Last Art Class for the School Year

Yesterday I went back to Henley for the last art class of this school year. I taught the students about Titian. His exact birth date is not known, but they speculate that he was born around 1488. He was the premier Venician portrait painter in his life time. He was very well known, and was a rival to Michelangelo and Raphael. Da Vinci was also painting during some of the same years in Italy. He is so well regarded that two of his paintings have recently sold for $70 million plus each!! It was hard to figure out how to teach about Titian because there weren't any cool, interesting stories that would catch the kids' attention, and so many of his paintings included naked little cherubs (which would have brought the house down in elementary school) or naked adult women, or babies being nursed without a modesty guard. I think much of Titian's work is warm and beautiful, if you can get past all the nudes. These are two of his self portraits.

One of the coolest surprises I had yesterday was when the 3rd grade teacher handed me thank-you notes from all the students in both 3rd grade classes. It was so awesome because the teachers had asked the students to draw a picture like one of the ones we had studied during the year, and to say what they enjoyed learning about. You would be so impressed with a couple of the Cezanne still lifes! There were lots of Mona Lisa's and lots of Terracotta Warriors. One of my favorites is a wonderful American Gothic, and another favorite is Ricky's, who drew the Mona Lisa, The Underground Army, the American Gothic, AND Van Gogh's "The Potato Eaters," only he called it the Bean Eater. I am totally impressed. I felt built up by the young girl who said, "Thank you Mrs. Mortenson for teaching us about the underground army and the mone lysa, gothik, and you dress pretty." I felt like a million bucks! And then there were two very thoughtful 5th grade boys who gallantly carried my things to the next class. Good kids.