Visual Art
Welcome to 2021-2022 Claxton Elementary Visual Art
I look forward to our creating artwork and a community of artists this school year. My personal mission is to create a classroom culture in and through visual art that encourages children to bravely express themselves. My favorite part of teaching elementary visual art is helping young artists develop their artistic skills to express their unique perspective. It doesn’t get much better than seeing the world through a young artist’s head, heart and hands! I love to hear students talk about their art and share their ideas. I enjoy sharing my love of art with my students and encouraging them in their own artistic pursuits both in and out of school. It thrills me when students share art they have been creating outside of school. I make my own artwork outside of school as well and share that joy with students. Collage and assemblage are my choice for visual expression when creating my own personal artwork.
Winter 2022
K
Paper Line Sculptures
1
Geometric Shape Robot
2
Jacob Lawrence Action Self Portraits
3
Paper Puppets & Puppetry
4
NC State Symbols: Long Leaf Pine
5
Knotted Friendship Bracelets
Fall & Winter 2021
K
Colorful Lines, Lines, Lines!!!
1
Geometric Shape Robot
2
Jacob Lawrence Gesture Drawings
3
Paper Puppets Construction
4
NC State Symbols: Northern Cardinals
5
Keith Haring Sculptures
Fall 2021
K
Black and White Lines, Lines, Lines!!!
1
Organic Shape Germs
2
Symmetrical Monarch Butterflies
3
Paper Puppets Pieces and Parts
4
Minnie Evans Symmetry Dreams
5
Keith Haring Figures
Summer & Fall 2021
K
Jim Dine Hearts
1
Jim Dine Hearts
2
Romero Britto Hearts
3
Romero Britto Hearts
4
Chris Uphues Hearts
5
Chris Uphues Hearts
Summer 2021
K
Wayne Thiebaud Ice Cream Cones
1
Wayne Thiebaud Ice Cream Cones
2
Wayne Thiebaud Ice Cream Cones
3
Chris Uphues Ice Cream Cones
4
Chris Uphues Ice Cream Cones
5
Chris Uphues Ice Cream Cones
In the Art Room with Ms. Olson
As Claxton Elementary's visual art specialist, my personal mission is to create a classroom culture in and through visual art that encourages children to bravely express themselves. Weekly 45 minute art lessons explore visual literacy, art history and art appreciation through utilization of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study's Visual Art Essential Standards. Student art displays include the Annual Asheville City Schools Art Show, various community display opportunities as well as bulletin board displays within the school. Cooperative art projects within grade levels, cross-grade levels and participation with families and community members are an important part of publicly displayed art on our school grounds. Student groups are also involved with various service project opportunities to express themselves and their creativity for a purposeful cause. Families are able to purchase their student's artwork on various products and help support the visual art program at Claxton through our visual art fundraiser with Art to Remember.
Meet Ms. Olson
I have been teaching elementary visual art for 22 years. I have a BFA with a concentration in graphic design from Western Carolina University and received my teaching certification from The University of North Carolina at Asheville. I began teaching visual art in 1998. I am licensed in K-12 Visual Art and ESL. I received National Board Certification in Early/Middle Childhood Visual Art in 2011. This is my fifth year teaching art at Claxton Elementary.