Mason Library

A few times a year we share our work with the community at the Mason Library in Great Barrington.  Our fourth graders created wonderful ceramic sculptures recently.  All are on display until Memorial Day during regular library hours.  A great big thank you to Mrs. Kathy Plungis for supporting our ability to share student work with the community through the library.


Muddy Brook fourth grade artists learned about the history and meanings of gargoyles and grotesques on medieval churches and on architecture today.    Gargoyles funneled water away from buildings, protected people from evil spirits and reminded church goers to follow the church's teachings.  Grotesques did the same without  the ability to move rain water.  Often the stone carvers would show off their art abilities and cutting skill by creating fantastic and scary creatures.

                                      Mason Library  Photo credit: Kathy Plungis

                                           Here are some photos of students' creating their sculptures:      

 First students sculpted the body and facial features using the pinch method.  They were challenged to add expression!

Next they rolled coils for arms, legs, and tails.  Some children sculpted wings from slabs of clay.

 Students used the 4 S's to attach their additions:  score, slip, stick and smooth.

Finally once their sculptures were complete (or class was going to end) the artists posed their work.  The way clay dries is the way clay stays.  Once fired they became ceramic and are hard as stone, waterproof and cannot be turned back into clay.  Students painted their ceramic sculptures and added mica powders for shimmer and shine.  EVERYBODY was successful!  This project was a creative way to incorporate art history with assessing students' clay knowledge.  I'm very proud of Muddy Brook's artists. 

Early Childhood Garden Sculptures

Our PK, EK and Kindergarten created beautiful ceramic flower sculptures this Spring.  Student artists were very patient, as this learning project took many weeks and had multiple layers of learning!

 First students created a flower shaped template and used it as a guide to cut their clay slabs.  Each tracer was unique.  PK traced their hands for their flower shape.

Next students added details and texture with clay tools and ceramic stamps.

 Once dried and fired, the ceramic flowers were glazed with bright colors.

Once glaze fired the artists looked closely at their flower sculptures.  Then they drew them with gold crayon and painted them with liquid tempera paints.

I will add pictures of the installation once they are outdoors!

A Wonderful Day in the Studio

Wonderful things have been happening in the studio- but I keep leaving my phone with it's trusty camera- at home!

Our youngest artists are beginning a cooperative Springtime mural.  Early K artists learned about the life cycle of butterflies and created symmetrical butterflies.  Pre K focused on caterpillars and  painted caterpillars eating, crawling, dancing and growing up.  Kindergarten kiddos will add flowers.

Third graders are making coil pots this week.  All the students' pots are unique!  Once dry we will fire them in the kiln and then glaze the ceramic.


 I dusted off the ipad and remembered to take a couple pictures in my last class.  Mr. Broderick's class was busy painting, building inventions and weaving the dream coat. 

Jacob's WOW work is ready to frame.  WOW work is a wonderful, original, work of art made with with an artist's personal best skill, thought and care.  When viewers look at WOW work, they often exclaim "Wow!  That artists work hard, solved problems, and is really creative!"