Distance Learning Student Artwork Shines in a Digital World

Mendham Township, NEW JERSEY (May 19, 2020) – While it may seem like time is moving slowly, students in the Mendham Township School District have continued quietly but earnestly with their school assignments and education classes via online communications. The energy and enthusiasm underpinning all that work could not be more visible than in their recent accomplishments in Art.

Both Mendham Township Elementary School (MTES) and Mendham Township Middle School (MTMS) have been committed to continuing with their core academic curricula as well as providing live, online classes for Art, Music, and PE, etc., every week.

Mrs. Sarah Bizzarro, Art Teacher MTES, constructs her lessons so that the students know the required supplies in advance of the call. Many times, she will highlight an artist and she provides details on their lives and influences that may have had an impact on their artistic portfolio. These insights and details are discussed with the students at a level that is appropriate to their grade and age. The students join Mrs. Bizzarro through a live interaction medium, such as Google Meet. This is the time for students to converse with Mrs. Bizzarro and to join in class discussion about their current project. Mrs. Bizzarro is in the process of compiling a Digital Art Exhibition which will be used to showcase the students’ works for this academic year, including their accomplishments while creating art during home lessons. Another outlet that allows the students to use their artwork to connect with the broader community is “Make a Creative Thank You for the Health Care Workers at Morristown Medical Center.” Mrs. Bizzarro had organized this initiative as a way for students to show their appreciation for the amazing medical professionals taking care of all the patients at the nearby hospital. A similar initiative was also executed by the students at the Middle School to send thank you cards to the healthcare workers at the Morristown hospital (with additional support provided via a fundraiser using Adobe Spark).

At MTMS, Ms. Francesca Hare, Art Teacher, has instructed and inspired her students to continue developing and enhancing their creative skills while at home, particularly to evoke expression of themselves during these challenging times. Recently, her students were studying the Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo, which included the Faces of Frida exhibit on Google Arts & Culture. This artist was influenced by her own culture and environment and she often included autobiographical details in her artwork. Ms. Kahlo mixed realism with fantasy elements to express her thoughts and feelings. In a modern take on this direction, Ms. Hare collaborated with Mrs. Donna CasaGrande, Computer Technology Teacher MTMS, to allow their students to create pixel art in Google Sheets. Students used formatting tools to set up a spreadsheet to choose colors for their art. The students saved, sorted, and managed their data in order to create many autobiographical images. You can view some of these images at: https://spark.adobe.com/page/MK6B3H2UR2BQj/. Ms. Hare shared that she and Mrs. CasaGrande hoped it encourages their students to understand that their personal stories are worth telling. MTMS students were also encouraged to share their artwork with a broader community by highlighting their work during the school’s recent live-streaming “Mendham’s Got Talent” event, held May 1, 2020. A small sample of the stunning artwork from Ms. Hare’s students can be viewed online at: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-NK64BnQ-T/.

As the academic year comes to a close, it is clear that these students have advanced, both in knowledge and thoughtful expression!