The CES fourth grade gifted program made Dale Chihuly inspired art work to showcase creativity and collaboration. Chihuly is one of the greatest glass sculpture artists of our time. Dale Chihuly is an American glass artist who was born on September 20, 1941 in Tacoma, WA. He’s eighty-one years old with a wife and one child. He has earned many awards, including seven honorary doctorates from the National Endowment for the Arts. He also studied glass blowing at the Venini family’s glass studio in Venice, on the island of Murano. Fourth grade students replicated some of his pieces by using plastic bottles, coffee filters, and paint to make their various designs. The process took place in the gifted classroom over the span of the first nine weeks. Mrs. Courtney Sinclair believes the art helped the students become more creative and patient due to not being able to see an immediate, completed project. “I think this project was interesting and fun for the students,” Mrs. Sinclair acknowledged, “Dale Chihuly didn't give up even when he went through hard times. This is a valuable lesson that students need to learn.” Mrs. Sinclair likes that they used old, recycled materials to make something new and beautiful. Upon completing their projects, the students also took a field trip to Mohawk Steel and Glass where they were able to watch a glass blowing demonstration. Through completing this unit, Mrs. Sinclair hopes that students were able to learn about perseverance and hard work in addition to using their creativity.
Lauryn Cagins, Ella Domine, Lily Hough and Sadie Swann made use of household items to recreate some of Dale Chihuly’s famous art pieces.
The students also went to Mohawk Glass and Steel for a field trip where they were able to learn the art of glass blowing. Chasity Brown got to have a hands on experience with the process of making blown glass.
