On Friday, HEArt students at Starr King transformed into focused seamsters and seamstresses as they learned how to sew pillows and bean bags.  They had a great time choosing their fabrics – the checkers and red skull print were the big hits!  Next week, the students will continue practicing threading their needles, sewing their seams, and tying the knots on their projects.

On Friday, Starr King students learned the ancient art of “Shui-muo ha,” Chinese ink painting.  Students practiced their strokes using special brushes and paper, and copied Chinese symbols for “love,” “peace,” and “happiness.”   Influenced by zen, we focused on simplicity and clarity in the paintings.  The students mounted their drawings on construction paper collages, our HEArt interpretation of the more traditional hanging scrolls.

Continuing on our sculpture skills, Starr King students learned how to make paper mache globes.  It was a messy endeavor, but the students had a lot of fun!  Before beginning, each student considered the top seven most important things in an ideal world.  Next week they’ll get to decorate their globes, with each of the seven continents representing those seven ideals.

Seven ideals for seven continents

Friends and globes

Inspired by HEArt instructor Francesca’s recent trip to Washington DC, the students at Starr King began designing and constructing monuments for the people, places and events important to their lives.  As architects, they began by learning the concept of “scale” by using a ruler and graph paper to design their unique monuments.   This week they began to build their visions with Popsicle sticks and glue in hand.

Taeja works on her monument, inspired by a bird house