Edvard Munch's "The Scream"

Work in progress. That is how we were able to justify and send home our incomplete Munch-inspired drawings today because we ran out of time. I guess it happens sometimes during art camp. I suppose it can happen any time when you're struggling to complete another art project as well. For us, that's exactly what was happening today. 

Not only were the art teachers trying to touch up the last bit of projects and organizing each child's work of art so they could take them all home in their portfolios, but we also wanted them to finish up another art project that they had been working on throughout the week: 

The "magic sticks" were designed to be a project that students could work on in between art pieces if they finished early or to wrap up the day's work! We started designing our magic sticks on Tuesday but found that they bamboo sticks would look better if they were all painted. So, we had to paint 18 long bamboo sticks different colors so the children could add on their own designs to the sticks. 

Today, we ended up spending more time on the magic sticks than the actual art project. As if this wasn't enough, the poor kids were tired of sitting in their chairs all day long! It had been a rainy Friday afternoon so we couldn't let the kids go out on the playground and release energy, like we normally do. So, combine restlessness + 2 art projects = some tired kiddos!

We ended up starting the Munch project an hour before kids were scheduled to be picked up. All 3 of us art teachers struggled to pass out materials, get everyone settled down and ready to lesson, all while trying to keep our cool.

I started off with my usual routine: explaining the artist, art style, and art project. This time, the art history only lasted maybe about 5 minutes because I could sense how fidgety the kids were getting. 

The head teacher took over the lesson and started passing out materials, but..I could tell she was starting to get fed up with kids running around the classroom and the loudness of the classroom. I hated doing this, but I had to yell at the kids. I hate yelling. I hate yelling at kids. I even hate yelling at kids during an art lesson, but.. it just had to happen. The amount of noise and disruption was just not appropriate for us to begin the art lesson. 

Unfortunately, the students only made it through the sky and the mountains in the background before the clock struck 12:30 and the teachers had all decided it was time to get everything organized before the parents arrived. We all hated sending home and unfinished work, but.. as usual, the teachers outlined the major forms of the drawing using black colored pencil so the students could go over these marks at home and on their own.