Preview of Portraits

From the mingled strength of shade and light
A new creation rises to my sight,
Such heav'nly figures from his pencil flow,
So warm with light his blended colors glow.
. . . .
The glowing portraits, fresh from life, that bring
Home to our hearts the truth from which they spring.
~ Lord Byron

Self-portraits by two CCS second graders
Click to enlarge

Every first through sixth grade art student has a self-portrait now hanging in the CCS Hallway Gallery. Each one reflects the delightful, unique mode of expression of each child.

In my previous post, I covered the essential elements of drawing portraits that we investigated during the week of creating them. Kudos to all my budding artists!

Art of the American Soldier Exhibition

Paddington Station
Aaron Bohrod
Gouche on Paper
1944

What can art tell us about the experience of being a soldier? Since World War I, both soldier and civilian artists have been commissioned by the U.S. Army to create a visual and historical record of military conflicts around the world. Wielding paintbrushes as powerful as their weapons, these soldier-artists have captured the human dimension of war in a way no newsreel or photograph ever could.

Today, the U.S. Army has collected more than 15,000 paintings and sketches created by over 1,300 American soldiers in the line of duty. With no national museum to display this impressive collection, these works have remained in curatorial storage in Washington, D.C. for decades, seldom made available for public viewing.

Art of the American Soldier at the National Constitution Center brings this previously unseen collection into the spotlight for the first time. The exhibition explores how soldier-artists have portrayed moments of soldier life, duty, and sacrifice in military conflicts spanning the past 100 years. Through these unforgettable images, visitors to the exhibition will connect with the soldier experience and discover insights into the men and women who have answered the Constitution’s call to “provide for the common defense.”

Exhibition runs from September 24, 2010 – January 10, 2011

Learn more at The National Constitution Center

h/t: illustr8r