The Puzzle Project 2017

Each year I begin 8th grade art with The Puzzle Project, inspired by Tim Kelly's idea as seen here: 

I talk about unity in art and unity in life. We have a big class discussion about why unity is so important in today's world. We tie in ideas about bullying and war and politics and religion. We talk about how everyone is different and everyone looks differently and acts differently and talks differently, and how beautiful we are all together. 

The idea is that each student can use whatever materials they want, and whatever ideas they can think of to represent themselves and their thoughts. Each student will create an individual work of art, that will be a piece of a larger collaborative installation with all 8th grade art students. 

The overarching theme is diversity, awareness and acceptance. We are all different, but we all fit together in this world like the pieces of a puzzle. 

I order 30"x 40" foam board sheets. I get two 20" x 20" puzzle pieces out of each sheet. I created a template and trace it onto the 20" x 20" pieces. I cut them out using an Xacto knife when the student is finished. 

Here are some images from this years first semester puzzle project. 

This is my second example

This is my first example

This student said this about her piece "This is how I feel inside" 

"I just love to draw trees, there is something magical about them" 

A little outside time for art.