<\/p>\n
Boring would not be a word to describe Kevin Vaughn\u2019s transition from being a fifth-grade classroom teacher to an art teacher at Dolores Elementary School.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been interesting,\u201d Vaughn said, recalling a group of dozens of children armed with paints and markers.<\/p>\n
But after 11 years as a fifth-grade art teacher, Vaughn was ready for a change, and so far, students love his art class, and the art coming out of his class is impressive.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook at this one. Isn\u2019t it amazing?\u201d Vaughn said as pointed to a fourth-grade drawing inspired by Georgia O\u2019Keeffe.<\/p>\n
Vaughn said he feels at home as an art teacher. He originally got a degree in art from the University of Delaware. It wasn\u2019t until later that Vaughn earned a degree in education from the University of Utah.<\/p>\n
Vaughn teaches his art students by weaving in a bit of history as well. Students learn about artists, their style, the time period they lived in and then they create.<\/p>\n
Piet Mondrian was famous for his linear artwork.<\/p>\n
Georgia O\u2019Keeffe for her ground breaking and beautiful flowers.<\/p>\n
Wassily Kandinsky was a Russian painter famous for being one of the first painters of true abstract art, some of which was very linear.<\/p>\n
Kandinsky-inspired art hung Tuesday in Vaughn\u2019s classroom.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis one is really great. She captured his style and her technique was great,\u201d Vaughn said, pointing to art by Shalee Hunt.<\/p>\n
Teaching art, he said, isn\u2019t that much different than teaching students how to write.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have to research, make a plan and then create,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI try to bring history into the process as well,\u201d Vaughn said.<\/p>\n
He is teaching some of his students about Paul Klee and his famous painting \u201cGoldfish.\u201d The painting teaches students about negative space. Vaughn is going to use this painting and challenge students to create a similar piece of art using animals and inserting them into their habitat.<\/p>\n
Sixth-grader David Jones was proud of his Kandinsky-inspired art and how it turned out.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was the funnest project we\u2019ve done all year,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe shapes see,\u201d Jones pointed to his work. \u201cThey make your eye move across the piece.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jenesis Shields, also a sixth-grader, was glad Vaughn moved to art. She had him last year as a fifth-grade teacher.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s really funny, super nice, but strict, so you will still learn,\u201d Shields said. \u201cI\u2019m glad he is our art teacher this year. I would be lost without him.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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