Christine Morla stands as a wonderful role model for children. She is a first generation Filipino-American and local Oxnard girl whose work reflects her cultural heritage and connection to the world – in a very modern way. Having learned Filipino mat weaving as a child from her father, Christine has incorporated these elements into her artwork. Learning to See students learn the same weaving process. They explore color, shape, texture and composition, creating their own paper weaving and flower shapes, similar to Christine. They are prompted to pay attention to how the components ’talk’ to each other on the page. Similar to Christine’s collaborations with others, students mindfully place their individual pieces together as one artwork. The result is a joyous collaborative installation of colors and shapes on the classroom wall!

Students can see how BiJian elevates the art-form often related to child play with the sensibility of a zen master and the execution of a scientist. By cutting, folding, and curling, they transform flat rectangles into beautiful sculptural planes of light and shadow. Some evoke the feeling of a playground or sophisticated public sculpture, leading to discussion about the materials needed to fabricate a monumental sculpture. The LTS Teaching Artist uses a flashlight to cast moving shadows over the paper sculptures to mimic a rising and setting sun. This literally illuminates the integral aspect of shadows to a sculpture for the student. In learning about BiJian’s path as a brilliant ‘dragon child’ in Communist China, achievement of a PhD in engineering and desire to be an artist, students learn that no one is immune to parental and societal pressures. The found freedom and joy that BiJian brings to his art supports students in pursuing theirs.

Students are delighted to tap into their imaginations with this lesson inspired by Christine Brennan. They start the way Christine often does with marks on their paper, then letting their minds wander, eventually seeing something visually spring to life.  Given official permission to express themselves, each student creates something uniquely different from one another. Within this freedom, LTS Teaching Artists coach the students to address the formal aspects of art that Christine has mastered: form, shadow and light, and a strong sense of space and color. Prismacolor colored pencils are used on uniquely textured or colored paper to provide an elevated drawing/coloring experience.  These tools help the students to further articulate their ideas and create works of art they are truly proud of and look forward to sharing!

Hiroko states, “The series, Biodiversity reflects my ardent wish that life’s diversity would continue to flourish in the face of accelerated destructive forces created by human hands. The seemingly infinite and wondrous diversity of life forms, like the microbes in a drop of water, inspires unique colors, shapes, and lines that then come alive on my canvas.”  The Biodiversity series is a perfect model of the connection between science and art. Before this lesson starts, students are invited outside to look straight down on the ground observing the plant and mineral life below their feet. Teaching Artists lead conversations with the students about the interdependence of all living things and how they are affected right where the students are standing. Once in the classroom, students are directed to use the plants and rocks placed on their tables for inspiration, not copying.