Category Archives: 8th grade art

8th grade art, Chittenango Middle School, food, Karen Tashkovski, papier mache, sculpture

Who Made the Donuts?

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We created these donuts in two of my Art-8 classes. Some were mounted on black foamboard and others placed in real Dunkin’ Donuts boxes, which were donated by the wonderful manager at the DD on Rt. 5 in Chittenango, NY.

Materials:

aluminum foil, masking tape, paper towels, Mod Podge, Celluclay, acrylic paint, glitter, foamboard, DD boxes

They are so fun! The trick here was to try to make them all the same size and the same shape. It wasn’t as easy as it sounds. Each student made a half dozen. I graded them on successful armature, application of Mod Podge and Celluclay, as well as paint and detail.

8th grade art, art, art education, art teacher, ceramics, clay, facces, Karen Tashkovski, sculpture

The Clay Face Project

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My 8th grade accelerated Studio in Art students created these clay face masks (with Miller #10 clay purchased from Clayscapes). We used the slab technique over a plastic face form then added clay to shape the features. I poked holes at the sides to secure a Twisteezwire to the back. They can hang on a wall – I love that!

The glaze is called Mayco Jungle Gems. It contains glass bits! So cool.

#ootd, 8th grade art, cashmere, clothing, fashion, fashion blog, Karen Tashkovski, leather, Tashionista, TASHKOVSKI jewelry

Fashion Heaven

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#vince cashmere sweater and leather skirt #ragandbone boots
#tashkovski bracelet #theory cashmere sweater #coach leather skirt #ragandbone boots

The V-neck cashmere sweater paired with a leather skirt is a marriage made in fashion heaven! Worn with a bootie and one of my handmade bracelets, this look was my uniform last week. It was a theme I will revisit again and again. <3

#tashkovski bracelet #kesnyc #theory cashmere sweater #vince leather skirt #rebeccaminkoff boots

Students are working on papier-mache sculptures (donuts, owls) and colored pencil drawings. The Studio in Art students just finished glazing their clay projects and now they are about to do still life paintings with acrylics. We are having a lot of fun making art!

#tashkovski bracelet #vince cashmere sweater #kobihalperin leather skirt #marcjacobs boots
#tashkovski bracelet #theory cashmere sweater #zadigandvoltaire leather skirt #marcjacobs boots
#ootd, 8th grade art, Karen Tashkovski, Tashionista, TASHKOVSKI jewelry

Maxi Time

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#tashkovski bracelet #bcbgmaxazria dress #marcjacobs boots
#theory cashmere sweater #freepeople dress #ragandbone boots

I did a maxi skirt thing this week. Love a long dress as daywear. So fun! Today was the end of the marking period. First ten weeks under our belts. Clay projects all done for the semester and now we are on to drawings and papier-mache sculptures. Time to get messy….

#tashkovski bracelet #rachelzoe dress #ragandbone boots
#tashkovski bracelet #bcbgmaxazria sweater and skirt #sorel boots
8th grade art, art, art education, art teacher, contest, design, drawing, editorial design, illustration, Karen Tashkovski

Connected

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3rd place – Chittenango Lions Club Peace Poster contest 2021 – “We Are All Connected”

My 8th grade accelerated Studio in Art students completed an intense nine weeks of creating these peace posters for the Chittenango Lions Club. The Lions sponsor an international peace poster competition for middle school aged children with a grand prize of $5,000.

It is an illustration lesson/editorial design project with some limitations – no words or characters of any kind, no trademarked items or advertisements. We used 16″ x 20″ white tagboard and Prismacolor colored pencils. The Lions Club generously donated enough sets so that my students could each have their own 48 color set. Thirty-eight students competed this year.

Students spent additional hours on these posters at home on the weekends to complete them in time for the contest deadline. The winning poster will go on to the regional competition and possibly the state one as well. The theme for this year is “We Are All Connected”. Now that we are all back in school full-time, this sentiment is truly apropos. <3

2nd place – Chittenango Lions Club Peace Poster contest 2021- “We Are All Connected”
1st place – Chittenango Lions Club Peace Poster contest 2021 – “We Are All Connected”
8th grade art, ceramics, clay, Karen Tashkovski

Day of the Dead

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My Art-8 students created these fabulous Sugar Skulls. They came out of the kiln yesterday just in time for a Day of the Dead celebration. We used the slab technique over a plastic head mold. They added and subtracted clay. I helped them remove the sculpture from the form replacing it with paper towels, slashed the cheekbones to create the skeleton shape and added holes to weave a wire through them.

Projects were bisque fired then glazed with these great confetti style glazes. Now they can hang on a wall to be enjoyed for many years to come! <3

8th grade art, art, art education, art exhibition, art resources, drawing

Kids & Keith

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There is still time to visit the Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown, New York. The Keith Haring exhibit will be on display until October 11, 2021. Meanwhile, on the walls of Chittenango Middle School, my students’ artwork is currently on display. It took a lot of heavy-duty stickies to get them to stay up – the tile was not particularly cooperative.

#ootd, 8th grade art, art exhibition, fashion, jewelry, Karen Tashkovski, silk, Tashionista

It’s All Free

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#kesnyc #tashkovski #freepeople #bcbgeneration

When I am in my classroom, I feel a bit like a caged animal. I can’t go to the bathroom whenever I want to – I have a two minute window here and there, which takes adjusting to after having so much freedom over the summer.

I have two bathrooms in my house now and central air – no air condish at school.

And so, those two things are the only cons to my job. Not the students or the curriculum, or the amazing community of Chittenango, New York.

It is so fun to create new lessons, to introduce new art concepts and to just spend time with my students again in my own classroom.

I’m starting with some drawing and graphic design projects. I’m sharing information about Keith Haring and his art retrospective at The Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown, New York. I just found out it isn’t over until October 11th – which means maybe the students can convince their families to take a trip out there? That would be incredible!

I started the school year in this Free People cotton dress. It is so comfortable and colorful! I just love it! Thank you, Bloomingdales! <3

8th grade art, art, art education, classroom

Covid After Party

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This is the state of my classroom. Last year, the teachers traveled from room to room instead of the students moving about the building. We are somewhat back to normal this year. It’s good to be back.

So far, I checked in some supplies and pulled a bunch of posters out of the back room. I’m in the process of creating new lessons and deciding which classes will do which lessons.

School starts for students on September 7th.

I have a lot of work to do and there is no air conditioning in the classroom. Other challenges will include the social distancing stuff and the masks. I’ll try to find a way to make it fun.

8th grade art, art, art education, classroom, drawing, illustration, Karen Tashkovski, portraits

Cause Celeb

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Here are some of the celebrity portraits my 8th grade Studio in Art students (from Chittenango Middle School) finished back in March.  I didn’t display them because I was saving them for the school fair, which never happened.

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I allow students to pick almost anyone – meaning anyone “appropriate”, and this year you will see a variety from sports, performing arts, the art world and social media (and one grand-dad).  Two Steve Harveys, lol.  He wins as most popular this time.

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They are pencil drawings on Canton paper.

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