November was weaving month in art class! We celebrated an ancient art that spans the globe and connects all cultures. In Art History we learned about weaving traditions around the world but our particular focus was on the Navajo tradition of weaving and how present day Navajo artists are using rugs and baskets as canvasses for contemporary art and design. It was also instructive to take a look at the entire process of weaving from basic resources (making yarn from wool, or harvesting plant materials for baskets) through the finished product.
In Studio Art we learned the basics of creating looms, laying the warp, and weaving the weft. This was a great exercise in patience, focus and peer teaching. LE enjoyed working together in our weaving circle! Upper Elementary students created traditional rectangular weavings on cardboard looms that they then hung as tapestries. Lower Elementary created circular weavings on looms that they first painted with colorful patterns.
Weaving was a particularly popular artistic endeavor with all the students. The tactile satisfaction and the ability to watch your work grow before your eyes both make the weaving process especially fun. I hope to see this level of enthusiasm continue in our art class!