Isabella Wilson likes math, but she’s also pretty good at art. Wilson, a third-grade student at Oak Grove’s Longleaf Elementary, is one of 15 students statewide to have a piece of her artwork currently hanging in the State Capitol in Jackson.
Her cave drawing of a bison was selected from the more than 200 works of art included in the Magnificent Masterpieces Student Art Show, which was displayed at the Mississippi Arts Center from Dec. 15, 2018 to Jan. 18, 2019.
The selected artwork is from schools affiliated with the Mississippi Arts Commission’s Whole School Initiative and temporarily on display in the Education Conference Room at the State Capitol, at the request of House Education Committee Chairman Richard Bennett.
According to Madison Moore, visual arts specialist at Longleaf Elementary, she was asked to submit artwork from each grade level and Isabella’s was chosen to be part of the exhibit.
Isabella’s class created cave drawings.
“We used brown paper bags, which we crumbled up and tore the edges off to create our cave paintings,” Moore said. “We then used brown tempera paint and drew over it with oil pastels.”
Moore said students in Isabella’s class, which meets every other week, studied the Chauvet Cave drawings in France, which are some of the earliest known European figurative cave paintings, as well as other prehistoric cave drawings in preparation of the creation of the artwork. Isabella said they learned that the cave drawings back then were created using rocks rather than pastels, chalks, markers and crayons, which are available to artists today.
“We learned that cave drawings were made a long time ago and are in museums so other people can see them,” she said.
While Isabella’s favorite color is pink, the class used earthtones to create their cave drawing masterpieces, each which were done in profile.
Isabella demonstrated her technique drawing squiggly lines as she looked back and forth from the drawing she was using to create a new masterpiece, adding an eye and horns. She then added colors to highlight her drawing, choosing red, a golden yellow and orange to outline the almost stick-like figure, which has no depth, and to give it some highlights.
Moore said the idea for the cave drawings came from an art blog that she follows and is a member of, Deep Space Sparkle and The Sparklers Club 8.
“Teachers can go on and get ideas, share feedback about what works and what doesn’t,” Moore said. A teacher in California provided the printouts of the cave art animals, but Moore put her own spin on how the class was going to learn about the cave drawings and how they were going to be hands-on with it.
“Isabella doesn’t quite understand the whole concept of where her art is hanging,” said Moore, “but she is excited. And she’s ready for her artwork to come back, which it will soon.”
Moore informed her class on Monday, the first day back in class after a week-long spring break, of Wilson’s honor. “They applauded for her, which made her excited,” the art teacher said.
“Isabella is really interested in art and always goes above and beyond. She likes to work on a variety of projects.”
Isabella said her mother, Athena Wilson, also likes art.
“She is creative, drawing and creating things,” Isabella said. “Sometimes people will ask her to do some parties, decorations. And sometimes I will help her.”
OGLL Principal Angela McCarty said through the Mississippi Arts Commission, the Longleaf faculty and students have benefitted greatly from the professional development and from having various artists visit the campus.
“Ms. Moore has embraced the importance of integrating the arts with core subject areas,” McCarty said. “Isabella took what she learned from Ms. Moore and created a beautiful prehistoric cave drawing using pastels. What an honor it is for this to be one of the 15 pieces of art displayed in our Mississippi State Capital Building.”
Artwork in the exhibit was created by students from pre-kindergarten through seventh grade.
“Artwork is a powerful educational tool, and this artwork will serve as a source of
inspiration to lawmakers as we work towards improving education for all Mississippi
students,” said Rep. Bennett. “We thank the Mississippi Arts Commission for the
important work they do in arts education and for their partnership on this project.”
All art work included in Magnificent Masterpieces from WSI-affiliated schools is the result of a lesson or unit of study that began in the general classroom and is connected to the school’s education curriculum.
“We are proud of the excellent work these students create as part of the learning process,” said Malcolm White, MAC executive director. “The presence of these artworks in our State Capitol reinforces and encourages a statewide commitment to arts education. We thank Representative Bennett for his vision and interest in deepening student achievement through the arts.”
AC’s Whole Schools Initiative is Mississippi’s first comprehensive, statewide arts education program that uses the arts as a vehicle for promoting high-quality instruction and learning for students in all disciplines.
